Page 19
“You dance well,” he murmured into her ear, his warm breath causing a shudder to ripple from Araminta’s waist to her nape.
“Thank you. So do you.”
Dolt.Of course he did.
Hewas a duke’s son.
He’dprobably had dance lessons as soon as he could walk.
“I’m glad I agreed to let you have a library in the store.” He turned her, and her skirts swished against his Hessians.
“Me too.” Good heavens, her conversational skills were positively riveting.
“I’ve enjoyed your company, Araminta.”
Athis whispered words, another delicious tremor rippled through her.
IfAraminta didn’t know better, she might have read more into the simple phrase. She kept her gaze pointed at his firm chin, shadowed with dark stubble, for she dared not meet his eyes.
Dariuschuckled, that marvelous masculine rumble deep in his chest that made her want to press her cheek against the wide expanse.
“Is there something on my chin?” he asked, jollity coloring his voice. “Food? A wart?”
Athis teasing, she couldn’t prevent her gaze from flying upward to meet his amused eyes. “No.”
“Ah, that’s better.” He leaned a couple of inches nearer. So near, in fact, that she could smell his sandalwood and spice cologne. “You have the most beautiful eyes.”
“Thank you.”
Buthe was wrong.
Hehad the most beautiful eyes. She could drown in that gaze, the color of the ocean at twilight. And those silver flecks…?
Thiswas madness. Insanity.
Whollyimprudent.
Clearingher throat, Araminta stepped away.
Bereft, her body cried out at the separation.
“I had better get back to work.” She clasped her hands before her.
Thedoorbell chimed, and Darius cast a frustrated look over his shoulder.
“LordDarius?” came a woman’s practiced sing-song voice.
Eudora.
“Yes, perhaps that is wise.” He touched Araminta’s cheek, a feather’s caress, no more. “For now.”
Aramintawatched him stride away.
Howcould she possibly work with Darius and keep her feelings hidden? More painful to contemplate was how could she continue to tend the library, knowing that one day he would likely marry Eudora?
