He sensed her approach and turned in time to see her enter the room. He couldn’t help but notice that she still moved with the same grace she’d possessed as a young woman, setting the Ton ablaze during her first Season with her beauty and unaffected charm. It had been inevitable that she’d captured his interest as well.
That was a lifetime ago.
“My lord,” she said, executing a fluid curtsey. Her expression gave away no hint as to why she had sent for him.
He inclined his head in acknowledgement and watched in silence as she sat on one end of the ornate settee. A chair was positioned at an angle from her and it was clear she expected him to use it.
A need to ruffle her impassive bearing had him remaining silent and ignoring the chair. He moved past her and sat, instead, beside her on the settee. He left a respectable distance between them, but the way she stiffened told him she hadn't expected him to sit so close. It was self-indulgent, but he felt a small measure of triumph at her discomfort.
He watched, more than a little surprised, as she collected herself, smoothing away all signs of discomfort. Her body relaxed, her expression becoming one of polite cordiality as she held herself with an almost unnatural stillness. It appeared that Miranda Hathaway had learned to control the youthful exuberance she’d once possessed. He wasn’t sure whether to applaud her for her newfound reserve, or mourn the loss of that vibrant, impetuous young woman.
Silence stretched between them for several seconds before she turned to face him. He was struck once again, as he had been all those years ago, by her beauty. Her dark brown hair and the unrelieved black of her dress called attention to her pale coloring, making it seem as though she were carved from ivory. Her grey eyes were larger than he remembered, but she was also much thinner than when he’d known her. Almost painfully so. He wanted to ask if she was well, but resisted the impulse. He had no desire to hear about how much she mourned the loss of her husband, whose funeral had been held only the week before.
The only things about her that were still full were the curve of her breasts and her unfashionably plump mouth. His eyes flickered downward and he remembered with unexpected vividness just how those full lips had felt under his. He’d been with many other women over the years, but he’d never enjoyed kissing anyone as much as Miranda. Thoughts of how she could put that mouth to another use sent a wave of unwelcome heat through him.
He’d miscalculated. He’d wanted to set Miranda off balance, but being this close to her was having an unwanted effect on him.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation,” she said, cutting through the uncomfortable silence. “I know it is early, but I can ring for tea if you haven’t yet eaten.”
His wayward thoughts under control, he met her impassive gaze with one of his own. “I think we can dispense with the niceties. We both know this isn't a social call.”
Those luscious lips tilted ever so slightly at the corners. “I see you are still as direct as always.”
“And I can see you’ve taken to hiding behind social conventions. You were never one to dance around a subject. You asked me to visit, and despite my reservations I came. You clearly have something you wish to discuss with me.”
He was surprised when she stood.
“This was a mistake,” she said, taking a step toward the doorway. “Forgive me for inconveniencing you.”
After a brief moment of hesitation, he rose from the settee and moved to block her path. She stopped, but kept her eyes down.
“Miranda.”
She didn’t move. Against his better judgment, he placed a hand under her chin and tilted her face up to his. They stood that way for several long moments during which he was painfully aware of the small woman before him. The woman who, he now knew, still had the power to cause him discomfort.
He dropped his hand and kept his voice low, sensing she was a hairsbreadth away from bolting from the room. “Why did you wish to see me?”
Other Books by Suzanna
Dear Stranger
Landing a Lord series
Dancing with the Duke
Loving the Marquess
Beguiling the Earl—summer 2013
Hathaway Heirs
Lady Hathaway’s Indecent Proposal—spring 2013
About Suzanna
Suzanna Medeiros was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Her love for the written word led her to pursue a degree in English Literature from the University of Toronto. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Education degree, but graduated at a time when no teaching jobs were available. After working at a number of interesting places, including a federal inquiry, a youth probation office, and the Office of the Fire Marshal of Ontario, she decided to pursue her first love—writing.
Suzanna is married to her personal hero and is the proud mother of twin daughters. She is an avowed romantic who enjoys spending her days writing love stories.
She would like to thank her parents for showing her that love at first sight and happily ever after really do exist.
Copyright
ISBN # 978-0-9918237-1-0
Copyright © 2013 Saozinha Medeiros
Cover design © Kim Killion
Edited by Victory Editing
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Where such permission is sufficient, the author grants the right to strip any DRM which may be applied to this work.
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