“You,” she said irritably, taking a step back. Her relief at being rescued was quickly replaced by humiliation and then irritation. Out of all of the men who could have come to her aid, it had to have beenhim.Lifting her chin defiantly in the air, she met his gaze. “I had the matter handled, thank you, my lord.”
A teasing smile tugged at his lips and danced in his eyes. “I have no doubt that you did, but honor would not allow me to leave you alone. I had to take action and intervene.” His voice seemed sincere as she placed his hands behind his back.
Lily looked from her savior to the man behind her, who seemed to be snoring on his back with his mouth agape. “Charming,” she winced before turning away.
The masked man smiled again. “I dare say you need not worry about your reputation. I doubt that he will remember a single thing in the morning. It is rather impressive how he seemed to have gotten this drunk after only two dances.”
Opening her mouth to reply, Lily wanted to say that she needed to leave, but the sound of hurried footsteps was quickly making its way toward them. Her eyes widened, and her pulse began torace as she realized that she was deep into the terrace, with not one, but two men.
She was about to run off when the man quickly closed the distance between them, reaching for her wrist before pulling her into the shadows behind a few tall shrubs.
Her heart slammed against her chest, threatening to escape as panic set in. She was pressed too tightly against the stranger, making it difficult for her to breathe.
Lifting a finger, he placed it against her lips and shook his head, staring into her eyes.
Her body stilled, feeling a strange sense of gratitude. She was not scared of him; on the contrary, his presence seemed to be drawing her in with every breath.
He stared into her eyes for what seemed like an eternity as the rest of the world once again ceased to exist.
She became acutely aware of the hardness of his chest, the defined line of his jaw, and the masculine smell of cigars and old parchment. Something sweet lingered on his warm breath, like fruit that had been soaked in sugar. It smelled like summer despite the coolness in the air that came with early spring.
The footsteps began to retreat again after a moment or two, and Lily found herself relaxing against him despite her better judgment.
Gazing down at her intently, he lifted his arms, running them up the sides of her upper arms until a shiver ran down her spine. “Forgive me, Miss Prescott, for what I said to cause you offense, and for what I am about to do.”
A soft gasp escaped her parted lips when he raised his hands, placing them behind her hand as he undid her mask. The stiff fabric began to give way as he moved his fingers to the sides of her face and gently pulled off her mask.
The cool breeze instantly kissed her skin where the mask had been covering her cheeks, making her feel almost naked beneath his gaze as he looked at her intently.
Is he going to kiss me?
She leaned in closer, feeling his hot breath tickle her skin as he continued to gaze into her eyes.
And just like that, he stepped aside, leaving her alone behind the bushes as he disappeared into the dark.
Chapter 5
Breathtaking blue eyes…
Julian opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling above his bed. His dreams had been plagued by dancing and intensely beautiful eyes that held him captive. Sighing in annoyance, he flung the covers from his legs and climbed out of bed.
He had not been able to sleep after the ball the previous night, but when he had fallen asleep, he had dreamed ofher. In fact, she had been all he had been able to think of since their dance.
She had come into his life out of the blue and inhabited his thoughts without permission. Yet it was not just her physical beauty that had captivated him. He had been drawn in by her spunk, the resilience in her gaze, and the defiant manner in which she carried herself.
Everything about her seemed to draw him in, inviting him to get to know her better.
“I do not have time for such nonsense,” he grumbled to himself and began to dress, resenting the fact that he had ever attended the ball in the first place.
It irritated him endlessly that a woman had found a way into his thoughts when he had promised long ago never to allow anyone in ever again. He needed to marry for money, and pursuing someone he found attractive was far too dangerous. It would be better to pursue someone whose financial situation he knew.
He dressed in a hurry and made his way downstairs, where his mother and sister were already seated for breakfast in the dining room. The smell of fresh tea, warm toast, and fried kipper made him hungry as he greeted and took up his place at the head of the table. “Good morning,” he grumbled before reaching for the toasted bread.
“Good morning, dearest. I hope you slept well. Your sister and I were just discussing how successful the ball was last night.” His mother speared a piece of kipper on her fork and lifted it to her mouth. Her remark seemed to ignite Juliette’s passion as she carried on chatting.
“It was wonderfully successful, and did you see how close Arabella was with Lily? She seems like such a charming and sophisticated young woman. I can hardly understand why everyone continues to gossip about her.” Juliette sighed appreciatively and held her cup of tea in both hands, inhaling the fragrance.
Their mother nodded. “I agree, she was such a breath of fresh air. I would love to get to know her better. Lady Tremaine did nothing besides sing her praises.”