Cooper finished his glass of champagne and gave him a pointed look. “My whereabouts weren’t the ones that mattered.”
“So you were…?”
Cooper’s eyebrow twitched infinitesimally.
“Dancing.”
Seth grinned.
“Nothing stopping you now, then?”
Cooper finished his champagne and handed the empty glass to apassing servant.
“I’m going to ask her to waltz,” Cooper said decisively.
“A solid first step,” Seth encouraged.
“If you don’t stop talking, I’ll thrash you again.” Cooper pointed to him, then gave a mock salute to Cassandra as he passed her on his way to Lady Jasmine.
“What was that about?” Cassandra asked.
“Nothing for you to worry over.” He smiled. “A conversation between gentlemen. And Lady Worthing?”
She returned his smile. “A conversation between ladies.”
The first notes to a waltz played, and Cassandra turned to him with mischief in her eyes. She curtsied to him. “Would you favor me with this dance, Mr. Reeves?”
He smirked. “Isn’t it scandalous to waltz with your own husband, Mrs. Reeves? And don’t you know that a lady shouldneverask a gentleman to dance. How many rules of etiquette are you interested in breaking?”
“We’ll see where the night leads,” she teased.
“Very well, my lady.” He offered her his arm. “Far be it from me to refuse you.”
He guided her into the center of the ballroom. One of his gloved hands held the small of her back, and the other held her hand. Her eyes softly locked onto his and he brought hertooclose and moved with her.
One-two-three, one-two-three.
With each twirl he teased her away, and then brought her closer, and closer each time, until she was within inches of dancing on his toes. Candlelight reflected like molten bronze in her eyes. He tried to focus on Cassandra, and not the crowded ballroom, but the familiar sting of apprehension prickled at the top of his spine. Sensing his unease, Cassandra squeezed his hand and took the lead.
“One-two-three, one-two-three,” she whispered under her breath, and they fell back into step. The room spun around them and he allowed his surroundings to fade away, leaving only music and light, lavender and silk, and Cassandra’s playful smile.
“And now you’re leading me. Sobold,” he teased. “What’s next?”
She hummed, contemplating his words. After a moment, she grinned.
“Do you want to find a staircase somewhere?”
“I think not, Mrs. Reeves,” he tsked. “It’s the first place they’ll look. What about a balcony?”
He twirled her, and when he gathered her in his arms, he took the lead once more.
“It’s a full moon tonight,” she whispered. “Perhaps abench?”
A bolt of lightning went through his chest. His hair stood on end, his heart thumped, his hand tightened on her hip, and he forced out his next breath.
“Outside?”
“It can be done on a chair and a desk.” She rose a brow in challenge. “Why not a bench?”