Linna : Historical Romance (The Brocade Collection, Book 5) Read Online Free PDF Page A

and she sought out Luthor Evans. She always had him. He’d already said he’d go against his family for her. She knew he would. She’d just have to help him find his backbone first. She caught his gaze touching upon her before skittering away. She tried to color it as smoldering in her mind, but failed. He was weak. But he was willing. He was probably able, too. Linna shivered again and swallowed that reaction as well.
    She was a beautiful woman . She was desirable. She knew it. Anyone looking her way couldn’t avoid knowing it as well. The glittery white creation she’d designed made all of that impossible to overlook. She had mirrors that verified it. Rhea’s maid had pinned her chestnut tresses all about the crown of her head, leaving one lock to fall over one shoulder. Short sleeves were the fashion, so Linna had done something radically different. She’d had her dress designed with a small puff of material at each shoulder. That was attached to long sleeves of a loosely-woven white netting. She’d then sewn a circlet at each sleeve-end that was caught up on either middle finger, holding the netting in place. The neckline had given her some consternation. The only thing holding the bodice and sleeves in place was a blue ribbon across her shoulders in the back. They would never have stayed up otherwise. Her heart-shaped neckline was provocative and eye-catching and low. The rest of the dress was stark in design, claiming little more than ribbon bows at the hem in order to make gathers that kept her from tripping. It was also skimming every curve she possessed, even without a corset. All-in-all, it was a spectacular dress. It was original and a bit medieval looking, and it was perfect for what she needed.
    Unfortunately none of it was working.
    There was a stir on the floor as someone new entered. Linna looked, as she was certain everyone did. Her mouth dropped opened. Then her plan went right to the pit of her belly where it started pounding alongside her heart, since it got there first. The man walking about the edge of the dancers was creating such a stir, the musicians were faltering into tunelessness before halting altogether. Those still attempting to dance stopped and looked as well.
    Linna closed her eyes, waiting for two complete heartbeats of time before she opened them. He hadn’t disappeared. Not one bit of him.
    The new arrival had dark hair of a black-brown color; it was pulled back tightly into an old-fashioned queue that was defining a face handsome enough to cause swooning . He was wearing a wine-colored short jacket, some very old-fashioned breeches that weren’t disguising the muscle encasing very long legs, and she just knew he couldn’t be real. Nobody that perfect in features was. Linna sucked in a breath and held it. This time she held it for four heartbeats. She didn’t think she was the only one. Even in such old-fashioned attire and looking like he’d just stepped from the halls of the late French Queen, Marie Antoinette’s court, he was still amazing;  breath-stealing amazing.
    He’d given off circling the dance floor and was starting to cut through all the standing couples . It didn’t look difficult. He was half a head taller than anyone else and they moved easily where he was carving a way through with the width of those velvet-encased shoulders.
    Linna’s eyes went the same dimension as her mouth . She didn’t have a hope of stopping it. Not only was he incredible, he was doing something just as incredible. He was walking straight through the crowd to her.
    To...her?
    It looked like everyone watched him do it, too.
    Linna dropped her gaze to the highly polished wood beneath her and begged her mind to return . She was afraid she was about to start salivating. She’d been hoping a dream-man would walk in and make part two of her plan easy. Only one thing made this an impossibility:  she hadn’t known a man who looked like this one could exist - even in her imagination.