Wedding Night With the Earl Read Online Free PDF Page B

didn’t ever remember feeling such a strong pull of awareness, not even when he first saw Annie.
    Now that he was standing before her, gazing into those deep green pools, he felt sure he saw not only wistfulness, but a hint of sadness in their depths. That intrigued him even more.
    “Miss Wright?” he said again. “I know we haven’t been properly introduced, but I’m the Earl of Greyhawke. Would you give me the pleasure of finishing this dance with me?”
    She looked stricken by his question, but not fragile. Her eyes opened wider. The softer, more personal emotions quickly faded to surprise. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but it was as if she couldn’t find the breath to say the words. She promptly closed her lips again without uttering a sound.
    Adam could understand that she was astonished he’d approached her without benefit of a proper introduction. Some people had been banished from Society for less serious infractions. But good Lord, they were eighteen years into the nineteenth century. Surely she wouldn’t insist they stand on such an old ceremony. If he was willing to overlook the presentation, why couldn’t she?
    He said again, “Would you like to dance?”
    Still, she remained quiet, searching his face as if trying to ascertain if he were real or a figment of her imagination. Her continued hesitation to speak baffled him.
    Adam felt an unfamiliar prickle of rejection. He should have stayed with the easier idea of getting a drink. What had made him think this beautiful young lady looked as lonely as he felt and that she would be agreeable to lightening his load for a few moments on the dance floor?
    Damnation, it wasn’t that he wanted to dance. He could take or leave a set around the floor. At the moment, he just wanted to do anything other than think about Bray, Harrison, their wives, and their babes.
    Suddenly, and maybe more than a little irrationally, but still peeved that his friends sought to leave him out of a very important part of their lives, he bristled and said, “It’s a simple question, Miss Wright. I’m not asking you to marry me, just to dance.”
    Her head tilted back farther and her chin lifted boldly. But rather than being affronted by his terse manner, she seemed amused. The hint of a lovely smile lifted one corner of her mouth and she said, “Then it’s my misfortune that it’s not a marriage proposal, because if it had been, I’d be delighted to say yes. But since it’s merely an invitation to dance, I’ll say no. Is that simple enough for you, my lord?”
    Her voice was sweet and unhurried, gentler than he’d expected, especially since his last sentence to her had been a bit abrupt. It washed over him as silkily as warm, sudsy water. Adam’s irritation melted away. And much to his surprise, he felt another tightened tug of sexual awareness. She had mettle, and that appealed to him.
    “In that case, Miss Wright, I suppose it’s a good thing I wasn’t asking for your hand.”
    “A very good thing,” she answered in the same light tone and manner as before. “You just saved yourself from being taken off the marriage mart tonight.”
    Her response surprised him again. She obviously wasn’t the least bit shy to be talking to an earl. In fact, she was actually impertinent. And blast it, he liked that, too.
    He relaxed and took the time to give her a more thorough consideration. Thick, rich-looking auburn hair was attractively swept up with pink ribbons woven through it. Parchment-pale skin, beautiful face, slender throat, ample breasts. From what he could discern from the high-waisted gown she wore, he had every reason to believe she had a shapely body beneath her gown. Yes, she was very pleasing to him.
    Adam casually crossed his arms over his chest. “Must I wait for a proper introduction before you will dance with me?”
    “I’m not that supercilious, my lord.”
    That was abundantly clear, yet she’d refused him. “Then perhaps you will indeed need a