Wicked Nights With a Proper Lady Read Online Free PDF Page A

of dancers and the quick steps of a mazurka. If she danced, she’d not be able to find Charlotte, but she couldn’t leave the dance floor now that he’d dragged her there.
    “It’s been a long time.”
    “For dancing?” She knew perfectly well that wasn’t what he meant.
    He gave her an assessing look. “Among other things.”
    He pulled her along with the fast pace of the music. She’d be hard-pressed to talk if they kept up with the vigorous tempo.
    “Who is the young lady to you?”
    “A vested interest.” At his raised brow, she added, “She is my cousin.”
    He laughed and spun her around faster, taking their steps at the correct speed instead of slowing down enough to let her catch her breath. And how unfair that he wasn’t out of breath.
    His fingers rubbed over the backs of hers as though searching for a ring beneath the fitted gloves. “You never married.”
    Was this an absent observation or was he truly curious? What right did the man think he had to comment on her status as a spinster?
    “Not for want of trying.”
    She’d just chosen the wrong man to set her sights on.
    If anyone had bothered to tell her that Barrington was not the marrying sort, she wondered if she would have listened. It was too late to wonder about the what-ifs. What was done was done. She’d made the most of the lot she’d been given in life. As much as she’d like to turn the clock back and try it all over again, life didn’t work that way.
    “What do you want, Barrington?”
    “How do you know I didn’t just want to talk to you?”
    He smirked. Actually smirked as though she’d just told the funniest joke of the evening.
    “You shouldn’t look so amused. It’s unbecoming for a man of your ilk.”
    “Why hasn’t anyone ever told me?”
    “Because you are a blackguard.”
    “How wonderful to be showered with compliments by you.” There was a teasing quality to his comment. “How long has it been, Genny?”
    She sighed. She supposed it wasn’t so terrible to be in his company since he did remember her. But she couldn’t help saying, “It shouldn’t surprise me you don’t know the answer to that.”
    The heat of his breath fanned over the shell of her ear. “Perhaps I wish to hear it from your lips, talking about your memories of our wickedly delightful nights together. I have missed you more than you can imagine all these years.”
    What was that supposed to mean?
    He pulled her in a little closer as they rounded the outskirts of the dance floor. To an observer, it would look as if he merely had a good hold on her through the turns instead of holding her inappropriately closer so he could whisper sweet nothings in her ear. Well, inveigling words would not sway her in whatever game he played.
    Afraid it would look too obvious if she fought his tight hold, she relaxed into the steps, letting him lead the brisk pace and the direction for their rapid turns and jumps and twirls.
    Goodness, she hadn’t danced a mazurka since … since forever. They spun so fast, moved so quickly to the two-four beat, that she couldn’t utter another word. That was probably his intention, while his friend made off with her cousin.
    She tried to focus on the room around them to ensure her cousin was still present but couldn’t concentrate her gaze long enough on any one spot while they danced.
    Leo’s hand was firm and steady around hers. The muscles of his biceps moved and flexed beneath her hold on his other arm.
    The citruslike smell of his cologne enveloped her. The underlying smell of male musk brought to mind the unwanted memories of hot sweaty nights, when they had embraced and been so thoroughly entwined with each other that nothing else had existed in all the world. She closed her eyes and swallowed back a lump that had formed in her throat, trusting him to guide them around the other dancers.
    With those unbidden thoughts, her body swayed closer to his. Close enough to feel the shush of her skirts brushing against