“Is that your way of saying I should only dance with you?” she challenged, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Absolutely,” he said, his tone earnest. “I’m more than happy to claim all your dances tonight.”
“Let us begin with this one and see where the night takes us then, shall we?”
Her grin was infectious. As Michael took her hand, leading her out into the middle of the ballroom, he realised he would have followed her anywhere tonight. Wherever she wanted to go, whatever she wanted to do.
The ballroom buzzed with the soft rustling of silks and the light laughter of guests, but as the waltz began, Michael and Elaine slipped into their own world.
“Michael, may I ask a question?” Elaine murmured.
“I shan’t deny you your answer,” he responded without thought. Only afterwards did it occur to him that there were far too many truths he couldn’t possibly reveal to her just yet and his heart thudded at the thought of her asking him something he could not answer.
“What do you want your future to look like?” she asked.
Michael slowly released a breath of relief. Then he thought about it and realised that he didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t thought very far ahead of his revenge plan.
“I wish to be at peace,” he responded at last, deeming it a fitting enough response.
Elaine smiled softly. “Peace,” she repeated in a soft whisper. “That is a beautiful dream, Michael.”
“And yet it feels so unattainable at times. What of you, Elaine? What do you wish for your future?”
Her response was quick. “I yearn for security. I want to know that my foundations are solid, that I won’t have to face life alone. A warm, laughter-filled home and a life not worrying about my father and my brother.”
Something twisted in his chest. “I want that life for you as well, Elaine.”
She gazed up at him, the light of the chandeliers sparkling in her eyes. Michael fell into a trance, enraptured by the emotions simmering in her eyes. The music faded into the background and the ballroom disappeared as they focused solely on one another. Time seemed to grind to a halt. And they found themselves ensnared in this tender, beautiful moment.
“Michael,” Elaine murmured. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
The words hung between them. Michael’s eyes widened in shock; he opened his mouth to reply, yet no sound emerged. He could only stare, mind emptying, struck dumb by her admission.
Elaine blinked, pulling back. Embarrassment washed over her expression, her cheeks growing red. She stepped back a moment before the waltz actually came to an end. She opened her mouth to speak and Michael did the same, wanting to fill the silence before the discomfort carried on for much longer. But again, there was nothing and, before he knew it, she was gathering her skirts and hurrying away from him.
Michael froze, heart racing and mind spinning, watching her disappear into the throng. He wanted to chase after her, but he couldn’t think, despite knowing that every second he wasted was ripping into the fragile friendship they had developed. A friendship that had the potential to become more.
And by the time he finally unfroze, Elaine was long gone.
Chapter Seventeen
Elaine burst onto a thankfully empty terrace, the cool night air hitting her flushed face like a dozen stings. Her chest heaved with each breath and she pressed a trembling hand to her heart, striving to suppress the pain that threatened to erupt within her.
How could she have let her feelings for Michael slip out so easily? The weight of his stunned silence was all she could think about, a painful echo that left her feeling both embarrassed and utterly exposed. She hadn’t meant to say so much, hadn’t meant to let her heart speak before her mind could adjust. But the moment had seemed so perfect that she hadn’t thought twice about it.
Just when she thought the tears would finally overflow, she heard footsteps approaching from behind her.
“Elaine,” Michael’s voice broke through the stillness, soft yet urgent. She felt her heart leap in her chest, but the shame of her confession held her rooted to the spot. She turned away, hiding her face from him, unwilling to let him see how deeply his silence had cut into her.
“I’m sorry for the way I reacted,” he continued, stepping closer. “I should have said something.”
“Your silence was quite telling,” she murmured, turning away from him. They were alone once more and she knew it was wrong of them. Anyone could happen upon them and it may only illicit rumours that may ruin her chances with any other gentleman. And now that she knew she stood no chance with him, she couldn’t let her chances with others slip through her fingers.
“It did not,” Michael insisted, coming closer still. “It did not say nearly enough. At your confession, I was consumed with so much…such…”
“What are you trying to say, Michael?” she demanded to know, ignoring the pinch of penitence she felt at her sharp words.
Michael stalked away, raking his fingers through his hair. He was a bundle of agitated energy and she should have been unnerved by it, should have been bothered by his obvious frustration. Yet all she could think about was how handsome he was and how easily he could make her heart skip a beat the moment his beautiful—though troubled—eyes fell upon her.
