“Oh?” His brow took on a smoldering waggle. “And what do I smell like at other times?”
This was why one should never compliment a rake. She shrugged. “Cheap comments.”
His brow fell. “Should I be erudite and point out that comments can’t smell?”
“Can’t they? They are mixed with your breath, are they not?”
“Are you saying my breath smells?” He cupped a hand at his mouth and sniffed. “Lies.”
“Well, if nothing else, your breath should smell of smoke, just like you. Assuming it was you smoking, of course.”
The brow lifted again. “There is one way for you to find out.”
Leonora turned him, meeting his gaze. Lord, her heart. “Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?”
He leaned in close. “What do you think I’m suggesting?”
She leaned in a bit farther, too. “Sniffing your mouth.”
His chest rumbled with laughter. “That would be a first.” He slowly smoothed his thumb over his lower lip, as though he was soothing an itch. Leonora bit down on hers.
Although his smile didn’t slip, his gaze suddenly took on a weight that threatened to drag a person deep into the depths of a world unknown.
A shiver skittered down her spine.
The cry of a bird followed by the flapping of wings startled her from the daze the man had cloaked her in. She glanced in the direction of a huge blue-and-red bird that had invaded the ballroom. It cried out again, this time following its cry with the squawked words, “The earl is an idiot, the earl is an idiot.”
“What in the world...” All around, people gushed about the new arrival and its tart beak.
“What the devil is that?” Dare asked in wonder.
“A bird...” Leonora murmured, watching as it settled on a pillar a short distance away.
“I can see it’s a bird. I mean what is it doing in the ballroom?”
“It must have escaped from its cage. I’m envious.”
Dare gave her a curious look. “Wishing to break free from a cage, Lady Leonora?”
“Of sorts.” It was more like she wished to break free from a family secret and claim her true identity. But Leonora knew she could never do that.
“Is there even a cage that can hold you?” He glanced at the bird, and muttered, “Or that thing, for that matter.”
Leonora suddenly sympathized with the big, colorful bird. It had escaped one prison only to fly into another, just a little larger. “The whole world is our cage.”
A snort of laughter. “Very dramatic.”
The corners of her lips twitched.
“It’s some sort of parrot, isn’t it?” Dare murmured.
Leonora nodded. “I believe so. Very pretty.”
His arm brushed hers, a casual touch that lingered just enough to be noticed. “Not as pretty as you.”
Leonora snorted, but her heart couldn’t help but give a little dance at the compliment.You are so easy, Leonora!One compliment and you are preening like that parrot!
“The earl is an idiot, the earl is an idiot,” the parrot cried.
