She’d been aware of Dare for some time now, of course, but she couldn’t say she’d ever thought about how his body might look beneath his impeccable tailoring. Until now.
Thiswas Dare.
She’d always known it, in one sense, yet for the first time, shefeltit. The true presence of this man had been cloaked, or hidden amongst their banter, their seemingly innocent flirtation. But that was all misdirection. A pretense from both sides. One they happily ignored while they were both having fun. Dare could become a flirt at the drop of a hat, but he was not a man to be trifled with.
Ah, heavens! Leonora wanted to trifle.
She wanted to trifle so much! How might it feel dragging a hand down his back? Would those hard ripples flex beneath her fingers? If he kissed her, would she be able to taste all of his secrets?
Calm down, Leonora!
Had she lost her mind?
Yes, yes she had. And happily at that.
“Leonora,” Dare’s soft whisper came. There was a slight hesitation in his low, gruff voice, a question mark woven into her name. No more than a few inches separated them, and she could feel the warmth of his body stroking along the ripples of her skin. Her gaze lifted to meet his to find his eyes were burning into hers. “You are staring.”
Yes, well, who wouldn’t stare? Who wouldn’t forget about the water, forget about the discomfort and chill of being soaked in the presence of such a body? She couldn’t resist any longer. She poked at his chest, not hard, but not gently either. Her prod was filled with curiosity. He jerked as though an electric spark had arced between them, but he didn’t move away from her. His expression remained calm, almost too calm. Except for those stormy blue eyes.
“Isn’t that my line?” Leonora murmured back, matching his low voice. “You are staring.”
“It can be, just not now.” He nodded to the left. She turned her head slowly to blink at the picture of a lakeside crowd gathered on the bank to see what had happened.
Drat.
She’d ogled Dare while all eyes were on them!
Double, triple drat.
Heart, who’d been silent up until now after finding himself tangled up with his own unexpected person—Calstone—found his voice again. “What a damn disaster. I can’t imagine tomorrow’s headlines. This is all that damn interloper’s fault.”
Leonora scowled. “Don’t be such a blame pusher, Heart. You’re the one who jumped to your feet and started this disaster. Lord, one would think the water would have doused your fire. ShouldIdo it for you?” Best believe she’d give him a good whack over the head, audience or not.
His fierce scowl turned to her. “Just who do you think you are talking to?”
“I’ve been wondering that for the better part of six years!”
“That’s a damn long time to wonder about something!”
A dramatic sigh came from Calstone. “Let us not start a fuss again.”
Leonora ignored her brother and started to wade to the shore. As soon as Heart had opened his mouth, the forgotten chill had started to seep back into her skin and bones.
A hand on her wrist stopped her. “I’ll carry you.”
She glanced at Dare. “Carry me? That would be rather shocking, wouldn’t it?” But not unwelcome.
“True.” His gaze dropped to her bosom, and a heat spread across her cheeks. He whispered, “But it would be less shocking than what you are revealing at the moment.”
Her gaze tracked over his chest before meeting his gaze again. “That makes two of us. We can always strut out with confidence.”
“Or we could scandalize our peers with modesty and help each other cover the most revealing bits?”
“That might work as well.”
Before her words had a chance to turn cold, a hand snaked across her back and she was lifted up into his arms. A small gasp flew past her lips as she looped her arms around his neck at the swift lift.
“Dare! You blackguard! Put my sister down.”
