Leonora forced her panic down. If she panicked, Dare would panic, too.
The shoreline wasn’t kind either. Weeds made it hard to navigate, and sucking, squelching noises alerted Leonora to the mud trying to swallow Dare’s boots. But the man never faltered. He was a soldier with a mission. He didn’t stop, didn’t even pause to catch a breath until they finally reached grass.
Their hosts rushed forward. “It won’t bite!” Lord Brimfield cried. “It won’t bite!” He almost sounded like that blasted parrot.
“Who the devil keeps a pet crocodile?” Dare demanded.
Well, they could at least be thankful that all eyes had turned to the crocodile. Though Leonora just needed a moment for her heart to catch up before she could appreciate the feeling.
“It’s not a crocodile, it’s an alligator,” Lord Brimfield defended.
“Is there a bloody difference?” Dare snapped.
Good question. Leonora didn’t know either.
“Yes, of course,” Lord Brimfield said. “An alligator—”
“Forget the bloody difference,” Heart growled, having caught up to them. “Is it legal?”
Silence followed. Another good question.
“Brimfield,” Calstone said, loosening his wet cravat, “I don’t have to tell you the dangers of having such a creature in the water while you have guests on your property! Where did you even acquire such a thing?”
By this time, Leonora was no longer listening to the chatter. Her pulse had settled some, her body felt exhausted, but a calm had also settled over her.
“Are you cold?” Dare asked her softly. “Just hold on for a moment longer.”
Take all the moments you need.
Her eyes drifted over the scene surrounding her. From a turn about the lake in a boat to dashing from an alligator.
At least they weren’t ruined.
But they were a spectacle.
*
Dare didn’t wantto let go.
He was wet, utterly bedraggled, and he was doing something scandalous in full public view under the guise of being a concerned and honorable gentleman, but he didn’t want to let go. The sensation of her body against his felt as natural as breathing. It made his pulse quicken in a way he couldn’t—wouldn’t—explain.
Damn Heart. This was all his damn fault.
What the devil was wrong with the man? Dare understood Heart didn’t want him near his sister, but shouldn’t he show a bit of decorum instead of lashing out like a bumbling bear? Dare at least had the wherewithal to behave to some degree. Of all that happened between him and Leonora up until this point, everything headline-worthy hadn’t been deliberate.
Calstone suddenly cursed. “It’s still bloody following us!”
“He won’t attack!” Brimfield cried.
Dare cursed and clutched Leonora tighter to him, moving farther away. How the hell was an alligator in this lake? Brimfield should be taken to task for this.
Cries erupted from the audience.
That was the sound of an alligator coming onto shore.
“Oh, dear,” Leonora murmured, her neck craning over his shoulder. Her breath warmed his skin, and a sweet scent tickled his nose, a sweetness not even the lake water could wash away.
Yes. Oh, dear indeed.