Page 42 of Landen

His eyes met hers,and she saw the truth on his handsome face.

“I see.”Picking up the dessert fork, she cut into her creme Brule.

“It was just afling.”

“Like the onewe are having now?”

His amusement fadedas he studied her exquisite expression and realized she was upset.

“No,” hesaid soberly. “Nothing I ever experienced before is likethis.”

Instead ofresponding, she turned her head to look out the window. Stifling asigh, he reached for her free hand. “Look at me.”

When she did, hecontinued. “I have never been in love before. This is new tome, and I have no idea what to do most of the time. I would like usto have an enjoyable night. Can we do that?”

She hesitated brieflyas she returned his gaze. He had gotten rid of the bow tie. She hadseen him shoving it into his pants pocket, explaining with a grinthat it seemed to be cutting off his air supply. He had alsounbuttoned the two top buttons of his tuxedo shirt, revealing thesubstantial column of his throat.

“Why isn’tyour skin pasty white?” She asked suddenly.

“I beg yourpardon?” He blinked, a puzzled look on his face.

She smiled at hisnonplussed expression. “I have seen you naked multiple times,and you have a tan - all over.”

“And?”

“And you aresupposed to be pasty white.” She repeated.

Shaking his head, hereached for his wine glass, secretly happy that her mood hadlightened. “Might I ask you how you came up with thatobservation?”

“You areEnglish.” She pointed out.

“And by yourassumption, the fact that I am English means I should have very lightskin?”

She poked a tongueout at him, and it was all he could do not to crush his mouth tohers. “It sounds silly.”

“It does.”

“I would stilllike an answer. Let me guess- you go to nude beaches and sunbathe.”

“Or the simpleexplanation is that I am part Irish and have very dark hair, makingmy skin slightly tanned.”

“You areIrish?”

“On my mother’sside.” He pointed to his green eyes. “I inherited thehair and eyes from her. And I sunbathe at nude beaches. I happen tobe proud of my body.”

“And verymodest about it, too.” Propping an elbow onto the table, shestared at him.

“Completely naked?”

“That’swhat I said.”

“Witheverything out there for everyone to see?”

“That’swhat being completely naked means. And you are a prude.”

“I am not.”

“So, if Iinvite you to go to one of those beaches, you would gladly accompanyme?”

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