Page 37 of The Trouble with Anna

He laughed. “There’s my Countess.”

“Stop whispering!” called Charlotte. “Now, Gran, play something and I’ll count.”

The Dowager’s hands landed on the keys with an irritated crash and a great wave of music spilled out from the pianoforte. It rolled through the room with an insistent one-two-three, one-two-three, one-two-three that pulled at them, until even Anna started to sway in Julian’s arms.

“That’s it!” Charlotte encouraged.

Anna went stiff again.

“Thank you, Charlotte. I can manage without your help.” Julian looked down at Anna, held in the circle of his arms. He lowered his voice. “You didn’t object to being held like this by me yesterday morning in the park.”

Her cheeks turned a furious scarlet. “I most certainly did!”

“One-two-three, one-two-three!” Charlotte called, extra loud, in what Julian assumed was a poor attempt to pretend she wasn’t eavesdropping.

Julian spun Anna halfway around, startling a breathless “Oh!” from her. With his broad back shielding them from the room, he pulled her even closer and bent his head to her ear. “When did you object—remind me? Was it before you licked my neck, or was it after?”

“Oh god.” Anna swallowed. “I must be very gauche.”

Julian’s heart clenched. “I would never call you gauche. I would call you delicious. Addictive. You’re all I think about lately.”

A blush spread up from her chest, seeping over the delicate line of her collarbone. He wanted to nibble his way along it, trace the heat.

He gave her a little shake. “Shall we dance, or shall I whisk you away and prove it?”

She yelped, but he could see she was trying not to laugh. “Dance!”

He firmed his arm. “Ready then?”

“Always!”

“Do you know the steps?”

“Not at all,” she returned coolly.

Julian fought the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her obstinate eyebrows, the sharp tip of her nose. How he lightened at her dark clouds.

“Think of it as a race, like the ones we’ve had before. You run ahead and I try to catch you.”

She raised her eyes to his. “If it’s simply a matter of outrunning you, I’m sure I shall manage.”

“I wouldn’t bet on it, Countess.”

The downbeat came and he swept her away.

Anna stumbled, not ready for the big step back. For the briefest moment she was plastered against his chest and heat seared through him.

“I beg your pardon!” She skipped away, clutching up her skirt in an awkward attempt to right herself.

“There’s no need to apologize.” On the next downbeat, Julian lifted her right off her feet. They whirled around the ballroom, her toes peeping out as her ugly skirts belled at each turn.

“WONDERFUL!” called Charlotte.

“Put medown, my lord!” Anna said, but the demand was undercut by her laughter.

“Certainly. On your tiptoes, in two more turns. Do you hear it? One-two-three, one-two-three. Now!”

Anna touched down and then they were off again, crossing the ballroom in wide, sweeping circles. In a few passes she had it, leaning into the turns and arching her neck, unconsciously revealing the slight hollow beneath her jaw. How he ached to bend down and kiss it.

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