inexperience, she recognized the battle that raged within him and
knew she had to overcome it. Her voice was quiet but resolute, her gaze
unwavering. “This has nothing to do with my brother. It isn’t
Colin’s decision, it’s mine.”
Scarlett watched the play of emotions that crossed his
features, glimpsing the internal struggle that waged within his soul. Her
breath caught in her chest as she felt the movement of his fingers against her
skin, slowly drifting along her jaw line to the slender column of her
neck. In the next instant, the sound of the parlor door opening and the
echo of her brothers’ laughter drifted down the hall. They both
froze. In dismay, Scarlett watched as Alec sighed and closed his
eyes. When he opened them she detected an ominous combination of regret
and relief.
As approaching footsteps sounded on the marble floor outside
the door to Colin’s study, Alec immediately dropped his hand to Scarlett’s
elbow and quickly guided her to the shadowy space to the right of the
door. After one last lingering glance at Scarlett’s disconcerted
countenance, he swung open the door, effectively concealing her behind the
large wooden panel and then strode out into the hallway.
“Alec, I was just coming to find you.”
At the sound of Conner’s voice, Scarlett stepped back,
flattening herself against the wall.
“Were you?” Alec inquired, thankful that his voice
sounded normal and composed.
“Colin’s on a hot streak all of the sudden,” Conner told him,
with a sardonic chuckle. “Took all of my chips and added them to yours.”
“Lucky for us your brother saves the high stakes gaming for
the clubs,” Alec replied affably.
“Indeed it is,” Conner chuckled. “Aside from Scarlett,
Colin’s by far the most skilled at cards. In any event, now that my
pockets are empty I thought I would step outside and enjoy a cigar. Would
you care to join me?”
“Lead the way my friend,” Alec said affably, placing his hand
on Conner’s shoulder and steering him away from the study.
Moments later, after the sound of their footsteps had long
since faded away, Scarlett slipped silently from the study and made her way to
the back stairs. When she reached her room, she sank down on the side of
her bed, mentally cursing the misfortune of Conner’s untimely
interruption. Alec had been about to kiss her, she was sure of it.
Sadly, she was also certain that he had been relieved that Conner had
inadvertently put a stop to whatever might have happened between them.
Sighing in frustration, she realized that an opportunity had been lost, one
that she might never get back. Lying back against the pillows, she
considered her options.
With only a limited amount of time before Alec returned to
London, she was going to have to throw caution to the wind to get what she
wanted. If she didn’t, Alec’s sense of morality and his unerring
loyalty to Colin would keep them apart. Steeling her resolve, she knew
what she had to do. She was going to take an extraordinary risk, one that
could further her efforts to win Alec’s heart, or bring utter humiliation upon
her. She could only hope and pray that it wasn’t the latter.
It was well after midnight when Alec finally made his way
upstairs. A few more stiff drinks with the boys had helped to numb his
mind as he’d struggled to push the delectable Scarlett from his thoughts.
Now however, upon entering his room, the silent darkness engulfed him and she
was there once again, her image, her voice, her scent, all swirling through his
thoughts like the snow that swirled outside his window. Absently he
kicked off his shoes and socks as he made his way to the fireplace.
Adding another log to the smoldering embers, he tried to convince himself that
Conner’s interruption had been the best thing that could have happened.
However, a part of him, the completely irrational part of him, wasn’t
knew she had to overcome it. Her voice was quiet but resolute, her gaze
unwavering. “This has nothing to do with my brother. It isn’t
Colin’s decision, it’s mine.”
Scarlett watched the play of emotions that crossed his
features, glimpsing the internal struggle that waged within his soul. Her
breath caught in her chest as she felt the movement of his fingers against her
skin, slowly drifting along her jaw line to the slender column of her
neck. In the next instant, the sound of the parlor door opening and the
echo of her brothers’ laughter drifted down the hall. They both
froze. In dismay, Scarlett watched as Alec sighed and closed his
eyes. When he opened them she detected an ominous combination of regret
and relief.
As approaching footsteps sounded on the marble floor outside
the door to Colin’s study, Alec immediately dropped his hand to Scarlett’s
elbow and quickly guided her to the shadowy space to the right of the
door. After one last lingering glance at Scarlett’s disconcerted
countenance, he swung open the door, effectively concealing her behind the
large wooden panel and then strode out into the hallway.
“Alec, I was just coming to find you.”
At the sound of Conner’s voice, Scarlett stepped back,
flattening herself against the wall.
“Were you?” Alec inquired, thankful that his voice
sounded normal and composed.
“Colin’s on a hot streak all of the sudden,” Conner told him,
with a sardonic chuckle. “Took all of my chips and added them to yours.”
“Lucky for us your brother saves the high stakes gaming for
the clubs,” Alec replied affably.
“Indeed it is,” Conner chuckled. “Aside from Scarlett,
Colin’s by far the most skilled at cards. In any event, now that my
pockets are empty I thought I would step outside and enjoy a cigar. Would
you care to join me?”
“Lead the way my friend,” Alec said affably, placing his hand
on Conner’s shoulder and steering him away from the study.
Moments later, after the sound of their footsteps had long
since faded away, Scarlett slipped silently from the study and made her way to
the back stairs. When she reached her room, she sank down on the side of
her bed, mentally cursing the misfortune of Conner’s untimely
interruption. Alec had been about to kiss her, she was sure of it.
Sadly, she was also certain that he had been relieved that Conner had
inadvertently put a stop to whatever might have happened between them.
Sighing in frustration, she realized that an opportunity had been lost, one
that she might never get back. Lying back against the pillows, she
considered her options.
With only a limited amount of time before Alec returned to
London, she was going to have to throw caution to the wind to get what she
wanted. If she didn’t, Alec’s sense of morality and his unerring
loyalty to Colin would keep them apart. Steeling her resolve, she knew
what she had to do. She was going to take an extraordinary risk, one that
could further her efforts to win Alec’s heart, or bring utter humiliation upon
her. She could only hope and pray that it wasn’t the latter.
It was well after midnight when Alec finally made his way
upstairs. A few more stiff drinks with the boys had helped to numb his
mind as he’d struggled to push the delectable Scarlett from his thoughts.
Now however, upon entering his room, the silent darkness engulfed him and she
was there once again, her image, her voice, her scent, all swirling through his
thoughts like the snow that swirled outside his window. Absently he
kicked off his shoes and socks as he made his way to the fireplace.
Adding another log to the smoldering embers, he tried to convince himself that
Conner’s interruption had been the best thing that could have happened.
However, a part of him, the completely irrational part of him, wasn’t
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