True to his word, Fergus whirled her out into the dance, leaving Elspeth alone with Brody. Slowly she raised her eyes to meet his and despite everything, she couldn’t stifle a thrill at the glittering look of triumph she discovered there.
“I’ve done my duty, too. Now I want to dance with ye.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Diarmid marching toward her with a determined expression. Quickly she stretched her hand out to Brody. “I’d be delighted.”
“I’m pleased to hear it.” His smile was no less piratical than Fergus’s.
The breath jammed in her throat at the magnificent sight of this man with his face creased in pleasure. When he caught her hand in a ruthless grip, anticipation rippled right to her toes in their blue satin dancing slippers.
She couldn’t contain another thrill as he slid one hard hand around her waist. They began to move with the lilting music. Diarmid had turned aside and was now dancing with her mother.
Elspeth was afraid she might stumble, now they waltzed together. In the past, the mere mention of Brody’s name was enough to make her butter-fingered and as clumsy as a newborn filly. Deciding she didn’t love him did wonders for her poise. Her feet fell into the pattern of the waltz as naturally as if she’d been born to dance with the Laird of Invermackie.
The room was large and the party was small, leaving Elspeth and Brody plenty of room to move without worrying about the other couples. The music swirling around them was the sweetest melody she’d ever heard. Heaven help her, this was like flying among the stars.
Once she realized she wasn’t going to disgrace herself on the dance floor, she met his green gaze. He was studying her with a dedicated concentration that made her heart crash into her ribs with forbidden excitement.
“We’ve never waltzed before,” he said, staring at her as if she was the prettiest girl in the world.
What a flirt he was. He just couldn’t help himself. Now she’d gained some distance from her adolescent yearnings, it was easy to see how he’d talked all those ladies into sin.
“The Douglas family parties have always been too staid for such a scandalous new dance.” Thank goodness, she even managed to put a few words together without sounding like a tongue-tied ninny. Not being in love was good for her. She should have tried it long ago. “If people had waltzed at one of Hamish’s Christmas celebrations, Aunt Agatha would have had a fit. She doesn’t much approve of dancing at the best of times.”
The heat from Brody’s touch seemed to seep through her whole body. When his large hand shifted to bring her closer, she caught the drift of his scent over the fresh sap of the pine branches decorating the room. Sandalwood soap. Young, healthy male. Something intriguing and spicy that she suspected might belong just to him.
Sharing his scent was breathtakingly intimate, although a few inches of space still separated them and kept the dance—almost—proper. Her silly heart started to turn somersaults, even as she gave it a stern lecture about how it should behave with a mere acquaintance.
“Good God, then she’d have a heart attack if she could see all this unbridled license tonight,” Brody said drily. “People in each other’s arms? Disgusting!”
“I’ve always been terrified of her. She’s wont to lecture me on propriety.”
“Then to the devil with the old besom.”
Elspeth cast him an uncertain look. Brody couldn’t be hinting that he’d like to lure her into some bad behavior. Heavens above, he’d never even looked at her before tonight, and she was well aware that she wasn’t a girl a rake would find of interest.
She retreated to a neutral statement. “Marina is going to ring in a lot of changes, I think.”
“God bless Marina.” When he smiled down at Elspeth, her heart performed a few more giddy acrobatics. She couldn’t help it, and she refused to apologize for a feminine reaction that meant nothing beyond the enjoyment of the moment. When such a handsome man exercised his attractions, any lady would feel a flutter or two.
“I always imagined Fergus would marry someone meek and obedient. She’s such a lovely surprise.”
Brody performed a turn that made her head spin. By the time she caught her breath, the couple of inches between them had shrunk to a tiny gap that would horrify Aunt Agatha. Elspeth made a half-hearted attempt to establish a greater distance, but that firm grip at her waist wouldn’t budge.
“She’s not the only lovely surprise.”
This time, even a woman determined to cling to good sense couldn’t mistake his meaning. She sent him a repressive glance. “Brody, don’t waste your time flirting with me. I’m frightfully dull.”
He laughed, and she saw Diarmid shoot them a disapproving look. Then she caught Marina’s eye. Marina didn’t look disapproving at all.
Brody’s sensual lips lifted in a sardonic curl. “I’m not wasting my time, you strange and enchanting lassie.”
For a moment, the room vanished, and all she saw was that dark, striking face with its brilliant green eyes and commanding blade of a nose. Then she remembered that she’d vowed to be sensible when it came to this man. “You’re trying to turn my head.”
He arched one black eyebrow. “Am I succeeding?”
“No,” she said, although even now, she wasn’t sure about that. “There must be better targets for all this charm.”
He was still smiling down at her as if he really was enchanted. “You think I’m charming?”