Enchanting the Duke - Lana Williams Page 0,15

draw a word or phrase and they must act it out together. Whichever side guesses the term will win a point.”

Eleanor’s nerves returned. She risked a glance at Douglas from beneath her lashes. It came as no surprise that he wore his normal dour expression.

Oh, what a nightmare this was going to be. Would he help when it was their turn or simply stand there looking angry?

They joined their team and settled into chairs near each other. Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief when they didn’t have to go first.

The other side took a turn with Christopher Easton, Viscount Beaumont, and his wife, Amelia, acting out the word they drew from the basket. It took several tries before “Silent Night” was deemed the correct answer. The pink in Lady Beaumont’s cheeks made it clear how uncomfortable she was with the attention, but the pair managed to act out the term with good form and much laughter.

Eleanor knew they were newlyweds as well. Lady Beaumont was quiet, but Eleanor already liked her intelligence and kind heart. Eleanor had been fascinated to learn that she’d been a governess and looked forward to finding out more about her experiences.

Soon afterward, it was Eleanor and Douglas’s turn. His expression was unreadable as she drew a folded slip of paper from the basket then returned to his side so they could read it together.

Mistletoe.

Dear heaven. Could she have picked a worse one? The tips of her ears stung as a rush of embarrassment swept over her. She looked at Douglas, wondering if he’d refuse.

The sparkle of amusement in the depth of his green eyes caught her by surprise as did the slight crinkle at their corners. “Shouldn’t be overly difficult,” he whispered.

“No,” she agreed, though she had no idea how to proceed. Did they try to pretend to gather it? Hang it in the house? She attempted to swallow only to realize her mouth was too dry. Surely he didn’t want to act out kissing under it.

He leaned close to whisper, the feel of his breath teasing her ear and causing her to shiver. “They will quickly guess if we look up, take a few steps as if to adjust our position, and then kiss.”

Kiss? Here? In front of everyone?

“We’re waiting!” Laughter followed Burbridge’s remark.

“Very well,” she managed. They would only be acting. How hard could it be? She gave a nod to Douglas then looked at the guests. “Ready?”

She turned back to Douglas, determined not to make more of this than was necessary. It wasn’t as if she would be kissing a stranger. Douglas was her husband, after all. Never mind that they hadn’t kissed in daylight since their wedding ceremony months ago.

Douglas’s gaze hadn’t left hers. Was that his way of ignoring their audience? How clever of him. Yet something else lingered in the depths of his eyes. Something that made her breathless and hot and excited. Her breasts tightened in response as her limbs went weak.

He took her hands in his warm ones. The gesture caused a well of emotion to rise within her. For most couples, holding hands was a normal act. Nothing special. Yet to hold hands with her husband like this was anything but normal. The simple gesture of easy affection shouldn’t affect her so, but it did.

He looked up at the ceiling as if in search of something, and she followed his lead. Then he drew her several steps back, looked up again, and smiled.

Be still her heart. That smile— She couldn’t breathe at all.

Then his gaze dropped to her lips, and she couldn’t help but moisten them with the tip of her tongue. He bent his head, easing closer and closer.

She nearly didn’t hear the guesses coming from the others.

“Kissing.”

“Bough.”

“Evergreen.”

“Kissing bough.”

Were they being deliberately obtuse? If someone didn’t guess, he was going to kiss her.

His breath fanned her lips and her stomach did a slow flip even as liquid heat poured through her in anticipation.

“Mistletoe!”

Douglas halted, his gaze lifting to meet hers. Then he drew back. Without kissing her. She nearly followed him as every fiber of her being desperately wanted that kiss.

“That is the correct word.” He gave her hands a gentle squeeze then turned to face the guests.

Luckily, the attention of their audience shifted to the next pair who was drawing their word.

Eleanor sighed with pent-up longing as she tried to regain her balance. Yet how could she when her body pulsed with desire? Surely he wasn’t immune to that unfulfilled moment. A glance out