Merry Misrule - St. Clair, Ellie Page 0,19
he seemed to be pushed backward. He had thought she enjoyed his joke, but apparently, he was wrong. It had been too cruel, she had murmured, and after it, she hadn’t spoken to him throughout the entirety of dinner. Should he leave things where they were or take it a step further?
Probably leave it.
But Elijah had never exactly been known for doing what he was supposed to do, the thing that would be rational.
One of the women, Lady Ox something or other, had sat down at the piano and was beginning to tinkle away a Christmas tune that he thought had something to do with greenery, although he couldn’t be entirely sure. His parents took to the dance floor, followed by the admiral and his wife, and then Lord Cristobel approached Caroline, who reluctantly took his hand with a forlorn look back at the doorway, where Thatcher was, of course, standing sentry, waiting to be required.
Elijah saw Alex take a step toward Joanna. He should let them dance together. She would surely prefer him, and Alex would be a much better man for her than Elijah would ever be.
He was always out for himself first. For a good laugh, for attention, for fun.
Which was why he did what he did, and cut in first.
“Joanna,” he said with a nod to her, “may I have this dance?”
“No,” she said firmly, setting her jaw, and he looked down into her eyes with supplication.
“I promise to be on my best behavior,” he said, hoping she could read his true intentions. “Please?”
“Very well,” she sighed, although she looked from side to side as though hoping someone would come rescue her. But tonight, he was going to be her savior instead of her foe.
He took her hand in his, leading her toward the middle of the dance floor, taking great joy in placing one hand on her waist and taking her gloved hand in the other. The netting of her dress caused friction against his hand, every inch of his skin already sensitive to her touch.
He couldn’t say what it was about her that was causing him to be as drawn to her as a gift on Christmas morning. A gift he could hardly wait to unwrap.
He could already imagine what she would look like. All delicious curves, soft skin, with that captivating mouth on top like a bow, a mouth that would say exactly what she thought.
She was beautiful, yes. She was dewy skin and high cheekbones and chocolate tresses.
She was also very firm that she wanted nothing to do with him. He had an innate need to prove her wrong, to show her that he could be the man she never knew she needed.
It wouldn’t be easy. For there was the knowing behind her eyes, the way she watched others, the fact that she was different from every other woman of his acquaintance.
She hadn’t lived the easiest life, and yet she found joy in it all the same.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked, looking up at him, her eyes squinted slightly, and he wondered if they were narrowed in question or if she actually couldn’t see him altogether very well.
“Nothing,” he answered, his response rote and immediate, and then he decided to be honest rather than polite. “Actually, that isn’t altogether true.”
“No?”
“I’m thinking about just what is so alluring about you.”
Her eyes widened at his clearly unexpected answer. “That’s not exactly a word most would use to describe me.”
“Then most are wrong.”
“Is this another trick?” she tilted her head to the side as he led her around the room, the scents of the evergreen and holly — and jasmine that had teased his senses as he had helped dress her — floating up to him, causing him to become quite heady with it all.
“Not a trick.” He shook his head. “I promised no more tricks.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “What was that then, a few minutes ago, with your brother?”
“No more tricks against you,” he amended. “Only to those who deserve them. Besides, you were intrigued.”
She dipped her head. “I know. But I was wrong. It went too far.”
“You’re right.” He sighed, for she was. He had thought it would be a bit of fun, but when he had seen the embarrassment on Baxter’s face, it hadn’t been worth it any longer.
“And I don’t know if I would call that much in line with the Christmas spirit.”
He snorted. “Christmas spirit. What is that even supposed to mean?”
He hadn’t meant for anything to come