Reluctant Deception - Cambria Smyth Page 0,52
tighten slightly around her in response. With his hand gently guiding her at the waist, Libby allowed herself to get lost in the music and the utter thrill of being held captive in his protective embrace.
Chris leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I thought you said you had two left feet! You could've fooled me."
His breath was so close she imagined him kissing the soft folds of her ear.
"I usually do have two left feet," Libby replied, suppressing the growing excitement that was spiraling downward in delicious waves. "But you seem to have taught them to behave properly tonight. I'm as surprised as you are!"
Libby laughed, and drew back to look at him, hoping the distance would break the sensual spell she was falling under. His eyes were dark and impossible to decipher in the now dimly-lit room.
Chris pulled her back into him with tender forcefulness. "I'm surprised we didn't meet before I came to Borden's Landing, Libby," he whispered huskily. His hand was now traveling lightly away from her waist, tentatively exploring the upper curves of her back through the red silk that softly covered it.
Libby stifled the urge to moan in response to his exploring touch, taking a deep breath instead to dispel the riot of emotions surging unchecked through every muscle and pore.
"I'm surprised, too," she replied, thinking of the many times she'd thwarted his development plans. "But when you consider we travel in entirely different circles, it's probably not that unusual."
The closeness of his hold brought her hips provocatively next to his, each step causing sensuous friction between them.
Libby hoped her pounding heart and sweaty palms wouldn't alert Chris to the effect he was having on her.
"You look beautiful tonight," Chris murmured, now caressing the sensitive valley between her shoulder blades before pushing her hair aside to tenderly stroke her neck. Libby thought she would surely die from the passion unleashed by his touch. She longed to trace his hard jawline, looking so smooth, freshly-shaven, and inviting.
A moment later, the music abruptly ended. Chris gently released her and she felt reason flooding back into her veins.
"They're announcing dinner. May I escort you to your seat?" Chris made the suggestion with what sounded like a trace of annoyance.
Just in time, she thought, or else she would be repeating past mistakes, making a fool of herself again. Chiding herself for falling under his spell, she nodded in response to his question, grateful to have an excuse to escape his alluring embrace.
"Any idea where you're sitting?" Chris asked.
"Sister Mary Clare mentioned putting me at the head table," Libby replied, hoping desperately that their place cards would be at opposite ends.
As they approached the table, Sister Mary Clare appeared almost magically to direct them to their seats.
"I put you next to each other," she declared, giving Libby a conspiratorial wink. "I thought, since neither of you brought a date, you might enjoy each other's company tonight."
She looked up quickly as someone called her name. "Oh, dear. Sister Roberta needs me again. I'll be back to join you in a minute."
Chris pulled out Libby's chair, then helped her get seated before sitting down next to her. Gallantly, he withdrew the elegantly-folded linen napkin from the glass in front of Libby and handed it to her. Glad that he hadn't volunteered to arrange it on her lap, Libby accepted it with a faint smile as she watched him deftly place his.
As the other guests took their seats, Chris introduced them to Libby, effortlessly remembering their names along with their connection to the Orphanage which he then shared with Libby in the course of their conversation.
Libby marveled at the apparent ease with which he conversed, speaking variously with a banker, lawyer, school teacher, and mother of four, ultimately drawing them all into a lively discussion about dog breeding, of all things.
Libby watched him respond with genuine interest to each person's comments and observed he was a man who could make anyone, from any background or occupation, feel at ease.
Libby recalled Sister Mary Clare's earlier words. Chris had never mentioned being put in an orphanage. Only that his father had died. Libby naturally assumed his mother was still living. Silently wondering about the circumstances which brought him here, she didn't notice the conversation around her had stopped.
Jolted out of her thoughts, Libby found all eyes looking at her expectantly, obviously waiting for an answer to a question she hadn't heard.
"Libby," Sister Mary Clare quickly intoned, "we were wondering if you would give us