His eyes travelled up the delicate, creamy column of her neck to the full pale pink lips, puckered into a soft, come hither smile. High cheekbones and an adorable pert little nose met his gaze. Finally, he let his eyes wander to hers and he froze. A lump forming in his stomach.
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SPARKLING BROWN EYES, dancing with amusement, met his. Every thought of Wurts, railroads, ships, and dukes left his head. It couldn’t be her…
“Lucius, you remember Miss May Stanly. She was with us on your first passing.”
He gave a nod but the rest of him was still as a statue as he assessed the girl he’d once known. Girl. The term was almost laughable.
“Loudoun,” her sweet bright voice bounced along his senses, raising goose pimples along his flesh. Panic was setting in now and the desire to run, to be anywhere but here.
Dimly he was aware that introductions had continued without him. But his attention snapped into sharp focus when Mason stepped in front of him. “Miss May it is a real pleasure to meet you.”
Loudoun pushed Mason to the side and stepped closer to May. Mason, having imbibed several glasses of whisky, was not so subtly letting his eyes rove up and down her petite frame.
Wurts gave her a salicious grin, “I should introduce you to my son, Walter.”
A rumble was building low in his chest and working its way up his throat. For the first time in a long time, he couldn’t give a damn about that contract, or anything else. If that man laid a single finger on her he’d break it off.
He gave himself a shake, wondering what the bloody hell was wrong with him. He hadn’t seen May in over six years, and though she had helped him tremendously, it was odd he would be so protective.
“Mind if I play for a few minutes?” Barrett gave him a wicked grin.
With a nod, he pulled out his chair for the duke to join the next hand. “Be my guest.” He watched as Barrett glanced at his folded cards, then threw them into the pile. Barrett must know Loudoun had thrown the hand after seeing the aces.
He stepped back far enough to give the players privacy, Mason and Wurts having returned to their seats. A hand slid into the crook of his elbow. His teeth snapped together.
May was one of the few people who had seen him at his worst. Hell, she’d helped him put his life back together with her kindness. But it made him vulnerable in ways he hated. And her smell. It was floral with a hint of a deeper musk that was making it difficult to think clearly.
Whatever the reason, he’d be better off far away from her.
“How have you been?” She had moved even closer. Her whisper was almost conspiratorial.
“Fine,” he answered through clenched teeth, barely keeping himself still.
She paused and he could feel her gaze assessing him. He couldn’t bring himself to look into those eyes again. “You probably don’t remember me. I was the girl who--”
“I know who you are, May.” His tone was clipped.
Another pause. “I see.” She turned into him and sweet Jesus, her breast brushed his arm. It took every ounce of control not to jump away. “I thought you might not because you don’t seem particularly glad to see me again. I must confess, I don’t understand why. I thought we’d become friends, though it was long ago.”
And that was May. Exactly like he remembered her. Open, warm, caring, she was everything he had never been. Which was the exact reason he had to stay far away from her now. “We were never friends. Will never be friends.”
“Oh,” she answered so softly he almost didn’t hear her.
Her skirts rustled again and she stood on tiptoe, her entire glorious chest pressed against his arm, the flat of her stomach grazing his hip. Everything in him clenched. If he could have done so, he would have backed away, but it would have been terribly obvious and so he was trapped.
And then her breath was whispering across his ear. “You’ll grow to love me, I just know it.”
His head snapped towards her then, which might have been one of the biggest mistakes of his life. And he had a great many mistakes.
Because her face was only a few inches from his. Her skin glowed in the candlelight, her soft full lips set in a welcoming grin. His breath hissed out and he snapped his head back, putting some distance between them. “What the hell does that mean?”
The smile never wavered but her eyes held a touch of uncertainty now and he hated it. May should always look innocent and trusting, lovely and warm. He disliked even more that he had put that look there.
“We’re staying in New York for the season.”
“No.” He did take a half step away then. He needed some distance between him and May. An entire ocean would suffice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tammy Andresen lives with her husband and three children just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up on the Seacoast of Maine, where she spent countless days dreaming up stories in blueberry fields and among the scrub pines that line the coast. Her mother loved to spin a yarn and Tammy filled many hours listening to her mother retell the classics. It was inevitable that at the age of 18, she headed off to Simmons College, where she studied English literature and education. She never left Massachusetts but some of her heart still resides in Maine and her family visits often.
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ALSO BY TAMMY ANDRESEN
Taming the Heart Series
Taming a Duke’s Reckless Heart
Taming a Duke’s Wild Rose
Taming a Laird’s Wild Lady
Taming a Rake into a Lord
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Coming in August 2017
Taming a Rogue Earl
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Lily in Bloom
Midnight Magic
The Golden Rules of Love
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Stealing a Lady’s Heart
Hunting for a Lady’s Heart
Taming a Savage Gentleman: Taming the Heart Series Page 14