She was a lamb. Absolutely, unquestionably a lamb. That had, in fact, been her entire appeal: a wealthy, sweet, pretty little lamb who might bleat at him occasionally but would still do as she was instructed. But was he going to tell her that? Not on his life.
"On the one hand," he mused, obviously still teasing her, "you're quite fluffy... at least in certain places." His fingertips danced playfully lower down her back, stopping just short of her bustle. "And I think you'd be delicious with a dollop of mint jelly."
He had to pause for another spin, because the music demanded it and why the hell not? Then his hand was firm at her back again, catching her and pulling her back in.
"You've also got those very lambykins eyes." Which he was gazing into now, even as his peripheral vision kept watch over the crowd lest they hit anyone. Jack's voice lost some of its playfulness as he looked at her, and his brows twitched, his expression turning more thoughtful. "Really, darling, you could own half the souls in this room with those."
His gaze dropped briefly to her lips, then returned to her eyes. "So a case could be made, yes, that I've been defrauded. But then I ask myself--" Another pause, as they maneuvered their way around another dancing couple. "Would a lamb have ever been brave enough to run away with me as this girl did? Would it chase adventure with me as she does?"
He shook his head slightly, and the look in his eyes was almost tender now. "Just the fact that you're here, in this place. Dancing with me. That you haven't yet run screaming. That's all the proof I need, Little Lion."
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She was a lamb. Absolutely, unquestionably a lamb. That had, in fact, been her entire appeal: a wealthy, sweet, pretty little lamb who might bleat at him occasionally but would still do as she was instructed. But was he going to tell her that? Not on his life.
"On the one hand," he mused, obviously still teasing her, "you're quite fluffy... at least in certain places." His fingertips danced playfully lower down her back, stopping just short of her bustle. "And I think you'd be delicious with a dollop of mint jelly."
He had to pause for another spin, because the music demanded it and why the hell not? Then his hand was firm at her back again, catching her and pulling her back in.
"You've also got those very lambykins eyes." Which he was gazing into now, even as his peripheral vision kept watch over the crowd lest they hit anyone. Jack's voice lost some of its playfulness as he looked at her, and his brows twitched, his expression turning more thoughtful. "Really, darling, you could own half the souls in this room with those."
His gaze dropped briefly to her lips, then returned to her eyes. "So a case could be made, yes, that I've been defrauded. But then I ask myself--" Another pause, as they maneuvered their way around another dancing couple. "Would a lamb have ever been brave enough to run away with me as this girl did? Would it chase adventure with me as she does?"
He shook his head slightly, and the look in his eyes was almost tender now. "Just the fact that you're here, in this place. Dancing with me. That you haven't yet run screaming. That's all the proof I need, Little Lion."