Read Online A Common Scandal by Amanda Weaver - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Amanda Weaver
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Isn’t Lady Julia waiting for her glass of punch or something?”
“Pardon?”
“The lovely Lady Julia Harrow. I saw you sitting with her. Surely she’s missed you by now.”
“Somehow I doubt it,” he muttered. “And what of Cheadle? Surely he’s climbing the walls pining after you.”
She sighed and turned to face him, tossing the last of the ruined flower to the ground and brushing her gloved fingers together. “You know he’s not, Natty. Men don’t pine after me, only my money. The only reason anyone at these things speaks to me is because of my fortune.”
“I’m speaking to you and I have my own fortune, thank you very much.”
“You only speak to me to tease me.”
“You used to like it when I teased you.”
“I’m not a child anymore.”
“Obviously.”
The word hung between them for a moment, rife with meaning. He might have only meant she was all grown-up and out in Society, except his eyes made a lightning—fast perusal of her body as he said it, so fast, he was likely unaware he’d done it. In a rush, it broke over her that Natty was aware of her in the same way she was aware of him. Not as an old playmate from his childhood. As a woman. He was as affected as she was, even if he was spending his evening paying court to Julia Harrow.
His eyes made their way back to hers and they both held the gaze. This newly discovered knowledge sizzled through her body. Her skin flushed and her breaths grew shallow. Natty’s eyes stared into hers. His lips parted slightly, as if he, too, was baffled by this sudden shift in the air. The atmosphere around them felt charged, the way it did when thunder began rattling the windows and lightning lit the night sky, but still the rain refused to fall. At any minute the clouds could collide and deluge the world, but until then, all the energy of the universe danced on the breeze.
She wanted to tease and flirt with him to see how far things would progress. She wanted to see the skies open up. She wanted to be drenched by the rain.
But blasted Genevieve’s counsel began whispering in her ear, reminding her of what she should do, how she should behave. She truly despised doing what she ought and not what she wanted, but even she had to admit, standing out here alone on a dark terrace with Natty would lead nowhere she should go. There were titled, eligible men inside waiting to pay court to her fat fortune. Natty was all wrong, out of reach, in another world. Which made him doubly appealing, thanks to her contrary nature.
“I should go back in,” she murmured, gathering the train of her dress and turning away.
“What, not up for teasing anymore? That’s hardly the Amelia I remember.”
“That Amelia was a little girl. The grown-up me has a bit more control, Natty.” A barefaced lie, but he didn’t have to know it.
“Would you please leave off calling me ‘Natty?’ No one’s done that since I was a boy. It’s Nate now. Although we can’t be on such familiar terms with each other.”
Now she couldn’t even use his old nickname? It seemed as if everything they’d once had was gone. Turning on him, she poked a finger into his chest—his exceedingly broad chest, which felt terribly solid under his starched shirtfront. “Very well, Mr. Smythe , we’ll be as formal as you like.”
“You don’t have to be as formal as that .”
“Don’t I? You were painfully formal when we met at the Miltons’ ball. You were so crisp I nearly cut my finger on you. That is, before you walked away from me like I was any stranger on the street.”
“Is this why you’re so snippy with me? You’re angry because I behaved appropriately in a public place?”
She couldn’t resist rolling her eyes. “Just what I need. Another gentleman behaving appropriately. My life is overrun with appropriate gentlemen.” And now, when she finally felt something wild and hot for a gloriously inappropriate one, he insisted on manners . It made her feel positively
“Pardon?”
“The lovely Lady Julia Harrow. I saw you sitting with her. Surely she’s missed you by now.”
“Somehow I doubt it,” he muttered. “And what of Cheadle? Surely he’s climbing the walls pining after you.”
She sighed and turned to face him, tossing the last of the ruined flower to the ground and brushing her gloved fingers together. “You know he’s not, Natty. Men don’t pine after me, only my money. The only reason anyone at these things speaks to me is because of my fortune.”
“I’m speaking to you and I have my own fortune, thank you very much.”
“You only speak to me to tease me.”
“You used to like it when I teased you.”
“I’m not a child anymore.”
“Obviously.”
The word hung between them for a moment, rife with meaning. He might have only meant she was all grown-up and out in Society, except his eyes made a lightning—fast perusal of her body as he said it, so fast, he was likely unaware he’d done it. In a rush, it broke over her that Natty was aware of her in the same way she was aware of him. Not as an old playmate from his childhood. As a woman. He was as affected as she was, even if he was spending his evening paying court to Julia Harrow.
His eyes made their way back to hers and they both held the gaze. This newly discovered knowledge sizzled through her body. Her skin flushed and her breaths grew shallow. Natty’s eyes stared into hers. His lips parted slightly, as if he, too, was baffled by this sudden shift in the air. The atmosphere around them felt charged, the way it did when thunder began rattling the windows and lightning lit the night sky, but still the rain refused to fall. At any minute the clouds could collide and deluge the world, but until then, all the energy of the universe danced on the breeze.
She wanted to tease and flirt with him to see how far things would progress. She wanted to see the skies open up. She wanted to be drenched by the rain.
But blasted Genevieve’s counsel began whispering in her ear, reminding her of what she should do, how she should behave. She truly despised doing what she ought and not what she wanted, but even she had to admit, standing out here alone on a dark terrace with Natty would lead nowhere she should go. There were titled, eligible men inside waiting to pay court to her fat fortune. Natty was all wrong, out of reach, in another world. Which made him doubly appealing, thanks to her contrary nature.
“I should go back in,” she murmured, gathering the train of her dress and turning away.
“What, not up for teasing anymore? That’s hardly the Amelia I remember.”
“That Amelia was a little girl. The grown-up me has a bit more control, Natty.” A barefaced lie, but he didn’t have to know it.
“Would you please leave off calling me ‘Natty?’ No one’s done that since I was a boy. It’s Nate now. Although we can’t be on such familiar terms with each other.”
Now she couldn’t even use his old nickname? It seemed as if everything they’d once had was gone. Turning on him, she poked a finger into his chest—his exceedingly broad chest, which felt terribly solid under his starched shirtfront. “Very well, Mr. Smythe , we’ll be as formal as you like.”
“You don’t have to be as formal as that .”
“Don’t I? You were painfully formal when we met at the Miltons’ ball. You were so crisp I nearly cut my finger on you. That is, before you walked away from me like I was any stranger on the street.”
“Is this why you’re so snippy with me? You’re angry because I behaved appropriately in a public place?”
She couldn’t resist rolling her eyes. “Just what I need. Another gentleman behaving appropriately. My life is overrun with appropriate gentlemen.” And now, when she finally felt something wild and hot for a gloriously inappropriate one, he insisted on manners . It made her feel positively
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