Read Online Escapade (9781301744510) by Susan Carroll - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Carroll
Tags: new york city
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expression was more annoying than if he had been wearing a smirk.
Zeke took the gown from him and closed the door in his face.
He carried the dress over to Aurora. She
snatched it from him with an expression of real relief. She
inspected the peach silk folds briefly and exclaimed. "Why, it
looks almost as good as new. Your maids did an incredible job."
Zeke agreed, though he could not help wishing
that for once his staff had not been so damned efficient. He would
have liked just a little more time.
A weighty pause ensued in which she stared at
him expectantly. It finally dawned on Zeke that she was waiting for
him to leave so she could get dressed.
"I'll send Maisie in to help you," he
said.
"Yes, I would be grateful. Thank you. Thank
you for everything, Mr. Morrison."
He nodded and backed toward the door. Why had
it taken him until now to realize how pretty she was? Especially
when she smiled, showing an even row of pearly teeth. He liked the
way those freckles dusted across her nose; most women fought like
the devil to keep the sun off their faces. He liked the quicksilver
shade of her eyes, the way she met his gaze head-on, never
fluttering her lashes like some fool coquette. And he definitely
liked the way that blue silk clung to her curves.
Zeke brought his thoughts up short and
reached for the doorknob. It didn’t matter what he liked. In a few
minutes she would be dressed. When her assistant arrived, she would
gather up her balloon and be gone. He would never see her again.
The thought left him feeling oddly let down.
He shoved open the door and stepped out into
the hall. He had not taken two steps away, when he halted. He
didn't know what was getting into him, but something wouldn't
permit him to keep on going. He spun on his heel and abruptly
reentered the bedchamber.
She had started to remove her robe, but she
snatched it back to herself with a cry of alarm.
"Uh, sorry," he said. "I just remembered
something I wanted to tell you."
She cocked her head to one side, cautious,
waiting. It made it more difficult, for he was not sure himself
what he had come to say, but he blundered on, "I was just thinking.
I haven't had my supper yet and I'll bet you're hungry too. Maybe
you could leave instructions for your assistant to take care of
that balloon and we could go out for a nibble at some little
restaurant."
He could already see the refusal in her eyes,
so he hastened to add, "I could take you back to the circus myself
after—in my carriage."
"I don't live at the circus."
"Well, wherever—"
"No, thank you, Mr. Morrison. I really
couldn't. Besides the balloon, I have my passengers to see safely
home and—"
"I've already taken care of them," Zeke
interrupted. "The newlyweds are launched on their bridal night, and
I even apologized to your little minister and sent him off with a
donation for his church."
"That was very good of you, but as to having
supper with you, I still don't think. . . " She trailed off with a
shake of her head, clearly doubtful of his intentions. He couldn't
blame her for that. Hell. He was not sure himself just what his
intentions were.
"Please," he said, groping for the words to
convince her. "It would give us a chance to talk. I am very
interested in—"
She tensed.
"In hot air balloons. I'd be fascinated to
hear how they work. I've never had the good luck to meet with a-"
What was it she had called herself earlier? "With an aeronaut
before," he concluded.
Zeke wasn't sure what he had said. He only
knew it was the right thing, for she nodded in reluctant
agreement.
"All right, Mr. Morrison. I would be only too
happy to tell you all about my balloons." Her lips curved with a
strangely hopeful smile.
Zeke wasted no time in fetching his evening
clothes from the closet and bolting out of the chamber, not giving
her a chance to change her mind. Before retiring to another room to
attire himself for going out, he sent the parlor maid upstairs.
Maisie helped Rory to dress
expression was more annoying than if he had been wearing a smirk.
Zeke took the gown from him and closed the door in his face.
He carried the dress over to Aurora. She
snatched it from him with an expression of real relief. She
inspected the peach silk folds briefly and exclaimed. "Why, it
looks almost as good as new. Your maids did an incredible job."
Zeke agreed, though he could not help wishing
that for once his staff had not been so damned efficient. He would
have liked just a little more time.
A weighty pause ensued in which she stared at
him expectantly. It finally dawned on Zeke that she was waiting for
him to leave so she could get dressed.
"I'll send Maisie in to help you," he
said.
"Yes, I would be grateful. Thank you. Thank
you for everything, Mr. Morrison."
He nodded and backed toward the door. Why had
it taken him until now to realize how pretty she was? Especially
when she smiled, showing an even row of pearly teeth. He liked the
way those freckles dusted across her nose; most women fought like
the devil to keep the sun off their faces. He liked the quicksilver
shade of her eyes, the way she met his gaze head-on, never
fluttering her lashes like some fool coquette. And he definitely
liked the way that blue silk clung to her curves.
Zeke brought his thoughts up short and
reached for the doorknob. It didn’t matter what he liked. In a few
minutes she would be dressed. When her assistant arrived, she would
gather up her balloon and be gone. He would never see her again.
The thought left him feeling oddly let down.
He shoved open the door and stepped out into
the hall. He had not taken two steps away, when he halted. He
didn't know what was getting into him, but something wouldn't
permit him to keep on going. He spun on his heel and abruptly
reentered the bedchamber.
She had started to remove her robe, but she
snatched it back to herself with a cry of alarm.
"Uh, sorry," he said. "I just remembered
something I wanted to tell you."
She cocked her head to one side, cautious,
waiting. It made it more difficult, for he was not sure himself
what he had come to say, but he blundered on, "I was just thinking.
I haven't had my supper yet and I'll bet you're hungry too. Maybe
you could leave instructions for your assistant to take care of
that balloon and we could go out for a nibble at some little
restaurant."
He could already see the refusal in her eyes,
so he hastened to add, "I could take you back to the circus myself
after—in my carriage."
"I don't live at the circus."
"Well, wherever—"
"No, thank you, Mr. Morrison. I really
couldn't. Besides the balloon, I have my passengers to see safely
home and—"
"I've already taken care of them," Zeke
interrupted. "The newlyweds are launched on their bridal night, and
I even apologized to your little minister and sent him off with a
donation for his church."
"That was very good of you, but as to having
supper with you, I still don't think. . . " She trailed off with a
shake of her head, clearly doubtful of his intentions. He couldn't
blame her for that. Hell. He was not sure himself just what his
intentions were.
"Please," he said, groping for the words to
convince her. "It would give us a chance to talk. I am very
interested in—"
She tensed.
"In hot air balloons. I'd be fascinated to
hear how they work. I've never had the good luck to meet with a-"
What was it she had called herself earlier? "With an aeronaut
before," he concluded.
Zeke wasn't sure what he had said. He only
knew it was the right thing, for she nodded in reluctant
agreement.
"All right, Mr. Morrison. I would be only too
happy to tell you all about my balloons." Her lips curved with a
strangely hopeful smile.
Zeke wasted no time in fetching his evening
clothes from the closet and bolting out of the chamber, not giving
her a chance to change her mind. Before retiring to another room to
attire himself for going out, he sent the parlor maid upstairs.
Maisie helped Rory to dress
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