for
her than he did for himself. This guy appeared to be under the
impression that she ate a lot of food, or needed a lot of food.
Self-consciously, she glanced down at herself, wondering if she
appeared too thin. As with the pastries, she knew she wouldn’t be
able to finish everything.
Ethan had a strange look in his eye as he
watched her eat, like he was almost … envious. Of what, she wasn’t
sure. He only picked at his own food. She wondered if maybe he
didn’t like his own choice and was coveting hers, but he turned her
down when she offered him a bite.
* * * * *
When they returned to the car, he held the
door like a true gentleman. He seemed like the type of fellow who
would take off his coat to drape across a mucky puddle so a lady
could cross dryly, or he might actually just carry her across,
getting his own shoes wet in the process.
While his need to feed her was odd, and that
thing with his eyes was just plain weird, she still never felt like
she’d discovered any dark, troubling secrets. Except for when he
made her think he’d abandoned her, but then again he never really
did. He’d teased her, and that was hardly a deep dark secret.
Danielle had already forgiven him for it.
She began to wonder if he would want to see
her again, and studied his face for a sign of how he felt about
their date as he backed the car out. He sensed her gaze, and turned
to face her, his eyes guarded again.
But he smiled. “Did you have a good
time?”
“Yes. Did you?”
“Certainly,” Ethan said it with a great deal
of enthusiasm, and Danielle took an equal amount of hope from
that.
Ethan reached to turn on the music while he
steered the car onto the highway. Danielle raised an eyebrow as
violins began to sing. More than half the guys she knew liked good
old rock and roll. So this was something else different about Ethan
Deveroux. And she liked it. Note to self—he’s classy, add to the
why-Ethan’s-the-best-choice-for-a-London-love-affair list.
Her eyes lifted to the clock on the
dashboard. As he’d promised her uncle, he was getting her home very
early. The sun was just beginning to set. The sky gradually became
painted with vibrant colors of gold, orange and pink. He watched
the sinking sun like he was going to miss it while it was gone for
the night.
Ethan pulled up to her uncle’s house, opened
the door for her and walked her to the front door. As he remained
averse about sharing his eye contact, Danielle couldn’t decide if
she was beginning to get used to it or not.
With words whispered softly, he said, “I’ll
see you tomorrow, all right?”
“Okay.” Trying hard to not let on how
delighted with that she really was.
He stroked the side of her face with the back
of his knuckles, then slid his thumb along the line of her jaw,
following it to her chin. His gaze followed his hand, avoiding her
eyes until it settled on her mouth. To her dismay, he did not kiss
her. Then before she knew it, he was back to his Jaguar, and
gone.
She was having a difficult time dealing with
his continual, sudden disappearances.
It was then, she realized, that during his
brief farewell, she’d neglected to breathe. She took in a big
calming breath, gathered herself and stepped inside.
“Danielle, is that you, love?” Aunt Charlotte
called.
“Yes,” she replied softly, realizing she
didn’t quite have her voice back.
“Come in for dinner. It’s still hot.”
Danielle entered the dining room with a
permanent grin on her face. “Thanks, it smells wonderful.” She
seated herself next to Brianna.
“Wow, he really did get you home early. We
weren’t sure if we should expect you for dinner or not,” her uncle
said. Obviously he continued to be impressed with Ethan, and shot a
glance at Brianna, who knew why immediately.
“Keep your hair on Dad, I’ll try not to miss
my curfew any more. All right?” Brianna huffed rolling her
eyes.
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” he
her than he did for himself. This guy appeared to be under the
impression that she ate a lot of food, or needed a lot of food.
Self-consciously, she glanced down at herself, wondering if she
appeared too thin. As with the pastries, she knew she wouldn’t be
able to finish everything.
Ethan had a strange look in his eye as he
watched her eat, like he was almost … envious. Of what, she wasn’t
sure. He only picked at his own food. She wondered if maybe he
didn’t like his own choice and was coveting hers, but he turned her
down when she offered him a bite.
* * * * *
When they returned to the car, he held the
door like a true gentleman. He seemed like the type of fellow who
would take off his coat to drape across a mucky puddle so a lady
could cross dryly, or he might actually just carry her across,
getting his own shoes wet in the process.
While his need to feed her was odd, and that
thing with his eyes was just plain weird, she still never felt like
she’d discovered any dark, troubling secrets. Except for when he
made her think he’d abandoned her, but then again he never really
did. He’d teased her, and that was hardly a deep dark secret.
Danielle had already forgiven him for it.
She began to wonder if he would want to see
her again, and studied his face for a sign of how he felt about
their date as he backed the car out. He sensed her gaze, and turned
to face her, his eyes guarded again.
But he smiled. “Did you have a good
time?”
“Yes. Did you?”
“Certainly,” Ethan said it with a great deal
of enthusiasm, and Danielle took an equal amount of hope from
that.
Ethan reached to turn on the music while he
steered the car onto the highway. Danielle raised an eyebrow as
violins began to sing. More than half the guys she knew liked good
old rock and roll. So this was something else different about Ethan
Deveroux. And she liked it. Note to self—he’s classy, add to the
why-Ethan’s-the-best-choice-for-a-London-love-affair list.
Her eyes lifted to the clock on the
dashboard. As he’d promised her uncle, he was getting her home very
early. The sun was just beginning to set. The sky gradually became
painted with vibrant colors of gold, orange and pink. He watched
the sinking sun like he was going to miss it while it was gone for
the night.
Ethan pulled up to her uncle’s house, opened
the door for her and walked her to the front door. As he remained
averse about sharing his eye contact, Danielle couldn’t decide if
she was beginning to get used to it or not.
With words whispered softly, he said, “I’ll
see you tomorrow, all right?”
“Okay.” Trying hard to not let on how
delighted with that she really was.
He stroked the side of her face with the back
of his knuckles, then slid his thumb along the line of her jaw,
following it to her chin. His gaze followed his hand, avoiding her
eyes until it settled on her mouth. To her dismay, he did not kiss
her. Then before she knew it, he was back to his Jaguar, and
gone.
She was having a difficult time dealing with
his continual, sudden disappearances.
It was then, she realized, that during his
brief farewell, she’d neglected to breathe. She took in a big
calming breath, gathered herself and stepped inside.
“Danielle, is that you, love?” Aunt Charlotte
called.
“Yes,” she replied softly, realizing she
didn’t quite have her voice back.
“Come in for dinner. It’s still hot.”
Danielle entered the dining room with a
permanent grin on her face. “Thanks, it smells wonderful.” She
seated herself next to Brianna.
“Wow, he really did get you home early. We
weren’t sure if we should expect you for dinner or not,” her uncle
said. Obviously he continued to be impressed with Ethan, and shot a
glance at Brianna, who knew why immediately.
“Keep your hair on Dad, I’ll try not to miss
my curfew any more. All right?” Brianna huffed rolling her
eyes.
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” he
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