Read Online Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn - Free Book Online Page B

even a little bit childish, so she decided to cut across the northern corner of the Berkeley Square green for no other reason than she liked the squishy sound her boots made on the wet grass.
    It was Lady Danbury’s fault. It had to be. She’d been positively giddy since their encounter the night before.
    â€œNot. What. I. Thought. I. Was,” she sang to herself as she walked, adding a word every time the soles of her boots sank into the ground. “Something more. Something more.”
    She reached a particularly wet patch and moved like a skater on the grass, singing (softly, of course; she hadn’t changed so much from the night before that she actually wanted someone to hear her singing in public), “Something moooore,” as she slid forward.
    Which was, of course (since it was fairly well established—in her own mind, at least—that she had the worst timing in the history of civilization), right when she heard a male voice call out her name.
    She skidded to a halt and gave fervent thanks that she caught her balance at the very last moment instead of landing on her bottom on the wet and messy grass.
    It was, of course, him.
    â€œColin!” she said in a slightly embarrassed voice, holding still as she waited for him to reach her side. “What a surprise.”
    He looked like he was trying not to smile. “Were you dancing?”
    â€œDancing?” she echoed.
    â€œIt looked like you were dancing.”
    â€œOh. No.” She swallowed guiltily, because even though she wasn’t technically lying, it felt as if she were. “Of course not.”
    His eyes crinkled slightly at the corners. “Pity, then. I would have felt compelled to partner you, and I’ve never danced in Berkeley Square.”
    If he’d said the same to her just two days earlier, she would have laughed at his joke and let him be the witty and charming one. But she must have heard Lady Danbury’s voice at the back of her head again, because she suddenly decided she didn’t want to be the same old Penelope Featherington.
    She decided to join in the fun.
    She smiled a smile she didn’t think she’d even known how to smile. It was wicked and she was mysterious, and she knew it wasn’t all in her head because Colin’s eyes widened markedly as she murmured, “That’s a shame. It’s rather enjoyable.”
    â€œPenelope Featherington,” he drawled, “I thought you said you weren’t dancing.”
    She shrugged. “I lied.”
    â€œIf that’s the case,” he said, “then surely this must be my dance.”
    Penelope’s insides suddenly felt very queer. This was why she shouldn’t let whispers from Lady Danbury go to her head. She might manage daring and charm for a fleeting moment, but she had no idea how to follow through.
    Unlike Colin, obviously, who was grinning devilishly as he held his arms out in perfect waltz position.
    â€œColin,” she gasped, “we’re in Berkeley Square!”
    â€œI know. I just finished telling you I’ve never danced here, don’t you recall?”
    â€œBut—”
    Colin crossed his arms. “Tsk. Tsk. You can’t issue a dare like that and then try to weasel out of it. Besides, dancing in Berkeley Square seems like the sort of thing a person ought to do at least once in his life, wouldn’t you agree?”
    â€œAnyone might see,” she whispered urgently.
    He shrugged, trying to hide the fact that he was rather entertained by her reaction. “I don’t care. Do you?”
    Her cheeks grew pink, then red, and it seemed to take her a great deal of effort to form the words, “People will think you are courting me.”
    He watched her closely, not understanding why she was disturbed. Who cared if people thought they were courting? The rumor would soon be proven false, and they’d have a good laugh at society’s expense. It was on the