Fateful by Cheri Schmidt Read Free Book Online

ware staring as if under a spell. There
was something about him that could bewitch any girl. She wanted to
embrace him but resisted the impulse.
    He smiled, and she thought for sure she felt
her insides melt at little. “May I have the next dance?” he asked
elegantly, his hand extended to hers.
    For a moment she looked at him with a
slightly slack jaw. If she didn’t know better, she would have
thought she’d just met the hero from one of Jane Austen’s books. Danielle slipped her
fingers amongst his. “Yes,” she managed.
    He led her out further onto the main
dance floor, and when he started moving to the fast music, Danielle
had to suddenly catch her breath—because he could really dance! The
last thing she needed was another reason to be infatuated with this
guy. But there it was, and she found herself staring at his body as
he twisted with ease to the thrumming beat. All right, she mused,
on second thought this guy is definitely not from Jane Austen’s time.
    While they danced, Danielle tried to make eye
contact out of social habit, but he seemed to be refusing her that.
Intentionally? While tossing quick glances at her from under his
lashes, he’d managed to avoid any prolonged, direct staring. Why
was he being so bashful about that? Of course, she wondered if it
could have something to do with the strange things that happened
the other times their gazes had met.
    He stayed with her through three
songs—touching her gently, never inappropriately. He seemed
reserved, and was careful about showing her the utmost respect.
When she stroked his arm in return, Danielle noticed hard muscles
also danced under his thick gray sweater, but she’d suspected that
with the way his shoulders tugged at the material of his suit while
at her uncle’s.
    Growing rather confused, however, Danielle
considered that his manners actually screamed eighteen-hundreds,
but he was modernly dressed and moved like a rock star. That’s sort
of an odd contradiction. Shoving that silly thought aside, she
wondered if he really liked her, as it seemed from the way he
treated her, then why wouldn’t he really look at her? He never
faltered in guarding his gaze from hers, or was it the other way
around?
    After the third dance he leaned down touching
his cheek to hers and whispered into her ear, “Thank you.”
    Shuddering in response, the tickle from his
breath caused goose bumps to spring up all over her arms. Danielle
blinked in surprise and then he was gone. She didn’t even have time
to respond. Once again, he’d left her standing there wanting more,
confused by his sudden disappearance.
     
    * * * * *
     
    “Danielle! The bell’s for you!” called Aunt
Charlotte the next morning before she’d come down to breakfast.
    Figuring it couldn’t be Ethan, Danielle
wondered who was calling as she made her way down the stairs. After
getting home last night she’d decided his behavior was just too
strange and he likely didn’t really like her that much. She’d
probably never get a date out of it. Perhaps she should consider
the blind dates Brianna had planned. “Thank you,” she whispered,
reaching for the receiver. “Hello?”
    “Hello, Danielle, this is Ethan.”
    Alright, so she’d been wrong.... His elegant
accent caressed the eight letters of her name, and somehow, it
wasn’t as thrilling when her British relatives addressed her. “Hi,
Ethan. What can I do for you?”
    Brianna was now hovering, jumping up and down
in un-bottled excitement.
    “Have you been able to see any of the sites
of England since your arrival?”
    “No, not yet.”
    “Good, I’d like to take you to see Van Kampen
Gardens. I think it’s absolutely worth the drive. Can you get away
for the day tomorrow?”
    “Um ... let me check.” She turned to Brianna,
slipping her hand over the mouthpiece. “He wants to take me out to
the Van Kemp, or something gardens. He said we would be gone all
day. Do we have plans tomorrow?” Danielle knew she didn’t