The Countess by Lynsay Sands Read Free Book Online

sincerity behind them that she stumbled in her step and fell against him. Dicky immediately caught her against his chest to keep her upright.
    “Are you all right?” he asked, holding her close and tilting his head to try to see her face.
    Christiana nodded and took a deep breath to steady herself, but it helped little. With everything that had occurred that day, she hadn’t eaten since breakfast and was now feeling the effects of the drink she’d so precipitously downed. Her thoughts were slowing and growing a bit muddy even as the tension eased from her body. It left her more relaxed, which she didn’t necessarily think was a good thing at the moment. Especially when they were dancing so close now that she was inhaling his scent, and finding it surprisingly heady, a spicy male aroma that made her want to inhale again. She had never noticed him smelling this lovely before, but then was rarely as close to him as this.
    “Christiana?”
    She reluctantly lifted her eyes, confusion and vulnerability swirling inside her.
    “You’re quite lovely when you aren’t frowning,” he said suddenly as if surprised at the revelation.
    Christiana felt her lips part slightly with surprise. This was the very first compliment she’d heard from the man in the year since their wedding. It was so rare and so unexpected, it quite took her breath away. Or perhaps that was the whiskey, she thought. For surely it was the whiskey that made her forget how horrid the man was and notice only how handsome he looked in his formal garb. Of course, she had always known Dicky was a handsome man, at least on the surface. His features were strong and sharp, but suited his face perfectly, and he had short, dark hair that looked so silky it made a girl want to run her fingers through it. She had always found him incredibly attractive physically. However, at the moment he was eyeing her with a concern she had never seen before and it seemed to increase his attractiveness tenfold, making him darned near irresistible.
    “If you continue to look at me like that I may be tempted to kiss you,” he said in a husky voice.
    Christiana’s eyes widened slightly and for a moment she almost wished he would, but then she recalled this was her husband and abruptly turned her head away with a little, “Oh dear.”
    “What is it?” Dicky asked with a small frown.
    “I believe that drink you gave me may be affecting my good sense,” she muttered, thinking it the only excuse for how she could find this man attractive after having suffered under being his wife for a year. Besides, she was beginning to feel a little off balance, her thoughts a little slow and confused. Of course, she was also finding it suddenly overly hot and a touch airless in the room, but suspected that was from being in Dicky’s arms. At the moment, they were as close as lovers, his body brushing against hers with each dance step, his one hand at her back, his arm encircling her, the other hand clasping her suddenly sweaty one . . . and his smell just kept wafting up her nose, sliding through her body, making her want to lean into him. That drink was definitely affecting her, she decided grimly.
    “Perhaps I should take you outside for a breath of fresh air.”
    “No!” Christiana said at once, instinct telling her that would be a very bad idea indeed. She was already terribly confused and flustered and it was difficult enough being this close to him in public, but out on the dark terrace, with the sparkly stars overhead and torchlight the only thing chasing back the shadows . . . No, Christiana felt sure the best thing she could do was put some distance between them so that she could start thinking straight again. Unfortunately, she would have to wait until the end of the waltz to do that.
    “Are you sure?” Richard asked, pulling back to look at her. “You are quite pale. Perhaps some air would make you feel better.”
    Christiana stared at him silently, her gaze moving over his