Page 25 of Her Heartless Duke

He bowed before her, the movement effortlessly graceful and masculine at the same time. She slid her hand into his like she had done many times before.

“There is only one problem,” she admitted glumly as he led her to the center of the ballroom. “My knowledge of dance is confined to the basics—or whatever will get me through any dance I might have the misfortune to be asked.”

“And how many have asked you?”

“Not as many as my brother hoped,” she giggled. “He intends for me to find a match this Season. It has become one of his top priorities, I believe.”

Even without music, it still amazed her how they could move in perfect synchrony. Isaac began to teach her the more complicated steps, moving his body with hers as she fumbled through her first tries. Eventually, they were gliding down the ballroom and she stopped counting her steps or the beats in her head.

Instead, she allowed her body to flow naturally and follow his lead.

He once told her that dancing was like a conversation between two equal partners. If so, what did that flutter of her heart mean when he brushed his hand down her waist? When he held her close and she could feel the warmth of him through their clothes?

No, dancing was beginning to feel more likeseduction, and with every moment, she was becoming more and more enthralled.

He spun her around and around until she rose to her toes and the only thing keeping her from spiraling out of control were their linked hands above her head. Then, just as suddenly, he pulled her close, his hand spreading across her back as he dipped her bowed body over the floor.

“If you let go, I fear that my skull might break apart when it hits the floor,” she breathed from beneath him.

“You are much too hard headed to sustain such an injury,” he replied with a smile. “And I am never going to let you go. You can trust me.”

She raised her eyebrow at him, her lips curling into a mischievous smirk. “Oh, can I?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “You are much too mischievous, do you know that? Tell me—do you revel in pushing me to my wits’ end?”

Their eyes met and Olivia felt that same force that seemed to pull her towards him. She watched as his eyes dropped to her lips, down to her bosom heaving from the exertion of their practice. She saw his pupils dilate, his nostrils flare out a little. She felt his hand at her back digging slightly more into her flesh and she was not even leaning into him that much.

The distance between them was closing. All it would take is for them to lean in just the slightest bit closer and then—

“Perhaps we should partake of some of the refreshments,” he murmured, his voice low and almost hypnotic.

“Yes, perhaps,” she agreed, her voice barely above a whisper.

They remained like that for a moment longer, before he finally eased back and raised her up to a standing position. They bowed towards each other and the dance, theconversationbetween them ended.

“You catch on rather quickly,” he told her huskily.

“That is because I have an excellent teacher.”

“Such a glib tongue you have for a young miss.”

She caught a glimpse of his smile as he turned towards the small table that had been set up with a tea set and a whole array of refreshments. However, instead of sitting down to partake of the food set out before them, Olivia thought she might try that last step he had shown her earlier.

Humming to herself, she glided to the middle of the ballroom and moved into the position he had shown her. She moved her arm into a graceful arc above her and did a perfectronde de jambethat ended in a short twirl.

I’m doing it! I’m actually doing it!

However, her joy was short-lived, for even as she set her foot down on the floor, the ballroomstillcontinued to spin around her. For a moment, it righted itself before it started to tip and sway.

No, no, no! Not now!

Perhaps she had called out to Isaac. Perhaps she had even managed a scream or a small squeak.

Whatever it was she had managed to do, she seemed to have alerted Isaac, for the last thing she saw was him running towards her with a look of concern and horror on his face. He had stretched out his hand to her as if he meant to reach for her.

Olivia tried her best to reach for him, to meet him halfway…

And then, her vision went dark.