“Oh? I hadn’t noticed…”

“How could you miss?” she commented dryly. “The woman’s practically falling out of her dress. It’s completely outrageous. Another inch and…Well, anyway, didn’t you see her? Why, as soon as the allemande she was dancing with Fulton ended, she made a ‘casual’ mad dash to where your father was introducing the Kincades to Major Winthrop and Lord Radcliffe. It’s disgraceful. Really, I don’t know how the woman gets away with it. She’s over there with him now just making a damned fool of herself!”

CC found herself growing irritated by all that Caroline was relating. She had made an honest effort to completely ignore Noah Kincade since he’d arrived, and had done quite well, until now. Now, since discovering his eyes upon her and listening to Caroline’s barbed comments about Eve’s behavior, she found herself shifting her stance so she could watch him covertly even as she continued conversation with her friend.

“Lord Kincade certainly is as handsome as everyone said,” Caroline went on. “And his brother, too. Don’t you think, CC?”

“I suppose,” CC answered distractedly. She didn’t want to care what Kincade did; in fact, she didn’t want to know. Yet she found herself unable to look away from the sight of Eve fawning all over him. For some reason, she found herself wanting to slap the widow.

“You only suppose?” Caroline gave her a very disbelieving look. “My dear, do you need glasses? They’re both marvelous-looking and, I understand, very rich…”

“Yes, that’s what I heard,” she agreed. She was glad when the musicians began to play again, interrupting Caroline’s endless chatter. CC was pleased when John appeared at her side and claimed her for the dance. Although she was tempted, she forced herself not to look over in Kincade’s direction again, devoting all her attention to John.

As the music began, Geoffrey quickly took the opportunity to ask Eve for the dance. Eve had been hoping that Kincade would ask her first, but she accepted Geoffrey’s invitation with outward grace. Inwardly, however, she was seething as he squired her through the intricate steps of the gavotte. Attractive and titled though he was, Geoffrey couldn’t hold a candle to Noah Kincade, and she was determined to find a way to lay claim to Noah’s affections.

Geoffrey’s gaze was riveted upon Eve as they danced. She was everything he’d ever desired in a woman, and he felt most possessive of her this night. The thought that she might be interested in Kincade annoyed him greatly. He wanted to take her away from the glitter of the ballroom and make love to her until she cried out her need for him, and him alone. His dark eyes lingered on her low-cut bodice, and he burned with the need to caress that silken flesh. The memory of the Randolphs’ ball several weeks before and of their wildly arousing tryst that night on the balcony beyond the ballroom sent molten excitement through his veins. He was hard put to keep his desires under control.

As the music ended, Geoffrey gave her no chance to leave him, taking her arm and escorting her out into the hall in hopes of having a moment alone with her.

“Geoffrey? Where are you taking me?” Eve demanded. She wanted to rejoin Kincade, not suffer any more of Geoffrey’s advances.

“I want to be with you, darling…alone,” Geoffrey whispered as he tried to guide her into the privacy of the deserted study.

“Geoffrey!” She refused to be drawn inside. “I want to socialize. The party has only just begun, you know, and we do have all night.” Eve added the last as an enticement to give him hope that at some point later in the evening she would go with him.

Hearing her promise of “later,” Geoffrey relented. “You know how much I want you, Eve…”

“I know,” she replied, giving him a sultry smile.

Thinking he was not going to protest, she started to return to the ballroom and Lord Kincade. However, Geoffrey was not ready to let her go yet, and he reached out to stop her.

“Did the few private moments we shared at the Randolphs’ ball mean so little to you?” His expression was alive with excitement as he challenged her.

“Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous,” she purred, giving him further hope that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, while, in truth, she disdained the idea of ever making love to him again. She had her sights set on a man more worthy of her love. In Eve’s mind, Geoffrey was now very definitely a part of her past. “It was a wonderful night…”

Geoffrey smiled in arrogant male confidence. “I didn’t think you’d forgotten…”

The night of the Randolphs’ ball, when they had made mad, passionate love on the balcony, had been forever emblazoned on his memory as the most sensual night of his life, and he felt assured that many more like it would follow.

“As you said, my love.” He ran a caressing hand up her arm. “Later.”

Eve managed a strained smile as she was forced to return to the ballroom in his company.

Noah nodded to some inane remark the major had made. He lifted his glass of champagne to his lips and took a deep drink of the heady brew. Though he gave the appearance of listening to Winthrop, his attention was really riveted on CC and John as they moved about the dance floor. The memory of her passionate response to him taunted him, and the narrowing of his eyes as he watched her was the only outward sign of the state of his emotions.

With iron-willed control, Noah forced himself to look away, and he was pleased to see Eve returning to the ballroom. Though she aroused no great ardor within him, she would provide a diversion from his thoughts of CC. Noah had no desire to become involved with anyone, but he would have no objection to a casual dalliance, should the lovely widow be willing to oblige. Her charms were obvious, and perhaps it was time for him to relax and enjoy life a little more. Certainly he had no pressing financial problems at the moment, and it was just a matter of time before the arms shipment arrived, after which they would be well on their way to rebuilding their lives and their lost fortunes. Greeting Eve with a smile, he invited her to dance.

CC and John had rejoined a group of their friends after the music had ended, and she was enjoying a glass of champagne when she saw Kincade sweep Eve out onto the dance floor. Irritation surged. She didn’t understand it. She just knew that it aggravated her immensely to see the other woman in his arms. Still, she had to admit that they were perfect for each other. Kincade was an amoral predator, just like Eve.

Feeling her determination to ignore Noah slipping, CC made a desperate effort to turn her full attention to John. When he suggested they dance again, she agreed almost too eagerly. John was thrilled to think that he was finally making some progress in winning her love, and he gloried in the thought that she was warming to him. Perhaps Eve Woodham’s earlier prodding had made CC realize just how important his feelings for her really were.

CC’s endeavor to concentrate on John was sharply interrupted when she discovered to her dismay that Noah and Eve had lined up next to them for the dance. Was there no way she could avoid this man? Her gaze seemed drawn magnetically to Noah, and she found him watching her, but his expression was fathomless. Biting her lip, she looked quickly back to John and was glad to find that he hadn’t noticed her discomfiture.

The music began then. CC found herself dreading the moment when, because he was the gentleman to John’s right, she would have to take Noah’s hand and allow him to escort her through the intricate steps. A cold knot formed in her stomach as she anticipated his touch. Why did his very closeness affect her so? Did the touch of his hand really have the power to stir such dramatic feelings within her?

A terrible tenseness gripped CC as Noah stepped forward and extended his hand to her. Fighting down the shiver of apprehension that quivered through her, she moved mechanically to slip her hand in his. His hand was warm, enveloping her cold one in a firm, steady grip, and a myriad of electrifying sensations flooded through her at that simple touch. Her heartbeat quickened at his nearness, and as she caught the clean, manly scent of him, CC felt a surge of remembered excitement. Her mind screamed that it couldn’t be so, but her body ignored all her logical protests, responding vitally to just the feel of his hand on hers.