Chapter 13 #2
It was admittedly an overreaction for anyone who wasn’t supposed to be falling for the man. But Sylvie hadn’t anticipated being in Miles’s company that evening, and after the confusion of the afternoon, for once, she didn’t want to be.
Mother’s gaze sharpened, and Sylvie could have kicked herself for that slip.
“I did it for your good, Sylvia. He’s the most eligible catch of this season, and he was drawn to you from the start.
But you’re in danger of losing this opportunity if you don’t act to hold onto it.
And believe me, you’re unlikely to get another chance that’s as beneficial as this one. ”
Sylvie’s chest burned with the unfairness of it all.
She wanted nothing more than to grasp the opportunity.
But it seemed impossible to have both Miles and her independence.
Why could she only have one chance for each, and why did they have to come at the same time?
If she’d managed to exert some independence before all this, maybe agreeing to her mother’s choice wouldn’t seem like such a failure. But right then, it did.
At that moment, their first guests arrived.
Restraining the urge to clench her hands into fists, Sylvie assumed the guileless, pleasant expression she’d practiced for so many years.
She forced herself to participate in greeting the steady stream of acquaintances that came aboard.
But all the time, she was waiting half in dread, half in delight for Miles’s face to appear.
Finally, when the line had all but ended and she suspected he’d chosen not to accept her mother’s invitation, Sylvie glimpsed the Loftons coming aboard, and behind them, Miles’s familiar brown eyes, softening with warmth when he spotted her.
The way everything inside her started vibrating with excitement was a completely unwarranted reaction to seeing a friend. And it told her in no uncertain terms that she’d gotten far more attached to Miles Wentworth than she’d intended.
This was going to be a very troublesome evening.
Miles was beaming like a fool, but he was incapable of stopping it.
All he could think of when he saw Sylvie looking so elegant and lovely next to her parents was that he’d kissed her.
He, the Marquess of Rockingham, who had endured such a scandal that it ran him out of his home country, had finally found a woman who accepted him for who he was, not for his title.
And he had every confidence that when he revealed all about himself—both his past and that he was currently her secret admirer—she would continue to accept him.
Because she clearly cared for him. He only needed to prove that she was choosing him for herself, not because her mother or society wanted her to.
If only he could concentrate on anything except the memory of her lips under his in the meantime.
It hadn’t been much of a kiss, just a fleeting brush before he realized it was the wrong moment for it.
The real problem he’d created for himself, however, was that Sylvie didn’t realize he knew he’d kissed her.
She thought he kissed Robin, the lady archer.
His efforts to woo her while keeping her secrets were becoming more tangled by the day.
However, he did still have one card to play in his favor. After greeting her parents, Miles stepped over to Sylvie, leaning in close as he took her hand so that only she could hear him. “Shall we investigate your guests tonight?”
She blinked several times. Had she forgotten their agreement to try to uncover the author of her letters together? Had she been as distracted by that kiss as he had?
But then a hesitant smile tilted her lips, brightening the evening despite being dimmer than her usual joyfulness.
“Of course. This would be the perfect time. There are fewer people here than at most events, so it will be easier to narrow down who fits our criteria. I’ll start on a list, and we’ll compare notes in a bit. ”
Miles offered a slight bow from the waist and was able to leave her side feeling less unhappy about it than he might have otherwise.
Thanks to investigating together, there would be plenty of opportunities to spend time with her that evening.
After the way Mrs. Bryce gushed over him on the way in, he had no doubt that being at Sylvie’s side was the exact reason he’d been invited.
Perhaps it was even the purpose of the entire event.
Once all the guests had arrived, the boat left the dock and sailed out onto the rippling lake.
It was a beautiful evening to be on the water—that was undeniable.
Many others must have had the same idea because dozens of variously sized and shaped crafts dotted the expanse of water near the shore of Put-In-Bay.
The Bryces’ captain navigated the large yacht between them, making way toward the lights of Sandusky.
Miles let Sylvie come to him when she was ready, although waiting for her to appear again was torturous.
Finally, he caught a glimpse of that pretty blue dress among the guests crowded onto the deck.
His lungs stuck for a moment, refusing to work until she stopped mere inches from his side.
Sylvie looked up at him with such a trusting expression that he nearly swept her into his arms right there.
“We need a little space from all these people to make plans. Will you follow me?”
To the end of the earth.
Rather than letting such a telling statement out, Miles kept his lips pressed tight while he nodded.
He let her go first, then followed at a distance as she made her way through the groups of guests, watching her pause to respond to one or another along the way.
Miles made sure to stay well back, not wanting to make it too obvious that they were heading somewhere together.
But he couldn’t take his eyes off her for anything.
Following Sylvie around the corner of the cabin, Miles found himself in a cramped alcove with her.
There would be no arguments from him about the privacy of it.
Thanks to the rest of the guests mingling where they could be seen by others, it was quiet and still in this area of the boat.
He let the peace of being alone with Sylvie calm his soul.
The tiny alcove pushed her close against him.
Did she notice? Her body tucked up next to his was a sensation Miles would never be able to forget.
Just like the feeling of her soft lips earlier.
A lovely floral scent drifted from her skin, and he found his thoughts drifting as well.
How he’d like to repeat that kiss…although that would reveal his true intentions too early.
When he pulled his attention back to her, her brow furrowed as she unfolded a scrap of paper, their proximity no match for her focus.
“I made a list, and I’ve narrowed it down to three of the gentlemen present tonight who could be potential matches for my admirer.
Mr. Kinsey is well-liked and seems kind, from my limited conversations with him.
Mr. Nolan hasn’t done anything to stand out particularly, but there’s nothing to exclude him.
And Mr. Dockerty is actually quite charming, if rather absent-minded.
I’ve always enjoyed being seated next to him at dinners. ”
Every cell in Miles’s body protested at hearing her reflections on the suitability of other men.
He hadn’t considered that part of the agreement before jumping into it.
He was helping her fall in love with someone who wasn’t him and wasn’t writing the letters.
It was too late to retreat now. This was the best chance he had to spend time with her when they could both be themselves.
Or she was herself, anyway. He still had to keep far too many secrets for his liking.
When he didn’t immediately respond, Sylvie tilted her head up to look at him, putting her lips so very close to his.
The memory of their warmth eclipsed any other thought Miles might have had.
Without meaning to, he reached up, nearly letting his fingers trail down her smooth cheek.
But her eyes widened at the motion, and he stopped at the last second.
Attempting to cover his awkward slip, Miles ran his hand over the back of his neck instead, stepping backward out of the alcove and away from her nearness.
He was a fool for thinking any of this would work.
Sylvie was determined not to fall for him.
What made him think he was so charming, so irresistible that she would give up all she wanted out of life to be with him?