Suddenly You(45)

“It would be a pleasant change,” she said primly, making him chuckle.

“Come with me—I want to introduce you to some friends.”

It was not lost on Amanda that Devlin wore a distinctly proprietary air as he walked her into the large drawing room. Moving from one group of smiling guests to another, he deftly made introductions, exchanged good wishes, and offered a few small jokes with a natural ease that amazed her.

Although he had not staked a claim in any overt manner, there was something in his tone or expression that implied that he and Amanda were linked in a way that went beyond business. She was disconcerted by her own reaction to it. She had never been half of a couple before, had never received envious glances from other women, or admiring stares from men. In fact, no man had ever made the effort of publicly establishing his claim on her, and yet in a subtle way, she sensed this was what Devlin was doing.

They progressed through the circle of large visiting rooms. For those guests who did not wish to dance or sing, there was a mahogany-paneled parlor in which a crowd was busily engaged in a game of charades, and another in which people sat at card tables to enjoy games of whist. Amanda recognized many of the guests—writers, publishers, and journalists whom she had encountered at various social events in the past few months. It was a lively crowd, the infectious holiday spirit seeming to spread from the youngest face to the oldest.

Devlin brought Amanda to a halt by a refreshment table, where a few children were engaged in a game of snapdragon. They stood on chairs around a bowl of steaming-hot punch, snatching up burning raisins in their small fingers and popping them quickly into their mouths. Devlin laughed at the sight of the sticky faces that turned toward him.

“Who is winning?” he asked, and they all pointed to a pudgy, mop-haired boy.

“Georgie is! He’s gotten the most raisins so far.”

“I have the quickest fingers, sir,” the boy admitted with a sugar-smeared grin.

Devlin smiled and urged Amanda toward the huge bowl. “Have a try,” he coaxed, and the children all began to giggle.

Amanda sent him a discreet frown. “I am afraid it would take too long to remove my gloves,” she said demurely.

Devlin’s blue eyes sparkled with wicked amusement. “I’ll do it for you, then.”

He stripped off his own glove, and before Amanda could utter a word of protest, he reached into the bowl. Snatching up a hot raisin, he popped it into her mouth. Amanda took it automatically, the morsel seeming to burn a hole in her tongue. The children erupted into gales of approving laughter. Amanda ducked her face to hide an irrepressible smile, while the rich-brandied raisin spread its sweet flavor through the interior of her mouth. After swallowing the little tidbit, she raised her head and regarded him reprovingly.

“Another?” Devlin asked with studied innocence, his fingers poised over the bowl once more.

“Thank you, no. I don’t wish to spoil my appetite.”

Devlin smiled and sucked the sticky spot the raisin had left on his finger, then replaced his glove. The children congregated around the bowl once more, resuming their game. They gave little pretend shrieks of pain as their fingers hovered over the scalding liquid. “What next?” he asked, leading Amanda away from the punch table. “Would you like some wine?”

“I shouldn’t like to monopolize your time—surely you should be receiving your guests.”

Devlin took her to a corner of the drawing room, taking a glass of wine from the tray of a passing servant. He gave the glass to Amanda and lowered his head to murmur in her ear. “There’s only one guest who matters to me.”

Amanda felt a prickling blush rise in her cheeks. She felt as if she were in a dream. This couldn’t be happening to Amanda Briars, the spinster from Windsor…the sweet music, the lovely surroundings, the handsome man whispering seductive nonsense in her ear. “You have a beautiful home,” she said unsteadily, in an effort to break the spell he seemed to have cast on her.

“I take no credit for it. I bought the place as I found it, furnishings and all.”

“It’s a very large house for just one person.”

“I entertain a great deal.”

“Have you ever kept a mistress here?” Amanda had no idea why she had dared to voice the shocking question that had popped into her mind.

He smiled, his voice gently mocking. “Why, Miss Briars…asking such a question on a sacred holiday…”

“Well, have you?” she persisted, having ventured too far to retreat now.

“No,” he admitted. “I’ve had an affair or two, but no mistresses. From what I’ve observed, it’s too damned inconvenient—not to mention expensive—to get rid of a mistress once a man tires of her.”

“When did your last affair end?”

Devlin laughed quietly. “I’m not answering any more questions until you tell me why you’ve taken such an interest in my bedroom activities.”

“I may decide to base a character on you someday.”

The remnants of a delicious grin lingered on his lips. “Then you may as well learn something else about me, my inquisitive little friend—I like to dance. And I’m rather good at it. So if you’ll allow me to demonstrate…”

He removed the wineglass from her hand and set it on a small table, then led her toward the drawing room.