Samantha Kane Read Online Free

combination. Vanessa sternly
    reminded herself to keep her head about her. She had a feeling
    there was a great deal more to Mr. Gabriel than attractive
    features.
    “It’s a waltz,” he told her. Her eyes widened in surprise at his
    apparent ability to read her mind. “You haven’t danced al night,”
    he told her as he took his position next to her and held his hand
    out for hers. “I assumed you hadn’t been paying attention to the
    dances.”
    “I have not,” she agreed truthfuly. “Thank you.” With a deep
    breath Vanessa found the composure that had abandoned her
    earlier. She placed one hand in Mr. Gabriel’s and her other arm
    on his shoulder, which was no mean feat as he was so tal. She
    should have found out the dance before agreeing. A waltz was
    far too provocative to dance with a complete stranger. Especialy
    this dangerously compeling stranger.
    The music began, a slow French waltz. That meant a Sauteuse
    waltz and a Jetté would folow, al with Mr. Gabriel. As they
    performed the march steps, the introduction to the dance, she
    could tel that in spite of his size he was an excelent dancer, light on his feet with a gentle hand to guide his partner. For the first
    time since he’d asked her to dance, Vanessa relaxed and began
    to enjoy herself.
    She loved to dance. The music, the feel of her partner’s hand in
    hers, moving her body vigorously—the entire act pleased her. It
    was a freedom she rarely enjoyed in any other endeavor. And
    conversation was most often kept to a minimum. She needn’t
    utter an endless stream of platitudes, merely one or two when the
    dancing brought her face-to-face with her partner.
    She had to reach high in order to grasp Mr. Gabriel’s hand over
    their heads as they spun in a pas de bourée, and with a genuine
    smile he lowered his arm to accommodate her without missing a
    smile he lowered his arm to accommodate her without missing a
    step.
    “You are quite dainty,” he observed admiringly. “I feel like a
    great elephant next to you.”
    Vanessa laughed. “I am not so dainty as you believe, but you are
    indeed greater in size. Your dancing, however, makes you
    appear as a gazele rather than an elephant.”
    He frowned. “I’m not sure I wish to be a slight gazele. But I
    think you meant that as a compliment. Did you not?”
    “Indeed I did,” she said on the next pass around, and they
    switched hands over their heads. He had very masculine hands.
    He inclined his head. “Thank you. And may I return the
    compliment. Your dancing is as graceful as I imagined it would
    be.”
    Vanessa just smiled. She’d heard many such empty
    compliments. She concentrated on the dance and the music, and
    the feel of Mr. Gabriel’s big, strong hands.
    When the Sauteuse began Mr. Gabriel placed his hands on her
    waist and she nearly flew through the air in the first up-tempo
    pas de bourée. If she hadn’t been holding onto his shoulders she
    would have. It felt so wonderful she laughed out loud.
    “Ah, there it is,” he said with light laugh. “Now I know you are
    enjoying our dance.”
    “Oh, yes,” she said breathlessly, “very much.” When she realized
    what she’d said she looked at him in alarm. He just smiled and
    spun her again. So Vanessa ignored her better judgment and lost
    herself in the dance.

    She was a dream to dance with. So light and dainty, and yet ful
    of energy and delight as he spun her about the floor. Oliver
    hadn’t enjoyed a dance this much in years. She hadn’t wanted to
    dance with him. He’d seen her hesitation. Thank God for
    busybodies like Lady Dalrymple, interfering where they were not
    wanted and ignorantly playing right into his hands.
    Lady Vanessa’s hold on his hands was firm and assured. Each
    time they grasped hands she practicaly caressed his palm, and
    then wrapped her elegant fingers around his like a kiss. She liked
    the way he felt. He knew it. He took a deep breath, not alowing
    his desire for her to get out of