Excerpt: Touch
Copyright ©2009 Nina Rowan
"What if she loses?" Sebastian asked.
"Ah, the debt." Alexander pushed a chair away from the table with his foot. He sat down, his gaze on Lydia Kellaway as he considered the question. "You don't resemble him in the least, you know."
For the first time since she'd set foot in the townhouse, Miss Kellaway looked startled. "I beg your pardon?"
"Your brother. You don't resemble him. Except perhaps around the eyes."
"An odd statement, my lord, seeing as how Edward is my twin. However, I find myself inclined to agree. My brother and I are not alike. At all." She nodded towards the deck of cards Alexander had in a loose grasp. "And should I lose?"
"Hmm." His gaze remained on her, a penetrating look that might have disconcerted any other woman. Although Lydia Kellaway bore the viscount's scrutiny without response, something about her demeanor seemed to deflect it, like silver repelling light.
"A kiss," Alexander said.
"I beg your pardon?"
A wolfish smile spread across Alexander's face. "You grant me the pleasure of one small kiss."
"Alex, for God's sake," Sebastian muttered.
A flush stained Lydia Kellaway's cheeks. "My lord, that is a highly improper request."
"It is, isn't it?" Alexander's smile didn't waver. "Do you accept?"
"This isn't necessary, Miss Kellaway," Sebastian said, giving his brother a dark look. "Alexander has some shred of honor in him. He does not except a lady to agree to such a proposition."
"Are you certain of that?" Alexander retorted, his gaze still on Miss Kellaway. "Do you accept?"
Her hand trembled a little as she brushed a lock of hair from her forehead, but she gave a stiff nod. "Very well."
Dismay rose in Sebastian. "Miss Kellaway—"
"Would you begin, please? I wish to end this matter."
"Bastian?" Alexander extended the pack of cards, shooting Miss Kellaway a wink. "Never thought I'd see the day when my honorable brother became a card dealer."
Sebastian's teeth clenched, but he took the cards and began to shuffle them. He wanted the whole matter ended as well—in the young woman's favor. He paused and extended his hand to his brother.
"As the impartial party, I'll take the locket until the winner is determined."
Alexander shrugged and handed over the necklace. Sebastian slipped it into his pocket before dealing two cards to each of them—a king of spades and eight of diamonds to Lydia Kellaway, a ten of hearts and nine of clubs to Alexander. Sebastian dealt Miss Kellaway another card face-down. She flipped it and smiled. Two of hearts.
"One," Alexander said, his voice soft.
Sebastian scooped up the cards, shuffled and dealt again. Eight of spades and five of clubs to Miss Kellaway. Knave of hearts and seven of diamonds to Alexander. He dealt Miss Kellaway another card. Queen of hearts.
"And one," Alexander murmured.
Sebastian looked at Lydia Kellaway. She nodded for him to continue. He dealt them each other hand. Seven of hearts and eight of clubs for Miss Kellaway. Queen of clubs and nine of hearts to Alexander. He looked at her, a faint smile curving his lips. Sebastian placed another card beside her. She turned it. King of hearts.
Sebastian's heart sank. "I'm sorry."
Miss Kellaway shook her head as if to dismiss his regret, but disappointment shone clear in her blue eyes. Alexander at least had the decency not to gloat, but he did hold out his hand.
"The locket, please, brother of mine."
"Alexander, this is—"
Alexander snapped his fingers. "All's fair in love and war, as they say, though perhaps more so in war, eh, Miss Kellaway? Love is not always so fair, in my experience."
She met his gaze. "Nor in mine."
Something crackled in the air between them, sharp enough that even Sebastian sensed its force. He tossed the pack onto the table between them and dropped the locket atop the spilled cards.
Alexander ignored the locket as he stood and moved around the table with a grace and confidence intrinsic to his position as the firstborn son. As Alexander neared, Lydia Kellaway swallowed, the white column of her throat rippling. If she was fearful, she didn't show it. If she was anticipatory, she didn't show that either. She merely looked at him, those thick eyelashes fanning her blue eyes like feathers.
"Well, then?" Alexander murmured, his voice a deep rumble.
"Alex—"
Alexander held up a hand. Long accustomed to doing as his brother asked, Sebastian bit back his flood of protest out of sheer habit. He wished Lydia Kellaway would look at him so he could indicate Alexander would not force her to comply with the terms—but she continued to look at the viscount as if her gaze could be nowhere else at this particular moment. She appeared as if she were assessing him, her eyes clear and direct, though Alexander gave no hint of discomfort over her scrutiny or even knowledge of it.
The viscount grasped Miss Kellaway's shoulders, his hands looking big and rough against her slender frame. He stared down at her, the muscles of his back and shoulders tensing. The air thickened around them, between them, infusing with a heat that made Sebastian step away. His heart thudded with a too-quick tempo and a vague sense of unease—as if whatever strange power vibrated between his brother and Lydia Kellaway contained a sinister edge.
Miss Kellaway's lips parted, her eyes locked to his. Her posture remained stiff, her hands curled at her sides. Sebastian wondered if she ever lost that self-contained tension. Alexander continued to grip her shoulders, and for an instant they were both still. Then the slightest movement caught Sebastian's eye. Alexander's thumb slipped to the side of Miss Kellaway's neck just above her collar.
She started when his thumb grazed her bare skin. Sebastian tensed, disliking the notion of his brother toying with the young woman, but Alexander displayed no hint of the faint mocking smile he'd perfected over the years. Instead he continued looking at Miss Kellaway with intent and an odd sense of curiosity, as if he sought to make sense of her incongruities.
His thumb brushed back and forth against her neck, the only movement within the utter stillness surrounding them. Color swept across Miss Kellaway's cheekbones, the same reddish hue as the breaking dawn light. Her throat rippled with another swallow, but her expression didn't break, her posture didn't ease.
If anything, she grew more rigid, her spine stiffening. Alexander's thumb moved higher, to that secret, intimate hollow just behind Lydia Kellaway's ear, his fingers curving to the back of her neck. Surely he felt her pulse beating against his palm, the texture of her skin, curls of her dark hair.
He lowered his head to hers. She didn't move forward, but neither did she back away. Her flush intensified, her chest rising as if she sought to draw air into her lungs. Alexander's mouth was a hairsbreadth from hers, so close she must have felt his breath upon her lips. So close he must have smelled the fresh, clean scent of her. A thousand heartbeats seemed to pass.
"Later." Alexander's whisper broke through the tension like a pebble dropped into a pool of still, dark water.
©2009 Nina Rowan