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why he had to know who she was, but for some reason he did.
    “You know, one of these days you will get in trouble for that, my lord.
    Naughty boy.”
    Her tone teased his brain. Perhaps he had met the woman sometime before. A house party or maybe a dinner that Colleen and Sebastian had held. The Wares were not that big on entertaining but they did have a few parties, and Colleen always made it a point to invite him.
    “Now, if you will be a very good boy, I will give you a treat.”
    Her voice deepened and coaxed him closer. Normally, he would have been completely embarrassed by his actions, and he was certain he would be at some point, but he was too enticed by just who this woman was to care about the ramifications of his actions. Douglas inched closer to the door, trying not to make any noise. He stepped to the opened doorway and drew up short as he came face-to-face with Cicely.
    She took a step back. “Your Grace. I hope you will excuse that I do not curtsy since I have my hands full at the moment.”
    It was then that he noticed Charles, Viscount Penwyth, Sebastian’s heir in Cicely’s arms. And just for a second, one little split second, he wanted to believe she wasn’t the one he’d heard, that he was mistaken.
    He wanted the woman with the teasing laugh to be someone accessible, not someone he would never dally with. But he knew she was the one. To top it off, he felt like a reprobate because he was still half aroused from her chatter to a young boy. Charles pulled on her neckline and she winced.
    “Of course, Lady Cicely.”
    He didn’t move. He stood there staring at her. How could he have not noticed just how luminous her skin was? Ivory, with a spattering of freckles across that adorable upturned nose. Her cheeks turned a light rosy color. Her blush was probably the result of her proposal last night.
    Immediately, his own body reacted to the reminder, and he shifted his feet, needing to create more space between the two of them.
    “Your Grace?”
    He frowned. “What?”
    It was then he noticed the way the sunlight brought out the golden strands interwoven throughout her hair. When he met her gaze, he was struck by the way her eyes sparkled with humor.
    “You’re standing in my way.”
    For a moment the words didn’t register. When they did, his face burned with embarrassment. Without a word, he stepped back and allowed her to pass. Yet, he didn’t step far enough away, because when she walked by, the clean herbal scent of her surrounded him. The lavender had not been from the gardens last night. It was her. Another spark of warmth coursed through his blood, causing him more than a little pain. His hands dropped to cover his state. This insane fixation was the last thing he needed. Grinding his teeth, he tried to think of an escape, but truthfully, there was no way he could extract himself without being an ass.
    He turned to follow her into the room and was surprised to find Cicely seated on the floor, Charles in her lap. For all intents and purposes she seemed to have dismissed Douglas. Without another word, he again settled in one of the chairs positioned in front of the hearth and watched as she interacted with the toddler.
    For the past couple of years, he’d always thought Cicely as reserved.
    No, he amended, not reserved. Unhappy. Considering what her home life had been like before she had resided with Colleen and Sebastian, her despondency wasn’t so amazing. Cicely was shy with new acquaintances.
    She had a quick wit, but was a little too smart for the young bloods of the ton. It might have been the reason she never really “took” during the last few seasons. Of course, her immediate family didn’t make it any better. Even with them gone, their presence still hung over her. An overbearing, murderous mother and a father who spent more time in gaming hells than at home, her childhood had to have been lonely.
    Douglas was well acquainted with that feeling.
    Charles grabbed her nose and