She looked furious for a moment, as if she was about to argue. But she
fell silent, pressing closer to him. The musky scent she was wearing
rose around him. He felt the pressure of her breasts, the flash of a
thigh. She wanted to excite him.
'I'm glad to find you so understanding, Eliza,' he said pleasantly.
'Of course. I'm always understanding,' she told him gravely, sweetly.
Like hell, he thought. But he smiled. Jon was no longer dancing with
Tess.
She'd already danced with half the men in the regiment, Jamie thought
irritably. She was in the arms of a young sergeant now, a handsome
towhead stripling! A kid who probably hadn't even shaved yet. And he was
gushing all over her.
Just about to trip over his own darned tongue. Jon reclaimed her.
Jamie gritted his teeth, determined to watch his date for the evening no
more. He had no way of knowing that Tess Stuart was watching him every
bit as covertly. Those strange stirrings rose inside her as she watched
the ebony-haired enchantress laughing, pressing against him, heaving her
bovine breasts beneath his nose. She was very anxious to be retrieved by
Jon, and managed to dance her way over to the tall Sioux.
He promptly cut in and swept her around, smiling like the devil's own
disciple.
'Mr. Red Feather?'
'yes?'
'Who is the massive mount of mammary glands?' He laughexl and bent low
to whisper against her ear.
'That, Miss. Stuart, is Eliza.'
He lifted his head again and smiled benignly toward Jamie.
'Keep an eye on that one,' he warned Tess.
'I certainly intend to,' she told him sweetly, then she tossed her hair
and laughed, and the sound of her voice was like a melody on the air.
And every man in the place seemed to turn to her. Including Jamie
Slater.
Chapter Four.
Tess didn't see how or when Jamie extricated himself from Miss. Eliza,
but within a few minutes, he was tapping on Jon's shoulder, claiming her
for a dance. She smiled serenely as they moved to the music. Hemust have
attended many of these little balls. He was as accomplished at dancing
as he was with riding and shooting. She felt suddenly as if she walked
on air herself, as if the room and the people all around them faded, as
if they shared more than a simple touch. Maybe they did. His eyes were
boring into hers.
'Enjoying your conquests, Miss. Stuart?'
She widened her eyes.
'Whatever do you mean?'
'I mean every snot-nosed young trooper here is ready to lie down and die
for you.' 'Really?' she asked with a sweet note of astonishment. 'Well,
how very genteel of the lads, how kind! But tell me, Lieutenant, how am
I doing with the others?' His jaw twisted slightly, but there was still
amusement to his smile.
