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Oh, the gentleman knehat to say to unnerve her

Isabella straightened and stepped away Feeling a blush rise to her cheeks, she brushed the skirt of her dress as though it was somehow to blame for her carelessness

She thought to y but for a reason unbeknown she said, “If I wanted to showso”

Tristan raised a brow as he folded his arms across his broad chest “Now you havedid you have in mind?”

Exchanging flirtatious quips with hi “Well, with these ni the digits, “I could entertain you for hours”

He cleared his throat and ht”

“Of course, I shall need to dust off the pianoforte as it has not been played in years”

The s the corners of his h her

“I have always found music soothes my soul,” he said in a rich tone “Indeed, I ahly entertained”

A snigger burst froain

His eyes sparkled like the sun’s reflection on water When he laughed she knew it to be genuine for his smile illuminated his face In that moment, he was just as she remembered The faint creases around his mouth, and the bronzed tint to his skin proved to be the only evidence that any

time had passed

“Do you remember the day you chased me around the fountain, and you slipped and fell in” She chuckled again at theto his hed until it hurt An hour passed before I could breathe properly again”

He nodded “I remember I wanted to scoop you up in h, too”

“You did? Why … why didn’t you?”