With his eyes on Anne, Tobias watched as she took a bit of a hesitant step forward. Indeed, her whole demeanor suggested that she disagreed with whatever was happening here, and he immediately hurried to her side. “Are you all right?” he asked, running his eyes over her, trying to determine the source of her unease. “You look a bit pale.”
Anne swallowed, and her lips parted as though she wished to speak. In that moment, however, Lady Louisa exclaimed, “Oh, look! They’re standing under some mistletoe!”
Tobias froze as the caroling stopped and encouraging cheers went up around them. When he lifted his head, he spotted the bit of greenery dangling above their heads that Phineas had commented upon earlier that day. Indeed, he ought to have paid better attention.
His heart slammed to a halt as the implication of his situation became clear to him and a sense of dread began to crawl up his spine. Not that he’d mind kissing Anne−far from it!−but not with all these people around, staring at them.
Dimly, he wondered where his brother was. After all, Phineas would have loved to watch him squirm like this. Had he and Lady Louisa conspired to force their hand? While Tobias wouldn’t put it past his brother, he rather doubted that Lady Louisa would have been able to set aside her hatred for Phineas long enough to cook up this plan. No, it had to be a coincidence.
Inhaling a deep breath, Tobias moved his gaze from the small crowd around him and looked down at Anne. Her head was slightly bowed, and she was still wringing her hands. Had she known this would happen? Had it truly been a plan to manipulate them under the mistletoe? Had Lady Louisa acted alone?
Tobias tried to swallow the lump in his throat when he realized that Anne clearly had not approved of her cousin’s idea. Indeed, it seemed he finally had his answer.
Anne did not want to kiss him; that much was clear. Perhaps she truly only saw him as her friend.
When she finally lifted her gaze, Tobias felt the urge to strike something or someone for her eyes barely met his, darting left and right in a nervous fashion. “You have every right to refuse,” he whispered to her, pained by the thought that she would force herself to endure his kiss.
A small smile flitted across her lips, and her eyes finally met his. “It’s all right,” she whispered before her gaze once more strayed from his. “Louisa would never forgive me.” A breath shuddered past her lips. “You do know that this was not my idea, do you not?”
Tobias gritted his teeth, then nodded. This couldn’t possibly get any worse!
Chapter Seven ~ An Almost Perfect Plan
For the first time in her life, Anne was certain she was about to faint.
Bright spots danced before her eyes, and the room appeared rather unsteady, spinning in lazy circles, as she tried her best to focus her attention on the man standing in front of her.
Tobias.
Her childhood friend.
A man she’d loved all her life.
A man who suddenly managed to make her insides dance and jump and do somersaults whenever he drew near. Was that why her heart was racing as though the devil himself were after her? Was that why she couldn’t seem to draw a deep breath into her lungs? Perhaps, the dizziness was of her own making. Perhaps, she simply ought to…
No, there was nothing simple. There was only Louisa’s insane plan and that small little voice deep inside, urging Anne…closer.
Because, yes, she wanted this kiss.
More than she had realized.
Still, excited whispers from the guests watching them with rapt attention echoed to her ears and sent a cold shiver down Anne’s back. It was, however, the look of reluctance as well as distaste on Tobias’s face that made her want to run from the room. For despite her cousin’s conviction as to their compatibility, he did not want this.
When he’d first stepped up to her, Tobias had looked confused and utterly blindsided. Then Louisa’s joyous exclamation had drawn his attention to the sprig of mistletoe above their heads. Anne could still recall the way his eyes had widened. The way his jaw had tensed. She’d watched him through lowered lashes, afraid of what she might see.
And her fears had been justified.
Still, Anne had been unable to grant him a way out when he’d told her she had every right to refuse. Selfishly, she still wanted him.
Wanted this.
And so, she’d hidden behind Louisa, forcing his hand, for he would not abandon her. He would not walk away despite his own objection and shame her. After all, he was her friend.
Anne’s hands were still clenched around one another, held in front of her as though to ward him off, when Tobias moved closer, bridging the small gap still between them. His gaze was unsteady, and a muscle in his jaw moved, clenching and unclenching.
Her breath caught in her throat when his right hand settled on her own, warm and comforting. Her gaze rose and met his, finding his familiar chocolate-brown eyes looking down into hers. “I’m sorry,” he whispered before he lowered his head to hers.
Anne felt like the worst friend in the world for forcing him into this situation. She’d only thought of herself, her own heart, her own fears, neglecting to contemplate how Louisa’s plan would affect Tobias.
Do it fast and be done with it! Her mind urged. Perhaps then it won’t be so bad.
Lifting her head, Anne pinched her eyes shut and…felt the tip of her nose collide with his. His hand on hers tensed, and she could hear a soft snicker from somewhere behind him. Her eyes fluttered open a fraction, and she could see him angle his head, his lips taut. Undoubtedly, he’d heard that snicker as well.
Had there ever been a worse kiss in history?
And they hadn’t even kissed yet.
Determined to see this done, Anne leaned closer. Unfortunately, Tobias seemed to have the same idea.
Once again, their noses collided before she felt his lips briefly brush the corner of her mouth.
It sent a jolt of awareness through her, but it was far from the kiss she’d been hoping for ever since Louisa had first spoken of this ludicrous idea.
Restrained laughter erupted around them as the assembled guests offered a round of applause. Both their eyes flew open, and Anne could see embarrassment darkening Tobias’s face. His jaw clenched as his gaze dropped from hers in what she could only think of as resentment. Oh, what had she done?
“I’m so sorry,” Anne whispered as her eyes swept the small crowd around them. Most had turned away, whispering on the quiet to one another about the worst mistletoe kiss of all times.
Only the suddenly wide-awake face of her cousins’ grandmother held a measure of sympathy as she watched them from her seat near the fireplace. Oh, why couldn’t at least she have slept through this disaster!
“That looked…interesting,” Louisa commented with a rather contrite look on her face as she stepped up to them and pulled Anne’s arm through the crook of hers. “Excuse us.” She cast Tobias an apologetic smile and then pulled Anne out of the room. “What on earth was that?” her cousin whispered, a flabbergast expression upon her face when they were finally alone.
Casting uneasy glances up and down the thankfully empty corridor, Anne shrugged, then looked at her cousin. “This is what comes from all your meddling.”
Louisa’s eyes widened. “Don’t blame this on me. I−”