"It's too beautiful a night." But his eyes were on her, not the night.
Millicent's hair was out of its usual tight bun and flowed freely down her shoulders and back like a dark cape. It reached to her hips, a sensous, silky cloak of femininity. The straight line of her lips had softened; indeed, her whole face had, and her eyes were huge and dark in the moonlight.
"I have thought many things about you since I moved to Emmetsville," he continued in a soft, almost meditative voice. "But this is the first time that 'beautiful' has been one of them. Interesting, yes. Irritating, definitely." He grinned. "Strong of character, even warm - though I think you try your best to keep that hidden. Intriguingly full of undercurrents." He paused. "But why have I never noticed before how very lovely you are? How huge your eyes are. How soft your skin."
