Page 36 of A Virgin for the Duke of Thorns

Ah… where have I heard that line before?

Colin had seen too much of the world to fall for that.

“I meant to ask you how you have been,” she continued with a smile. “After—you know—that entire affair with your parents…”

Colin clenched his hands into fists and shrugged her hand off his arm. “Fine,” he replied tersely.

This time, he did not give her the opportunity to wrap her talons around him once more. He strode away with a thunderous look on his face, daring anyone else to engage in meaningless conversation with him.

Half a decade ago, he might have considered Esther Swinton’s offer. Hell, he might have even jumped at it.

Now, he felt nothing more than a vague disgust. In fact, the thought of bedding another woman seemed absolutely revolting to him.

Except Alice.

His eyes narrowed as he felt the earlier hunger in the gazebo rear its head. He had thought that a taste of her would be enough to satisfy his curiosity. He never thought it would only increase his craving for more of the same.

More of her.

And that in itself presented a far greater danger than bedding another man’s wife.

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He had to keep his distance from her. There was simply no other way he could ensure her safety and his sanity.

But how was he supposed to do that and keep up appearances of a man enamored with his betrothed at first sight?

Colin groaned inwardly. It was going to be a long month, and he already had the horrid feeling that neither he nor Alice would escape unscathed once it was all over.

* * *

So, that is what a kiss is supposed to feel like…

Alice sat before her mirror in her nightclothes, tracing her lower lip with her finger, a look of confusion on her face. She had thought that it would be a great discomfort, having a man pressing himself against her like that.

Instead, she had felt a thrill, an exhilaration that she had never known was possible.

Her body felt heated and soft all at once. Like she was melting into him, craving more of what he was doing to her.

She remembered what his touch felt like on her skin, searing her. Branding her. How she had wanted to feel it all over her.

She shook her head and buried her face in her arms. She had never had such wanton thoughts before! If her mama was to know of them, she would be appalled.

Even Alice herself was shocked with the direction of her thoughts.

A light knock on her door almost made her jump. She turned her head to see Phoebe in her robe with a lamp in her hand, a concerned look on her pretty face.

“Alice?” she murmured, walking over to her. “Alice, is something amiss? Did the… Did your betrothed do something bad to you?”

Define “bad.”

Alice shook her head as she felt heat creeping up her cheeks once more. “Nothing of the sort,” she croaked.

“Oh.” Phoebe’s face showed great relief. “I was afraid that he was being quite horrid to you, and that, well, you did not know if you should speak about it.”

Alice managed a wry smile. “You know that I would be the last person to keep quiet if someone was being horrid.”

“Well, there is that, too,” her younger sister admitted with a giggle. She clasped Alice’s hand in reassurance. “But if he is being horrid—I am not saying that he is, of course—then you must not hide it from me or from Papa and Mama. They’ll sort him out, you’ll see.”

Alice did not know how her parents could manage to sort out a man like the Duke of Thorns, but she could not tell Phoebe that. Besides, if he ever did need sorting out, she could take care of it herself.

---