Page 28 of Bad Duke

“I’m sorry,” I tell him, watching his face screw up in confusion. “We got carried away, and I’m not saying it’s Marina’s fault, because I should have been more assertive, but she’s a little scary.”

“Wait, what are you sorry for?” He shakes his head at me still looking confused.

“The clothes, all the money we spent. I lost track of how much it came to, but it was a lot and…”

“I don’t care about that.” He shakes his head. “Marina did exactly what I told her to do.”

“Oh, it’s just you seemed mad when you called her into your office. I thought…”

“You thought wrong. Marina deals with a lot of things for me. That was business.”

‘Have you slept with her?” I feel my whole body heat up with shame when I let the question that’s been in my head all day spill from my tongue. “Don’t answer that. I’m sorry it was invasive.” I quickly spin on my heels and head for the stairs so I can go and die in shame alone.

“Wait.” Alex grabs my arm and pulls me back so forcefully that I almost bump noses with him. “Would it matter if I did?” he asks, his grip on me tight and his fingers tense.

“No, of course, not.” I laugh nervously because I’m lying. I wouldn't like the idea of a woman as attractive as her working so closely with him if they’d had something between them.

“No.” His eyes focus on my lips “I’ve never slept with her.” I notice how his voice has suddenly turned soft. “Myself and Marina’s relationship is strictly professional.” He sounds as if he’s reassuring me which is pathetic because it’s really none of my business what he’s done in his past.

“Okay.” I nod and Alex smiles like he just got a little satisfaction before releasing me and moving back inside his office. I make a sigh of relief before I get to work and start carrying the bags up to the bedroom so I can put all my new clothes away.

* * *

“We have a dinner date, tonight,” Alex tells me casually when I step back through the door with the dogs a few hours later.

“A dinner date?” I stare at him.

“Yes, it’s the kind of thing people who are in relationships do” he informs me.

“I get that but, is it really necessary?” I can already feel myself getting nervous. I still don’t really know what this thing between us is and I’ve never been on a date before.

“Just be ready for seven.” He marches past me, petting Pico on the head and earning himself a snarl as he heads out the door himself.

I spend over an hour trying to select what to wear. I swear these kind of decisions were much easier to make when I only had two options. Now, I feel a lot of pressure to get this right.

I go with the classic, black dress that Marina instructed I should always use if in doubt, and I take some time to pin my hair to the side like Emilie Deauvier had hers a few days ago. It’s five to seven when I head down the stairs and find Alex waiting in the living room in a three-piece grey suit and black shirt.

“Wow.” He stands up and assesses me as he walks a circle around my body. “You look incredible.” He stops just in front of me and stares at my lips again. I want him to kiss me, I want his hands and his lips all over my body like they were this morning in our bed, but he disappoints me.

“Come, let’s eat.” He takes my hand and leads me out to the car that’s waiting on the drive. Once we’re inside and travelling towards the restaurant the tension in the silence feels unbearable.

“So, where are we?—”

“Did you have a good?—”

We both talk at once and I smile awkwardly before letting him finish first.

“Did you enjoy your shopping trip with Marina?” He continues looking a little awkward himself.

“It was good, and she can be very persuasive.” I make him laugh and I appreciate how good it looks on him.

“She can. That's why I leave her in charge of so many of my assets.” He raises his eyebrows and takes a sudden breath like he’s nervous. “Olivia, there's something I want to give to you.” He takes a small box out of his jacket pocket and opens it in front of me. “This was my mother’s, I figured my fiancée should have a ring.” He takes it out the box and slides it on my finger and I stare at the huge emerald that's surrounded by tiny diamonds in shock.

“Alex, it’s beautiful.” I admire how it looks on my finger and feel a pang of sadness. “But don’t you want to save this?”

“Save it for what?” He laughs at me and I check that the partition between us and his driver is closed before I continue.

“For the real women you decide to marry,” I whisper, a little shocked at how much those words hurt to say. Sure, Alex is handsome and he gives me butterflies whenever I’m around him, but he’s still a duke and I’m not living in some rags-to-riches fairytale. He’s never going to marry someone like me, even if we do have a child together.

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