Page 24 of The Duke and the Wrong Bride

He sucked through his teeth and clenched his jaw. “Not that. You think last night that I…” He chuckled. “that I didn’t come home because I was busy.”

The way he said the wordbusy…he seemed to find it amusing, as if cheating on her was something to laugh about. And while Charlotte told herself she didn’t care that he spent the night with some harlot… deep down, her stomach twisted at the thought.

“Were you?” she asked before she could stop herself, as if she needed his confirmation.

“Do you care?” he asked with a wry smile, his eyes roaming over her body.

“No,” she snarled at him. “I couldn’t care less.”

“Are you sure about that?” He took another step closer.

“That’s what I said.”

“I know that’s what you said.” Another step closer. “Doesn’t mean I believe it.”

He was right in front of her now. If she wasn’t so stubborn, so determined not to back down, she might have moved away. But Charlotte was through playing his games, so she held her ground, letting him tower over her, his body practically pressed against hers, refusing to be intimidated… or whatever it was he was doing.

She was forced to look up to meet his eyes. They were dark and playful, a smile hidden behind them. He was enjoying himself, she could tell—a fact that enraged her, that had her blood boiling… which excited her.

“I slept alone last night,” the Duke growled.

“I don’t care,” she said, trying to match his growl but finding it came out as a whisper.

“I know you don’t,” he said softly now. “You’ve made it perfectly clear you don’t care one way or the other what I do. That if I had gone to be with another woman, you wouldn’t be jealous at all.”

“I wouldn’t care one little bit…”

“And I don’t believe that for a second.”

His hand moved to her waist, a soft grip that slowly tightened. His head lowered slightly, close enough that she could feel his breath on her lips. Again, Charlotte thought to pull away. Again, she thought to refuse him. But something made her stand her ground. Her stubbornness? Possibly. Her determination to show him she wasn’t afraid? Maybe. Or was it the fact that her body was flushed, blood coursed through her veins like it never had, and she couldn’t stop looking at his lips as she thought about their wedding night, the way he pressed himself against her, what had nearly happened… what a part of her had wanted to do?

“You’ve made it very clear you don’t care about me at all,” he said in a whisper.

“Not one little bit.”

“And nothing I can do will change that.”

“I can’t imagine how…” She raised a challenging eyebrow at him, her body shaking as he squeezed her hard.

And then, because they both seemed to know where this was going, because neither seemed willing to back down, Henry leaned forward, closed the gap between them, and kissed her full on the lips.

It lasted for maybe a second. Maybe it was two. Long enough that a fire erupted inside of Charlotte, setting her body alight in a way she’d never experienced before. This man, who she thought she hated, who she knew she wanted nothing to do with, had her breath catching in her throat, her mind emptying, her heart exploding, and her body shaking like she’d never known.

His lips were soft, and his tongue was ravishing. His hands were forceful, his body hard as he pulled her into him. He seemed to swallow her whole as he pushed her lips open, plunging his tongue into her mouth, lapping and licking in a way that was entirely new to her.

Any sense of reason was gone. Any means to control herself was an impossibility. If he had taken her to his room right then and there, she knew she could not stop him. The only thing that could…

“Your Grace?” a voice called softly from the door.

Henry pulled away suddenly and spun about, leaving Charlotte in the lurch. “Yes? What is it?” he barked.

“I wanted to see if you wished for us to clear the table, Sir?” a house servant asked meekly. “You haven’t touched your plate…”

“Oh. Yes, of course. I…” Henry hesitated a moment, his back still to Charlotte. Her mind was still addled, so she didn’t know what to think or say. What she could say! “I’m coming. Thank you.” He strode to the door, and she thought he was about to walk through it without so much as a look in her direction. But then he paused and turned back, his voice soft, his eyes averted. “Tonight… you don’t have to join me if you don’t wish it. I understand.”

Caught completely by surprise, Charlotte didn’t have time to respond. Her mouth half open, the words choking in her throat, giving him enough time to step out the door and disappear around the corner.

Alone now, she stumbled back and fell on her bed. Her mind raced. As did her heart. Her breathing was staggered, a struggle as her body continued to run warm.

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