Page 13 of The Duke and the Unwanted Bride

“Lady Hannah?” the Duke asked from across the room. “What on earth are you doing here?”

“I had to see you.” She closed the door behind her and pressed her back against it as she scanned the room, finding him sitting at the writing desk. “I could not wait any longer.”

“Wait for what?”

She smirked as she forced herself to look right at him—a wicked stare that she hoped spoke to her intent. A sort of hunger in her eyes that she was certain the Duke would be able to read instantly.

And sure enough, he furrowed his brow as he took in her meaning, only for his face to drop suddenly. “Oh, I see.”

“Do not sound so surprised.” She giggled. “Surely, you felt it too?”

“And what was it that I felt, exactly?”

She rolled her eyes. “Come now, Your Grace. There is no need for games. I…” She swallowed, feeling her nerves begin to build. “I saw the way you looked at me earlier. And…” She swallowed again, forcing herself to look at him. “And the way you touched me.”

Still, he sat at his desk, cloaked in shadow, head tilted as he took her in. It was hard to gauge what was on his mind, for his face was mostly hidden in the darkness, and his eyes were all but impossible to see. Just a hulking figure who, she hoped, was beginning to wonder what on earth he had gotten himself into.

“I am afraid that you will need to be more clear,” he said eventually

Hannah was so darn nervous that it was all she could do to keep her body from shaking. She was still pressed against the door, using it to steady herself, but she could not stay there forever. Especially if she wished to sell what it was that she was trying to do.

A deep breath and she reminded herself that this was necessary and that, if she had read the man correctly, it would work. It had to! A few minutes of shame and she would be free…

“Do you really think it was an accident, what happened earlier?” she purred, pushing herself off the door and walking deeper into the room. “Me, stripping down like that in front of you, as if I had no idea that you were in the room?” She giggled and shook her head. “I did not take you for a fool, Your Grace.”

“Is that so?” he asked evenly.

“My only regret is that we were so quickly interrupted. Although…” She let out another giggle, followed by a smirk, as she reached the middle of the room. “I suppose we can make up for that, can’t we?”

“And that is why you are here? To pick up where we left off?”

“Why else?”

“You surprise me, Lady Hannah.” He was so calm and collected, nowhere near as surprised as she had hoped. “I did not take you for that type.”

“Oh, well…” She shrugged. “You do not know me that well, is why. I am not like my cousin.”

“Clearly not.”

“Selina is…” She felt sick, utterly ashamed. But this was for Selina, and it was that higher goal that forced her to continue this charade. “She is far more proper than I. With her, you would have had a boring marriage. But with me…” A forced smirk that made her stomach churn. “Let us just say it will be the complete opposite.”

Her heart beat so furiously in her chest that it hurt. And her body ran so hot that she could feel herself sweating through her slip. But she stayed the course, kept her hungry gaze fixed on him, waiting for him to do what she knew he would do—denounce her actions as scandalous and uncouth and unbecoming of a lady.

Hopefully, it would make him realize the error he had made. Hopefully, come tomorrow, everything would be back to the way it had been.

It was a risk. But it was a risk that she had no choice but to take…

The Duke did not answer her right away. Still cloaked in shadow, his hulking mass watched and studied her for far longer than she had expected. Surely, it was because of shock? That he was unable to form the words needed to expel her from his room and then his life. Surely?!

“I must say,” he spoke eventually, “this is most unexpected.”

“And as I said, you simply don’t know me,” she purred. “I am unlike any lady you have met before. My cousin, especially.”

“Clearly.”

“And if that is too much for you…” A casual shrug, another giggle. “You best tell me now, lest we get into all sorts of trouble together. In fact, if this is too much for you, I am sure that Selina will happily take you back.”

“I did not say it was too much for me.”

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