Page 55 of The Duke and the Temporary Bride

“What I meant is…” He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, for now was not the time. That would come later. “My proposal is going to sound a little odd and unexpected. But I want to assure you that there is a good reason for it.”

It looked to Benedict as if Selina was going to tease him again. No doubt she took note of the way his body stiffened at her jibe, and she knew well enough that another well-aimed blow would see this breakfast devolve into an entirely different sort of meal.

Luckily, she must have noticed how serious he was trying to be, that for once he did not wish to fight. Again… that would come later.

“I’m listening,” she said pleasantly as she reached for a buttered scone. She tore it in half and popped a piece in her mouth, before licking the butter on her lips.

Benedict momentarily forgot what he was saying. His jaw slack, his mouth watering, he became lost in the sight of her plump lips, for his mind went back to where they had been not one hour ago. Wrapped around his?—

“Yes.” He cleared his throat and tore his gaze away from her. “It concerns my brother, in a fashion. But it also concerns us.”

“Oh?” She looked at him. “You have my interest. Nothing sinister, I hope.”

“No, no.” He laughed.

“Shame,” she said, popping another piece of scone in her mouth, licking her lips again, making sure to stare at him as she did so.

She knew what she was doing. How easy it was for her. How hard it was for him. And was it not for the fact that Benedict really had to broach what was a most sensitive topic before he lost the nerve, he might have given in. Still, he likely would.

Oh, and the fact that Mr. Harris was in the room certainly didn’t help.

“As you know, my brother wrote to me a few nights ago,” Benedict somehow managed, even as he gaped at his wife.

“I am aware.”

“He wishes to return, but he is not certain if the timing is right. He worries that if he does so, it might trigger the rumor mill and have the ton talking once more about… well, our marriage, as you can probably imagine. Not to mention his reputation and what people will say about him.”

“He worries, or you worry?”

He laughed. “We share the same fear. It has been a little over two weeks now by my count, which is not a long time in the grand scheme of things. Nowhere near long enough for people to move on from what was a rather…” He swallowed as his eyes traced down her neck to her breasts, which were straining against her corset. “Hasty marriage.”

“I remember.” She laughed. “I was there. And as much as I hate to admit it, I might have been slightly responsible.”

He laughed also. “The point is, I have come to realize that our hiding away might eventually solve the problem, but if my brother is to return and we are to ensure that the gossip is nipped in the bud and put to bed once and for all, then we might need to act.”

Finally, Selina stopped trying to tempt him. She sat up straighter as a frown slowly creased her face, no doubt trying to figure out where Benedict was going with this.

“What… what are you suggesting?”

This should not have been nearly as difficult as it was. Considering all that had happened in the last eighteen hours, one would think that Benedict and Selina were finally in a space where they could speak of anything without fear of awkwardness.

After all, just this morning, Benedict had woken up with Selina in his bed, where he had then pulled her close, nudged her legs open with his knees, and slipped his member inside her.

And the night before, and that same evening, they had not once left the room because to do so would be to stop the passion that had consumed them both utterly and completely and uncontrollably.

They were finally in a good place. A strange place, yes. But a good place, nonetheless.

Firstly, their marriage was still set to end in a little over one month. Despite how well they seemed to get along now, neither thought that a real marriage between them could ever work. They were too hostile. Too different. Too stubborn.

But civility was also out of the question. The friendship that they had tried to nurture was doomed to failure because friends did not fight the way they did. And friends certainly did not engage in such carnal delights either.

That was the place they had come to—an agreement not to ignore the desire that they felt for one another, figuring that if they were to live together for the next six or so weeks, they might as well enjoy each other while doing it.

We are only human, after all.

“I have been thinking about this all morning,” Benedict admitted, his tone turning serious to warn her off taunting him.

Selina laughed. “I am surprised you were able to. I would have thought your mind was somewhere else.”

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