Page 30 of A Virgin for the Rakish Marquess

Despite the loud music, his words carried far and wide, and everyone was now looking at them as he guided her through the other couples.

“Why did you do that?” she hissed.

“To spare you the effort of turning him down, of course.”

“And how, pray tell, did you surmise that I had no intention of dancing with him?”

He smirked and pulled her closer. He was a good, elegant dancer. That caught her unawares, seeing as his body was… big. But he seemed to be in control of it as well.

“How did I know you wouldn’t be caught dead with a bore like Hexter? It is simple. I was right there.”

“You are insufferable,” she said, but her words lacked that bite.

He said nothing, just led her through the dance elegantly and gracefully. His grip on her was firm but gentle, and while it had been years since she last danced, she let go in his arms.

“So, tell me, My Lady.”

He didn’t have to finish that sentence. She knew exactly what he was going to say. It was in the sensual way his word coiled around her, the way the word ‘my’rolled off his tongue.

Diana stumbled, but he caught her graciously and kept her steady.

“I see you have been thinking about my proposal.”

She was tempted to deny it and not give him the satisfaction. But she also knew it was fruitless. She could protest all night, whip him with all her wit, and spit some poison for good measure. But he would still know. So, she did the next best thing.

“Yes, I have reached a decision.”

“Oh, I knew you would.” His voice was so smooth.

“You seem overconfident, My Lord.”

“It is simply a matter of how things will unfold.” His eyes never left hers. “I always get what I want.”

Diana’s jaw clenched at his taunting smugness. But judging from the way he pressed closer, so dark and intense, the way his eyes traced her lips, he knew she was never going to deny him. She knew it too.

“It seems that you are very satisfied with yourself,” she said, unconvincingly annoyed.

“Speaking of satisfaction, My Lady…”

His hand slid around her waist, pulling her one fraction closer. Diana gasped.

“Oh, there it is. The answer I was waiting for,” he murmured, his voice rough.

There were no edges anymore. They had blurred long ago, and she wasn’t going to agonize overwhat-ifs.All that mattered was that she had a plan she wanted to put in motion. She had a need, a hunger that wouldn’t be sated by gloved touches and near kisses.

“Meet me at the library balcony,” she said as she bowed when the dance ended.

Diana walked away briskly, praying that she didn’t faint as she did. The match was thrown, and she wouldn’t be surprised if she looked back and found the ballroom in flames.

Diana prided herself on being a brave woman. She was a fierce equestrian, and she didn’t scream at the sight of a bug. She wasn’t afraid of heights or tight spaces. But on this small balcony, she was both dizzy and breathless. And she couldn’t tell if it was because of the anticipation of him coming or the dread of him not.

She looked at the small, enameled glass door for the millionth time, willing it to open and begging it to stay closed at the same time. The fear that they might get caught didn’t even get the chance to enter her wide roster of emotions.

Diana decided to focus on the dark gardens below. She knew this balcony well. As a young girl, she used to get lost in the estate and end up out here. It used to take everyone hours to find her. The Hexters had completely forgotten that they even had a library.

She chuckled at the thought and was grateful that her mind offered some relief at that moment, because she was going crazy. She could finally breathe and?—

The glass door creaked. She heard booted steps. Felt his body behind her.

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