Page 43 of A Bride for the Sinful Duke

He drew back, his dark eyes communicating to her that they were about to cross a line from which there would be no return. But Juliet didn’t care. She could only hear the sound of her body’s desire.

Without another word, she grabbed his neck as he had done to her earlier and pulled his head down for another kiss.

A knock at the door stopped her from getting what she wanted.

CHAPTER 14

Neither of them moved as they stared at each other, silently frozen in place. The knock repeated, this time more intently than before. They quickly untangled themselves from their embrace and frantically tried to sort themselves out and regain their composure.

Hector responded gruffly, annoyed at the untimely interruption, although a part of him knew he should be thankful for it.

“What is it?”

The butler opened the door and announced, “Your Grace, Lord Somerton and his sister, Lady Anne, are here to see you.”

Hector turned to Juliet and smiled at her in satisfaction as he observed the redness clinging to her pretty cheeks. His smile vanished as he turned back to his butler and recalled the earlier predicament.

“Somerton?” he repeated, a touch of incredulity in his tone.

Of all people who could visit him, it had to be Somerton, a man he barely tolerated. In the past, Hector had been worried that his sister would choose Somerton as her suitor and that the shrewd businessman would be permanently yoked to his family. Now, he felt he should extend some of that worry to how Somerton would behave himself with Julia.

“Yes, Your Grace. Shall I have them wait in the drawing room?”

Hector nodded. “Yes, the Duchess and I shall meet them there shortly.”

The butler bowed and left to fetch their guests.

Hector shifted his attention back to Juliet, who seemed to have recovered from their tryst and was regarding him with uncertainty.

“You…you want me to accompany you? I thought you would prefer to meet with your friends on your own,” she said quietly.

Hector snorted. “Somerton and I are hardly friends. He is a colleague at best, and that is still being too generous, but he is occasionally useful. Besides, he came with his sister, and you did say that you were lonely.”

He didn’t wait to see if she would accept his explanation, and simply offered his arm to her.

“Shall we, Your Grace?”

She stared at him for a moment then nodded quietly and delicately took hold of his arm.

Hector tried to focus on Juliet as he led them to the drawing room, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to be on guard for however long this spontaneous visit was meant to last.

Lord Somerton did not visit without reason, and his reasons were rarely benign.

“I hope this has nothing to do with Marcus’ plan,” he mumbled to himself as they walked into the drawing room.

Somerton rose to his feet as soon as the Duke and Duchess entered the room. His sister Anne trailed demurely behind him.

Hector greeted the two guests, his face a mask of polite indifference. “Somerton. Lady Anne.”

Somerton flashed a saccharine smile and bowed slightly. “Islington, it has been too long. We were visiting a friend near these parts and thought it only right to greet you and your new bride.”

His gaze shifted to Juliet, and his smile took on an edge that made annoyance flare within Hector’s veins.

“Ah, Your Grace. Marriage appears to be treating you quite well. You look even more radiant than you were at your wedding reception,” he grinned, his voice dripping with condescension. “It is truly a delight to once again see the lovely woman who has captured Hector’s heart.”

Juliet steadily met his gaze, refusing to be cowed. “The pleasure is all mine, Lord Somerton. I trust you and your sister are well?”

“Quite well, thank you, Your Grace,” Somerton replied though his eyes continued to assess her.

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