Page 20 of The Duchess' Replacement

Charles tightened his jaw before he dropped his hands to his lap.

“And another truth is, you’ve made a grave mistake, my dear wife.”

Her eyes flickered when he said “wife,” causing his lips to twitch but he refused to smile.

“Two days in and you’ve already broken a rule of mine.” He tsked.

Sarah straightened. Her lips formed into a tiny, perfect ‘o’ and it pleased him greatly.

Charles pushed away from his chair and stood up to his full height, relishing how her eyes widened even more when he was fully standing.

She licked her lips. But with a little shake of head her indignation returned.

“What are you talking about?” Her voice had a slight shake to its timber, but for the most part she was doing an excellent job at keeping her emotions at bay. “I have not broken any rule. How could I? This is the first time I’m seeing you.”

Charles stalked around his desk and came to stand in front of her. Her body shifted as if to take a step back, but her lips tightened into a thin line and she held her ground.

Satisfaction rumbled through Charles.

She tilted her head to meet his eyes.

He didn’t lean down, he only lowered his eyes. “I told you you were not to bother me unless there is an emergency.”

This close to her he could see tiny flecks of gold in her hazel eyes. Eyes that were currently staring back at with him with no good will.

“This,” he took a step closer to her, causing her to crane her neck to keep eye contact, “is not an emergency.”

She continued to stand still. No movement was between them, just their breaths crashing into each other.

“How was I supposed to know you were all right? You could have been dead in here and no one would have been the wiser. Isn’t that an emergency?”

Charles allowed one corner of his lips to tip up.

“Plenty of servants have seen me, all you had to do was ask. Samuels has been in many times, one to even tell me that you had asked about me for dinner.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“I should have known he would tell you.”

Charles chuckled. “My dear wife, I know all that happens in and around my house and don’t forget it.” His voice was low and rumbled deep from his chest.

She must have felt the vibration because her eyes dropped to his chest before they roamed their way back up to his.

“What is my punishment?”

Four words. Four simple words, spoken just above a broken whisper, ignited a fire so hot it threatened to consume Charles right there on the spot.

A wide, devilish grin spread across his face.

Every fiber of Sarah’s sanity was screaming at her to run but she was frozen in her place. She was completely enraptured by dark green eyes that were becoming darker the longer she stared into them.

Whatever animal growled within his chest when he spoke called to something deep within her and her body was at war with her mind.

He had yet to answer her question, but with him hovering over her, overwhelming all of her senses, she couldn’t even remember what she asked him. She most likely couldn’t even tell someone her name if she were asked.

“So anxious for a punishment, are we?”

Sarah’s eyebrows burrowed. “What-”

---