Page 63 of The Duke's Virgin

“Well.” She huffed out a breath. “Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night.”

She ended the call. I rolled my eyes and sat down on the couch. And there were my shoes, the heels barely visible under the coffee table. Just in time. I checked the time on my phone, then dropped it into my lap, glad I’d timed returning her call so that I’d just have a few minutes before Emmett showed up.

He’d spent most of the past five weeks traveling back and forth between Kentucky and New York City, visiting his parents and coming back up here.

We’d had fun together, more fun than I’d had in…well, maybe ever. I showed him around the city the way only a local could, and he gave me insights that somebody, a New York native and a wealthy one at that, would never likely gain on their own.

The museums we visited weren’t new to me. Most of them, I’d been to probably three or four times at least. But they were a new experience with him.

Lots of things were.

And I was enjoying it.

Sliding my feet into the shoes, I flexed my ankles and stood. As I smoothed my skirt down, the doorbell rang. Grabbing the phone, I tossed it into the small clutch purse.

After checking to make sure it was him, I opened the door and greeted Emmett with a smile.

Red hair spilling down into his dark blue eyes, he smiled back.

Moving closer, I wrapped my arms around his neck. He pulled me in closer for a hug. He turned his face toward me and kissed my temple, then pulled back and grinned down at me. “I’ve spent the past week down in small-town Kentucky, but as much as I love it there, I don’t fit in quite the way I used to, and I never fit all that well anyway. I’m ready to go hit a club, dance with a gorgeous woman, and have some fun. So…are you ready?”

* * *

The heat got to me.

At least I thought it was just the heat.

Like most clubs, the air was humid and thick, and the packed bodies made it seem even worse, but the heat wasn’t any worse than normal. Still, it was the only reason I could think of to explain the sudden lightheadedness that came over me, the film of sweat that broke out across my brow and the back of my neck. I was incredibly glad I’d pinned my hair up, although, at the moment, the weight of it was giving me a massive headache too.

Emmett noticed right away, escorting me off the dance floor and toward one of the wide-open terrace doors that led out onto the roof-top garden. The air was marginally cooler, but far less thick, and there weren’t as many people pressed in around me, so I sucked in a gulp of air.

“Are you okay?” Emmett asked, guiding me over to the chest-high balustrade that looked out over much of the city. A bit of a breeze kicked up, cooling the sweat on my face, and I started to feel better.

“Just a little too hot, that’s all.”

“How about I get you a soft drink?” He brushed a stray lock of hair back from my face. “I could use something myself. And I’m hungry.”

“I’d love something cold. Just a soft drink, though.” The thought of eating just then made my stomach churn.

“Okay. Hold on, let me…” He looked around, then held up a hand. I saw where he was looking.

“Emmett, don’t. I’m fine.”

He just winked at me.

Annoyed and appreciative at the same time, I watched as he went over to a nearby collection of low seats and couches. The seating area could have held maybe ten people, but only seven sprawled there. Emmett stood there a few minutes, talking, then gestured toward me, beckoning for me to come closer.

They all scooted in a little closer.

I sat down as Emmett walked off. The woman closest looked me up and down before giving me a smile. “That’s a nice man you got there, honey. And those eyes…”

Not feeling good enough to answer, I just gave her a wan smile.

She seemed to understand and patted my shoulder.

I breathed in, feeling a little better as the breeze picked up. Conversation wafted around me, a soothing lull that was oddly cathartic. I lost track of time, might have even nodded off, although I didn’t know how.

“Hey.”

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