Page 26 of Her Seven Nights with the Duke

“I see,” the Duke said. “Well, I believe you have succeeded in doing so. Although, none of this explains why you do not wish to marry.”

Nora hesitated to answer. “My father died when I was very young, and my mother was beside herself with grief.”

Nora She swallowed, shaking her head. “After some time, she married the Viscount—my stepfather. I hate him.”

Her hands tightened into fists as she swallowed the dryness in her throat, stopping herself before she could reveal more than she should to the Duke.

Her stepfather was a terrible man, but she didn’t know the Duke, so there was no reason for her to tell him everything.

She bit back the frustrated scream that wanted to escape her parted lips. “I’d much rather remain a spinster.”

She waited for him to disagree with her and convince her that women were better off married than spinsters. It would only be in line with what most believed, and she couldn’t fault him for that.

Hard lips pressed against hers, and Nora, shocked, parted her lips to welcome his. She had replayed their last kiss over and over in her mind, and now she welcomed this one like a dessert she’d been craving.

His hands came up to her neck, every graze of his fingertips burning her skin as he pulled her closer. With a sharp intake of breath, she allowed herself to be consumed by the kiss.

She moved her lips against his, detecting the faint taste of alcohol on his tongue as she sucked greedily on it.

She did not know how long they had been kissing before the Duke pulled away. His thumb came up to her lips, rubbing offthe traces of his lips on hers, the only evidence of their kiss being her tingling lips.

She blinked away the trance he had locked her in.

“There is one thing that I am entirely curious about,” the Duke said, and Nora listened in confusion, her head a jumbled mess after the kiss they’d just shared.

“How do you manage to get away and meet with me for our rendezvous?” he asked.

Nora smiled. “It is quite easy, truly. Although I have never had to sneak out before, I know the schedules of the servants and the watchmen. It was quite easy to go through the servants’ quarters and avoid the servants while doing so. I always wear a cloak so I can blend in with my environment on the chance that I happen upon a servant.”

She shook her head. “Perhaps it is merely luck on my side, but so far, I haven’t come across anyone yet, and I hope that it remains that way. It gets easier the moment I am able to step out of my home without anyone noticing me. There is the matter of getting a ride down here, but I have mastered the habit of dressing like a commoner or a servant myself.”

“I am quite intrigued by how well you have managed on your own so far. I will have to send you a carriage after this so that there will be minimal risk on your part, should you choose to continue with this after tonight. Remember that all of this isdependent on you, and you can put an end to it whenever you choose.”

Nora nodded, a part of her relieved. Although she didn’t think she had a choice but to continue, it made her feel better that she was given the illusion of one.

Samuel pressed his lips to hers once again, pulling her lower lip into his mouth and enjoying the taste of her.

The Duke groaned against her lips as his thumb circled the base of her neck, pulling her closer to him.

He pulled his lips away from hers, chuckling when her lips followed his. She opened her eyes to glare at him, just before his hands slid around her neck.

His hand slid down the front of her dress, moving across her breasts, above the thick fabric. Nora bit back a gasp as he continued, his eyes fixed on her.

He moved lower to her waist and pulled up her dress, staring at her. Her brow furrowed. She knew not whether to stop him or let him continue, although her body craved his touch.

She gasped as the cool night breeze kissed her exposed legs. His fingers ran up her thighs, stopping at the heat of her core. He slid a hand up and down her center, stopping at the tiny nub of her sex.

Nora moaned as he rubbed her clit, gasping with her mouth wide open as she clutched his arm tightly.

Nora whimpered when Samuel suddenly pulled away, frowning at him.

“We can continue this in our next meeting,” he said, grinning at her.

CHAPTER EIGHT

“Ah, there you are, Samuel. I was wondering when you were going to come down.”

Samuel grimaced, looking up. He had gotten so lost in thought as he replayed the events of the night before that he hadn’t been able to escape his mother’s usual matchmaking attempts. Usually, Samuel always managed to find a way to escape the young ladies and their mamas. However, that was not the case this time.

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