Page 45 of Wedded to the Duke of Seduction

“Thank you for saying so.”

A moment of understanding passed between them—the first genuine connection since their hasty marriage. Then Leo’s smile returned, playful once more.

“So, about that next story…”

Marina laughed at his persistence. “I would rather not discuss my writing process with you, if you don’t mind.”

“I can accept that,” Leo replied though his expression remained curious. “But I don’t quite understand it since I’ve been your inspiration for quite some time.” He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. “Perhaps you’d like to gather more inspiration directly from the source?”

Heat rushed to Marina’s cheeks. “I would not,” she insisted though her mind traitorously recalled their kiss in theEllinsworths’ library—the heat of his mouth, the strength of his hands.

“Very well.” Leo’s smile suggested he knew exactly what she was thinking. “Just remember—no more writing about me. That was our agreement.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Marina assured him.

Leo nodded then changed the subject completely. “Tell me about your childhood. Were you raised in London?”

Marina blinked at the unexpected question. “No, in Derbyshire. My father had a small estate there.”

“Brothers? Sisters?”

“None. I was an only child.” Marina tilted her head, studying him. “Why do you ask?”

“You’re my wife now,” Leo replied simply. “We should get to know one another, don’t you think?”

The straightforward answer caught Marina off guard. It made sense, of course. Still, Marina hadn’t expected Leo to show genuine interest in her beyond their agreement. “I suppose you’re right,” she said.

As dinner continued, Leo kept asking questions about her past—her interests, her schooling, places she loved in London.

“Tell me about your childhood home,” he said, refilling her glass. “Do you miss the countryside?”

“Sometimes,” Marina admitted. “Especially in spring when the meadows fill with wildflowers. My father’s estate had a small stream that wound through a copse of oak trees. I used to escape there with books when my governess thought I was practicing needlework.”

Leo’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “A rebellious streak, even then?”

“Hardly rebellion,” Marina countered. “Strategic time management. Why waste hours on terrible embroidery when I could read Herodotus?”

“Herodotus?” Leo’s eyebrows rose. “Most young ladies prefer more romantic stories.”

“Oh, I read those too,” Marina confessed with a smile. “But I hid them inside more respectable novels. My father would have been scandalized to find me reading some of the things I did.”

“A skill that no doubt prepared you well for your current literary endeavors.” Leo’s voice dropped to a more intimate tone. “Hiding scandalous content behind a respectable facade.”

Marina felt heat rise to her cheeks at his teasing. “And what mischief did you engage in as a boy? I can’t imagine the future Duke of Blackmere was always well-behaved.”

Leo laughed, a genuine sound that transformed his usually serious features. “Far from it. William and I once replaced the bishop’s communion wine with blackberry cordial. The poor man’s face nearly turned purple with the shock of it.”

“You didn’t!” Marina gasped, delighted by the image.

“We most certainly did. Though we paid dearly for it—copying biblical passages for a month under our tutor’s watchful eye.” His expression softened with the memory. “William always had the more inventive ideas though I was typically blamed as the elder brother who should have known better.”

“And did you? Know better, that is?” Marina asked, enjoying this glimpse of the mischievous boy behind the controlled duke.

“Rarely,” Leo admitted, his gaze warming as it held hers. “Though I’ve learned to be more selective about my misbehavior since then.”

The way his voice caressed the word “misbehavior” sent a tremor through Marina that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room.

“What shape does this selective bad behavior take, Your Grace?” Marina asked, regretting her forwardness before she’d finished speaking.

---