Page 73 of Wedded to the Duke of Seduction

Disappointment washed through Marina, mixed with a confusing hint of relief. “Of course. You must go to your friend.”

“This isn’t a reprieve, Marina,” Leo said quietly, his eyes holding hers with unmistakable intent. “Merely a postponement.”

As he escorted her to the foot of the stairs, his hand briefly captured hers. “Sleep well, Duchess. Dream of me.”

Marina climbed the stairs alone, her emotions in turmoil. The interruption had given her an unexpected chance to reconsider.

Did she truly want to take this step? To allow Leo past the careful barriers she had constructed? And if she did, could she protect her heart when her body surrendered?

These questions followed her into uneasy dreams where Leo’s hands and mouth promised pleasures her mind both craved and feared.

CHAPTER 26

“Ajournal?” Noah raised his eyebrows skeptically as he lounged in the leather chair across from Leo’s desk the following morning. “You are attempting to seduce your wife with stationery?”

Leo continued writing the note he planned to include with his gift, not bothering to look up at his friend’s amused expression. “Not just any journal. Italian leather, hand-bound, with her initials embossed in gold.”

“How scandalously thoughtful,” Noah drawled. “Next you’ll tell me you’ve purchased her a provocative inkwell.”

“Your ‘emergency’ last night cost me a promising evening,” Leo replied dryly and fixed Noah with a pointed look. “You might show more gratitude for my help with your gambling debts.”

“And you might thank me for preventing you from rushing matters,” Noah countered. “Your strategy of patient pursuitwas working beautifully. Why abandon it at the first sign of surrender?”

The question made Leo pause. Had he been too eager last night? Would Marina have regretted accepting his invitation?

“What exactly are you trying to accomplish here, Blackmere?” Noah continued, his tone turning serious. “You have been married for weeks. Most men in your position would have simply claimed their marital rights by now.”

“Marina isn’t like other women,” Leo said finally, carefully folding the note he’d written. “She needs to be… coaxed.”

“Coaxed?” Noah repeated, his eyebrows rising further. “Since when does the Duke of Blackmere need to coax a woman into his bed? Particularly his own wife?”

Leo frowned, uncomfortable with Noah’s characterization. “You make it sound tawdry.”

“Not at all,” Noah countered. “I am merely surprised by your patience. The Leo Rencourt I have known for years would have either succeeded or moved on by now, not embarked on an extended campaign of… journal-giving.”

The observation hit a nerve because Leo knew Noah was right. His relationships had always followed the same pattern: attraction, pursuit, and eventual boredom once the excitementwore off. But Marina was different. Her resistance only increased his curiosity.

“Maybe I am enjoying the challenge,” Leo replied lightly, unwilling to look too closely at his feelings.

Noah watched him thoughtfully. “Or maybe the Duchess means more to you than you’re ready to admit.”

Leo waved off the remark. “She is my wife. Of course, she matters.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Noah rose and moved toward the sideboard, pouring himself a glass of brandy. “There is a difference between valuing your wife and genuinely caring for her.”

Before Leo could answer, Henderson appeared holding a small package. “The item from the jeweler’s has arrived, Your Grace.”

“Excellent.” Leo took the box, nodding to dismiss the butler. “Thank you, Henderson.”

Noah’s interest was instantly piqued. “The jeweler’s? Perhaps your approach isn’t as predictable as I thought.”

Leo opened the box, revealing an elegant silver pen with detailed engravings.

“Marina prefers a finer nib than the standard pens,” he explained, surprising himself with how closely he’d paid attention. “I had this one custom-made.”

Noah raised an eyebrow. “Since when do you know so much about pens?”

“I have been paying attention,” Leo admitted, running his thumb over the delicate engraving. “She winces whenever she uses the pens in my study, and she always sharpens her quills to an exceptionally fine point.”

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