Page 35 of The Duke and the Hellion Bride

“I said we should --”

“I heard you,” she cut him off, her brow creased as she studied him, searching for the lie. “But... but you are not angry?”

“Why would I be angry?”

“Because I did not ask for your permission. The truth is...” Her cheeks reddened further. “I wrote this letter hoping to anger you.”

Magnus laughed. It was deep, like thunder rumbling from over the horizon “And why does that not surprise me.”

“I am sorry.”

“Oh, somehow I doubt that,” he laughed again. “This right here is the problem, is it not? We have spent so much time fighting that we assume it to be the only way that we can talk. I do not enjoy fighting with you, Diana.”

Despite herself, Diana smirked. “Are you sure about that?”

Magnus’ eyes widened at the presumption, but his lips curled into a smirk and he glanced down at her before he could stop himself. Her body… he had thought about it often. Too often, for his own liking, because he had convinced himself he would never have to himself. Only now…

Is it possible? That all this time...

“I do not mind our arguments,” Diana said bravely. “At least not...” She felt her heart racing as she considered what she was about to say. Was it too bold? Or was she finally starting to understand her husband? “At least not always. In fact...” She could hardly breathe she was so nervous, but she took courage in the way the duke began to fidget. “I might even go so far as to say that I enjoy them.”

He seemed to understand her immediately “Is it the arguing you enjoy? Or what it does to me?”

“That depends...” She stepped toward him, into his space, close enough that if he wished it he could reach out and grab her.I hope he does.“What exactly does it do?”

How quickly things could change. How unexpectedly. Magnus stood firmly in the doorway, erect now, confidence brooding from him as he knew exactly what was on Diana’s mind – she was making it clear enough! He eyed her with a cool smirk, a slight tilt of the head, a lick of the lips which made her legs shake.

It was strange that Diana had assumed they needed to fight to illicit this reaction in one another, when really all they had needed was honesty. She had felt attraction to Magnus from the moment she had met him, and now she was certain he had felt the same way. Why had he taken so long to explore it? She did not know. And to be honest, all things considered, she did not care.

“I think you know,” he said, his voice a low growl.

“I would not have a clue,” she said innocently.

Suddenly, Magnus stepped into the room. Just as suddenly, he swung the door closed behind him. She gasped as he swept toward her, almost daring her to back away. But she did not. She stood up to him, chin raised and meeting his eyes as he stood over her, tall and brooding and powerful.

“I told you before we married that I would never take advantage of you,” he said in a deep whisper. As he did, one hand moved to her waist, squeezing as if to keep her from moving. She gasped but pressed herself into it.

“A shame that I did not promise the same of you.”

His eyes flashed excitement at the answer. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you are trying to seduce me.” His hand squeezed her harder.

“I do not mean to take advantage of the situation,” she purred back, holding his deep stare, pressing her body in close to his. “Or you, for that matter. But I am rather new to this marriage business, so I was hoping...” She looked away as if shy suddenly. “If you might show me how?”

“Only if it is convenient for you.”

“Nothing has ever been more convenient.”

His hand reached under her chin and brought her eyes back to his. His other hand continued to hold her waist. They both seemed to sense that the time for words was over, that action was now required. Diana’s heart raced like it never had. Her entire body flushed. She waited for the duke to make his move... agonizingly, she waited... licking her lips... looking at his... her entire body shaking and still he did nothing.

“Will you just do it already --”

Magnus pulled her in suddenly and kissed her full on the lips. There was no fighting this time. No anger. No heat or fury. But that did not matter. The second their lips met, the same sparks that Diana had spent days remembering flew so fully that the room itself seemed to catch fire around them.

What was more, as one hand moved to the side of her face and the other wrapped her waist, she knew that this time, it would not end at a simple kiss. Not if she had anything to say about it.

ChapterThirteen

The kiss was explosive in ways that Diana might have expected but could never have imagined. Knowing now that Magnus wasn’t going to turn and run, she gave herself over to it, accepting him completely, wanting him to push it further because moments like this needed to be taken advantage of.

---