Page 20 of The Duke and the Hellion Bride

“Nobody said anything about scaring them!” he snapped. “But rules are what they need. Rules and boundaries.”

“Which I will establish,” she continued, despite the anger now flowing from him. “Once I have their trust. If they like me, they are more likely to do as I ask.”

“This is not a debate.”

“Oh, I agree,” she said. “It is not.”

Until this point, the duke had been more playful than hot tempered. He had mocked her. He had pressed her buttons. There had been a childish nature to him that Diana had found intriguing, for it mixed esoterically with his rugged physicality. So much so that when Evelyn had told her what she had heard of his nature, she had been dismissive because she simply had not been able to imagine it.

All that changed in an instant.

The duke swept toward her. Short strides, quick and powerful, so sudden that he was on her before she had a chance to blink. Once she realized that he was coming, she did take a step back, and then another, soon finding herself pressed against the closed doorway. The duke, however, followed her, trapping her between the door and his hulking frame.

It was a strange sort of anger. Not visceral in nature. Not even fiery. More stern and demanding. A man who was used to getting his way and not used to having to fight for it.

“Perhaps it is time we had another chat,” he said. His tone was calm, but she could hear the rumble of thunder in his throat. “About expectations.”

“I... I am perfectly aware of what is expected.” She felt herself begin to flush, reminded only too quickly of the thoughts she’d had of him of late… and Evelyn’s words concerning his…no, no, do not let your mind go there!

“Is that so?”

“You have made it perfectly clear.” Her heart was racing, and her body was on fire. His body was a mere inch from her own, and she could not believe how calm his breathing was compared to hers. “Per -- perhaps you are the one who is unsure?”

His jaw clenched and he closed his eyes as if to calm himself.

Diana could not say exactly what she felt in that moment. She knew that she should have been careful, even afraid. Evelyn’s warning sounded out in her head and all good sense told her to head it. And yet...

Excitement flooded her. A thrill that made her limbs tingle. She forced herself to meet the duke’s dark green eyes, to hold them, to show him that she was not scared. No idea what would happen next, she again thought to their conversation earlier. That phrase. The pleasure of one another’s company...what sort of pleasure did he mean?

“You have a nasty habit of speaking without thinking, don’t you?” he growled as he leered over her, matching her stare with one that cried out in warning.

“Oh, I think well enough,” she shot back, unblinking, her entire body trembling under the weight of his presence. “Remember, you are the one who chose me. And I thought that was for good reason.”

“I am beginning to forget why that was.”

“Then you are the one at fault, not me.”

He sucked through his teeth. “I wished for a strong-willed wife who would help me raise my nieces. Not an insubordinate one.”

“Is that all you wished for?” she asked daringly, her heart racing so fast now that it hurt. She could feel her tongue salivating, a sensation she did not understand but could figure out the meaning well enough.

He frowned. “I... I told you. This is a marriage of convenience. Nothing more.”

“And what you said earlier?” she pressed.

“Earlier?”

“About...” She could not believe she was about to say it! That she would dare! But her body was on fire. Her mind too, with wicked thoughts. This was not a regular marriage, but did that mean it had to be stale? “Enjoying the pleasure of one another’s company...”

The duke frowned. Then his eyes widened in realization. She held those eyes, daring him to look away. By her waist, her hands dangled, but suddenly she felt his fingertips graze her own. Light. Sparks shooting up them. She caught her breath as he stepped in closer...

“My meaning was...” He groaned as he bore over her. “That our relationship should not be antagonistic.”

“And yet so far you are doing everything to ensure that it is.”

His eyes flashed anger. “I am doing no such thing. You are the one who... who... who takes pleasure in testing me. If you would simply behave, then there would be no cause for antagonization.”

“So, that is all?” she dropped her breath into a whisper, not even knowing why she was doing so – the effect it would had. It simply felt right. “A marriage of convenience... nothing more?”

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