Page 39 of A Bride for the Wicked Duke

It was subtle but she saw something pass behind the duke’s eyes. She had described it as hunger once, and that felt as apt as anything. Wicked thoughts, they looked like, enough that he licked his lips quickly, his eyes trailing down her.

Aurelia was dressed rather simply tonight. As she had been forced to travel to get here, she wore a full-dress, one which covered her completely and was not at all tight. In the back of her mind, she had done so as a precaution, almost a last-minute rebellion against her more amorous desires.As if it would make a difference. Now, she wished she had worn something a little tighter, showing a little more skin, perhaps giving her bosom room to breathe because she had noticed more than once how the duke enjoyed staring.

“A punishment...” He let the word drip from his tongue. “That is not a bad idea.”

She swallowed again. “Wh -- what sort of punishment?” The urge to take a step back, but she resisted it.

“Nothing painful,” he chuckled as he continued to look down at her. She could see his mind at work as the corner of his mouth curved into a smirk. “But it needs to be something that will repulse you. That the very idea of it will be enough to make you stop and reconsider what you are going to say. That way, in the future when you find yourself talking to a gentleman, you will remember the trigger... the punishment,” he growled. “And hopefully, it will cause you pause.”

Her heart was racing. Her body was flushed so hot she was starting to sweat. Alone in this room, the duke mere inches from her, she could not imagine anything he might do that would repulse her. On the contrary, she could imagine many things he might do that would cause the exact opposite reaction.

“What to do, what to do...” He clicked his tongue as his eyes roamed her. Somehow, she knew that he had an idea ready. Now, he was just teasing her. “It will have to be extreme, no doubt about that. Abhorrent, even.”

Her skin began to tingle and she forced herself to roll her eyes. “Oh, just say it already. I know you have something.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “I do. But you must know, this is an extreme circumstance, so...” His eyes flashed and he licked his lips. “So please, do not read too much into what I am about to say.”

“I will do my best...” She squirmed just a little in anticipation.

The duke held her eyes. He let the silence build to a point of intense discomfort because he seemed to know what it was doing to her. And then, he spoke. “I’m going to kiss you.”

Of all the things Aurelia was picturing, that was perhaps the last thing she might have guessed. Her eyes widened. Her breath left her. She stammered, leaned back, half-laughed as if a joke was made, but caught it when she saw how serious the duke was.

“What?” she said. “I don’t -- you are joking...” She couldn’t bring herself to look at him.

“I told you it must be extreme, didn’t I,” he said with such a casual cadence it was as if he had asked her for the time. “And I cannot think of anything more extreme than that.”

“Yes, but...” She tried to meet his cool blue eyes, but the look he held her in was so intense that it was like staring into the sun. She could feel it on her skin, in her heart, piercing her as if he was reaching into her chest. “I --”

“I am doing this for you,” he said. “Do not think otherwise.”

She scoffed. “Are you sure you are not doing this for you?”

“Ah...” He raised an eyebrow. “And there it is. As expected...” He stepped forward and she leaned back.

“What are you doing?”

“As I said...” He reached down and took her right hand. Then, still looking into her eyes, he brought the back of her hand to his lips and placed a soft, wet kiss on it.

The sensation pulsed through her body. She shuddered. A moan nearly escaped her lips, but she caught it just in time. “What was --”

“A kiss,” he said, still holding her by the hand. “As I said I would.”

“Oh.” She blinked, disappointment crashing through her. When he said that he would kiss her, she had thought...or rather, I had hoped it might be a different sort of kiss. Of course it isn’t. And aren’t I the fool for thinking otherwise.“Right, I just... yes, I see. That is sure to convince me to keep my mouth shut.”

He chuckled and released her hand. “Do not sound so disappointed.”

“Disappointed? Relief, is what I feel.”

“Is that so?”

She looked at him flatly. “Thrilled, in fact. For the idea of you kissing me is not something that brings me particular joy. Revulsion is the word that comes to mind.”

“And there she is again...” The duke chuckled. “You cannot help yourself, can you?”

“What do you mean?”

He did not speak. Standing over her, looking down at her, he moved his right hand to her chin, his finger stroking down it gently before resting underneath. Then, just as gently, he raised her chin and turned her face to the side, exposing her neck. “You need to learn to control that tongue of yours, Lady Hawkins, for it will surely get you into trouble.” He leaned in and breathed against the skin of her neck, which had it breaking into gooseflesh. She shuddered and then gasped as he brought his lips to her neck, another soft, wet kiss placed right at the nape.

---