Page 4 of The Duke's Vice

She shifted in his grasp, emitting another moan which had the man pulling back from her.

Her heavy lidded eyes blinked up at him, trying to refocus on the world around her. The tips of her toes were brushing the ground beneath her.

His grip began to loosen and she silently slid down his body as he aided her back to earth.

He cleared his throat. “It is time to see you back to safety.”

Beatrice blinked a few more times to settle back into her body. The kiss lasted a mere moment but it had electrified her blood and sent her body careening through the atmosphere. She needed a moment to settle back into her body.

“There is no need. I can see myself to safety. I know the way.” Her voice shook and sounded odd to her own ears.

The man looked around. “Hurry then. I don’t want to read about a young woman being found in a back alley.”

Beatrice tried her best to keep her cool and not giggle like some childish school girl. Energy was pumping through her blood at an alarming rate. She had no doubt she could run home and not feel an ounce of exhaustion when she reached her doorstep.

“I will be fine, I promise.”

The man dipped his head. “Go then.”

Beatrice turned to go. She only got a few steps when he called out to her.

“Oh, and little mouse?”

She turned at the sound of his voice.

“Must you call me ‘little mouse’?” She questioned with confusion.

His head dipped with a sly grin. “You were the one scurrying around where you don’t belong.”

She wrinkled her nose at his description. “What is it then?”

“I don’t want to see you here again.”

She smiled but made no promise. She had a list of things to do and fortunately for her, she just crossed an item off of it. Unfortunately for her, she was unaware the list had slipped fromher cuff when she reached her arms around the stranger’s neck and it was now securely tucked away in his pocket.

CHAPTER 2

Beatrice rolled onto her side.

A small smile formed on her lips as she stared out at the new day just beyond her window. It took her a while to calm down after her rendezvous with the handsome stranger last night but she felt more awake than she ever had. She sat up in bed, stretching her sore muscles.

She practically ran all the way back from Water Street last night. Her feet hurt and her calves were sore, but she would do it all over again in a heartbeat. She may not have made it to the party, but she did manage to cross one item off of her list.

Her eyes widened.

My list!

Beatrice scrambled out of bed and scurried to the chair she threw her overcoat on before she fell into bed last night.

She picked up the heavy cloak. It was unbearably hot during the cool summer night, but it was all she had that had a hood that allowed her to hide her face.

However, the hood turned out to be pointless. The masked man saw her face. Chewing on her bottom lip, Beatrice let her mind slip back into the memories from last night.

She could feel his warm breath on her when she fell into him when that woman screamed. She laid her hand over stomach where she felt his hard body as he held her closer as they kissed.

Beatrice’s eyes fluttered shut as her body began to heat.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

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