Page 23 of Good Duke Gone Cold

Gregory thought her rambling was a waste of time, so he abruptly told them both to take off and be quick about it.

“Alone at last,” Gregory joked. He laughed at the mortification on Mary’s face. He didn’t think her skin could handle being more crimson than he had seen it a few minutes ago, but he was wrong.

He couldn’t help a second chuckle.

“I don’t know how you can joke about all this. It’s ungentlemanly to laugh at my obvious discomfort.”

“We both know now that I’m no gentleman.”

She harrumphed. He took a predatory step toward her expecting her to back away. She didn’t.

He stood so close that her skirts brushed against his thighs. She had to tilt her superfluous bonnet up to see his eyes, and as she did so, she rolled back her shoulders and stuck out her chin.

Those two innocuous movements threw his body in peril and he strained to keep his thoughts straight.

“Listen pet, what happened last night,” he brushed a stray tendril of hair from her cheek. It was a mistake. His finger took on a mind of its own and began descending her neck. He had to stop. He corralled his instincts and forced his lingering finger into a pointing finger. He aimed his index finger at her chest. “You can do that too.”

She gasped.

He had to push her away. An index finger’s length away was not enough distance from this woman slash warrior. She was too incensing. Too kind. Too passionate. She would make a wonderful mother and far worse, a loving wife.

He pushed himself to his most vulgar, “You can experience what I experienced last night.” Mary’s breaths were coming in huffs. He had to continue speaking or he’d take those luscious lips in his. “You can do it by yourself.” Her eyes stole into his soul. He didn’t intend to make his next offer. He meant to push her away, into herself, not back toward him. “Or I can show you how to do it. Without even touching you.” Finally able to control his legs, he took a step back and threw up his hands in mock defense. “On my honor, I wouldn’t even have to touch you.”

Mary’s tongue was tied in a surgeon’s knot similarly to the knot Gregory had taught her to tie in a fishing line. Back when he was kind and she could trust him.

“Before you grow old, move out, and become an ape-leader.” He winked. He winked at her! Of all the nerve. That dratted man. “You may as well try.”

“Listen pet.” Since when did he start calling her pet? “You can try it on your own or you can have an expert show you the ropes.” She could only stare at him. “Come see me at midnight. You know where.”

***

It took her three days before she met him at midnight in the study.

Tiptoeing, Mary entered the study. She pulled the door closed behind her. Her hand still on the handle, without looking up, she could feel his eyes on her.

“Lock it,” he said hoarsely. “What are you doing here?”

“I–I–It’s midnight,” she finished lamely as she turned to face him.

Gregory smiled without it reaching his eyes. His eyes narrowed and turned dark.

“Why are you here?”

“I thought I should tell you that I’m not coming.”

“Really?” His eyebrows raised.

“Yes. I would have told you at another time, but you haven’t been around. Thank you for the…offer. But I don’t want you thinking that I might come.”

“Yet you are here, and I had hoped you would come.” This time his smile did reach his eyes. She had no idea what he was smiling about. Although she could see the irony in her being there to tell him she wouldn’t be there.

That was the end of her speech, or at least all she could remember from it, yet she couldn’t make her feet move back toward the door.

The look on Gregory’s face transformed into his ducal imperviousness. “Did you want to take a book with you to read?”

She sighed with relief. This was something she could manage. “Yes. Thank you. That would be most helpful. I have found it difficult to sleep the last few nights.” Of all the times to blabber on, she decided to reveal that tidbit of truth.

She tried to dismiss her vulnerability by walking over to the book shelves. The second she reached the shelves she recognized her mistake. She was much too far away from the door now. Her back was to Gregory, but she didn’t need to see him to know he was taking those predatory steps toward her. Every single hair on her body stood at attention. She feigned ignorance. “What do you suggest?” She managed to squeak out.

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