Page 11 of A Villain for a Duke

Before he could rub his hand over the sting, she bolted up and grabbed him by the shirt.Her lips were on his, and his hands were caressing her under her nightrail.

She moaned his name and he devoured her mouth.He shouldn’t be doing this.She was wicked.Wanton.Wayward.

Everything he resented in a woman.He had been led astray in his youth by beauty.Had his heart broken and never wanted to have anything to do with a seductress again.He wanted an innocent, guileless woman.That’s what he wanted to want.So how could he also so desperately want Astrid?

But her tongue in his mouth was filling a need he didn’t know he had.Her.

His cock was straining against the fabric, yearning to be inside of her.He had to stop this madness.He was not impulsive.

With all his willpower, he pushed her back.

“I think you’ve learned your lesson, Astrid.”And so did I.He learned that he couldn’t be near her without losing himself.He stood up and took a step away from her lest he reach for her and not stop this time.“This can’t happen again.”

“Really Michael.I’m not sure you can stay away from me.”

“Me?I have the discipline to stay away.This is your fault.You did this.”

Fire lit in her eyes.Dancing across her irises.If there had been flowers there before, they had been singed to ashes.Now there was only a raging inferno.

“I did this?”She closed the space between them, and poked her finger into his chest.“I did this?To myself?”She belted a short unamused laugh.“Two years ago I certainly made a mistake.”She poked him in the chest.“Ihave lived with the consequences.Not you.”Poke.“But that does not excuse your behavior this evening.”Poke.

“What behavior?”Anticipating rancor toward her answer, he clenched his jaw.

“For starters, what the deuce are you doing in my room?”

Michael’s eyes flitted about the room.Wait.This wasn’thisbedchamber?Herhairbrush lay in front of the mirror.Herbooks were strewn about the nightstand.

What in God’s name had he done?

Chapter 7

ANDTHAT’SWHENMICHAELdid what so many men are notorious for but he had never once in his life considered doing.He left her without a word.

His body turned to the door.His mouth clamped shut.And his feet bolted out of there.He didn’t stop until he had entered his room and locked his bedroom door.He looked around.Yes, this was his room.He double checked the lock.Yes, it was locked.

But who needed the lock?She hadn’t been the one initiating wickedness.He had…he leaned against the door and sunk to the ground.Draping crossed hands over bent knees, he banged his head against his forearms.

And of course, besides his conscience, what should plague him now but philosophy.Aristotle said that virtue was the golden mean between two vices, one to excess and one of deficiency.Given the excesses of legalism and recklessness and their deficient counterparts of corruption and cowardice, Michael was all over the map.Excessive in his recklessness and deficiently corrupt.There was no golden mean of integrity and love to be found in him.

His mind was an absolute mess.Hehad been inherroom?How was that possible?

He had swatted her bottom, soothed her.Mauled her with his mouth.He was an animal.There was no excuse.Hadn’t he learned the consequences of acting impulsively?His poor brother.Michael wasn’t even supposed to be the duke.

His eyes burned in remorse.He was a better man than this.He needed to act like it.

The tornado of emotions that had swept through him left him exhausted.He ambled over to his bed and crawled in.Fully clothed.

He closed his eyes and willed away the guilt.

The reprieve was instantaneous.For now.

The next morning was abuzz with women flitting about and carriages being readied for a trip to the village.It was Hope’s idea that everyone needed more Christmas spirit.

His only saving grace was that he hadn’t shared a carriage with Astrid.Had he have known that was to be his only beacon of salvation in the day, he might have been inclined to pack a flask.Or two.

When everyone alighted the carriages, he couldn’t help but smirk.Hope was correct in thinking that this small trip could imbue more holiday spirit.The shops were decorated with holly and mistletoe, and the scent of cinnamon was in the air.Being the attentive hostess that she was, Hope pointed out a few places for various individuals in the group.It was considerate of her to indicate the bookshop to him.Surely he would pop in there.

At the moment though, he was preoccupied with Astrid.She was standing in front of a trinket store peering in the window.She was alone.Where was her brother?

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