Page 28 of The Duke's Hellion

“Yes, of course.” Her response, part of it made perfect sense. Certainly, the woman could restring her bow wherever she wanted to, so long as it wasn’t a euphemism for something else. But the part about him barging in on her life? As if that was something he did often. That part made no sense. What was she upset about? Hadn’t he just offered her protection in more than one way? Couldn’t she just be grateful? This woman was driving him to drink.

*

She didn’t needit, she kept telling herself, but she took a napafter everything that had taken place that morning. The incident with the dog had left her shaken on so many levels, and she had tried to regain her equilibrium by focusing on a task she loved and knew could absorb her full attention. Only to be interrupted by Sam. He was everywhere, upsetting everything. So yes, she probably did need a nap actually.

Before all the events of the evening could take place, Mimi didn’t see any harm in resting her head a little. Perhaps her pride a little as well. But mostly her heart. If only she had known what kind of dreams would visit her in her short repose, she might not have been so quick to toss her tresses on the pillow. Then again…she may have chosen to do so for a longer period of time.

And now as she sat running a brush through her hair, she could no more prevent the thoughts of the dreams from entering her mind than she could stop air from entering her body.

It had been so vivid. They had been on a beach. She was wading in the water, watching a storm approach. A voice shouted at her, and she promptly ignored it. The shouting continued until the body was right beside her and she could no longer pretend at anything. He asked her what she was doing here, but she gave him no reply. With closed eyes, she faced the water, letting the waves lap at her feet. The water was cool, refreshing. She waded deeper into the receding waters.

She remembered what came next as if it had been a reality. A growl and a sudden move. Strong arms. A warm body.

She couldn’t finish the thought as the memory produced a shiver up Mimi’s spine. Her grip on the brush tightened so that she didn’t drop it.

Back on the beach, she saw the dream in the mirror. Sam threw her over his shoulder and hauled her back to the sand. He was reprimanding her, though she didn’t know what for. His voice was harsh, yet it was washing over her like the waves, tickling her feet.

He stopped. Placed her on the ground, but the momentum had caused her to stumble back. In an effort to regain her balance, she reached for him but only managed to grip his shirt. Not expecting her quick movements, he tumbled down with her. His arms bracketed her on either side, his weight inches above her. But her body was aching to feel his heaviness now that she knew what he felt like. She wanted to feel the weight of him, the strength of him, the man-ness of him, all over her.

The image in the mirror was blurry, her eyes stung. The ache between her legs. The tremble in her hand. Her lips parted. Just as she had felt upon waking immediately, now again, she wanted to touch herself—

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

The brush clattered down on the table.

“Mimi,” Nobi’s voice rang out, “are you ready for this evening?”

Her sister entered the room, Mimi was too stunned to approach her. She needed a moment to collect herself.

Nobi gasped. “You’re not even dressed.”

Mimi shook her head. The nap was supposed to have offered her a reset; instead it only further confused her. “I didn’t know which dress to choose.” That was true. What she didn’t offer up was the reason for her indecision. Which color, which style, which cut would look best on her? Normally she would answer that for herself. Whatever she wanted to wear she would wear. There was no question of impressing someone else. For the first time ever, only the other night, she had chosen a dress for someone else. She had hoped to capture Roger’s attention. At the time she had wanted to prove to herself that she could do it (wear a scandalous dress) and get what she wanted (Roger pledging his undying love for her).

But tonight…tonight when she was about to pick out a dress, she stopped herself. For the first time, as she grazed her fingeralong the satin dresses, she wanted to know what someone else might think about her. It wasn’t about herself or impressing anyone. It was about one man’s true opinion of her. And she wanted it to count. She wanted…she took a deep breath in…she wanted him to see her. Fully. That meant seeing past the dress.

But that was the vexing part of it all. Roger was her destiny. Fate had pointed him out. Yet…every encounter since the store had not lived up to her expectations. If fate was handing her her future, shouldn’t love be blossoming?

“Mimi, did you hear me? I asked you what you are going to wear.”

“I don’t know.” She felt a bit dazed. From the afternoon. From the dream. From the realization about her wardrobe.

“This isn’t like you. Are you all right?”

“Which dress do you think suits me best?” Mimi asked her sister.

Nobi crouched in front of her, meeting her eyes. “I think you suits you best. Just be yourself, dear sister. Don’t worry about what’s on the outside. It doesn’t matter. It has never mattered to you. Why should it now?”

Because my future is on the line. Because love is on the line. Because my life is hanging in the balance of this decision.Was what she wanted to say…but she couldn’t. It sounded too vulnerable for the moment.

“It shouldn’t matter, should it?”

Nobi shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter.” She stood up, and speaking more to herself than Nobi, she added, “If he likes me, he likes me. And he’ll like me no matter what I wear. It’s not about what’s on the outside. I need to be me and accept my fate.”

There was that word. That all-consuming, all-vexing, altogether loop-throwing word. But she would handle fate later.

Now, she needed to dress.

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