Page 13 of Seven Nights with the Wicked Duke
The heat that she had felt pressed up against him in the Solstice ball returned in full force.
"This feels vaguely familiar," he noted.
"Please do not speak," she groaned. "I am trying to think this a terrible dream I'm having."
He grinned, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and she hissed, hating how she still reacted to his touch.
"Do not touch me," she hissed.
Why had she bumped into him of all people?
He was the least likely to visit her brother in their home seeing as they had nothing in common yet of all nights he had decided to.
"You shouldn't be here. Why are you even here?" she whispered, stepping closer to him so she could continue their conversation without being overheard.
She heard a door close upstairs and stiffened.
Magnus should be retiring to his chambers already but if he was, wouldn't he stop by her chamber to see her?
"I came to see your brother."
"Whatever for?"
"I do not see how that concerns you," he retorted like a stubborn oaf. "I have visited your home many times in the past and you have not had any concern then."
"That was before you caught me half-dressed at a scandalous party."
"Indeed," he answered and she noticed his eyes move to her cleavage.
Heat filled her at his perusal and she stepped away from him, cradling her hand to her chest. How could she ever hope to move past this encounter?
She had been able to bear the scandal of wearing such a risqué costume when she knew she wouldn't be recognized by anyone she knew but now every time her brother introduced her to his friends or she spied him across any of theton'sballrooms, she would feel as though he were seeing her nearly naked again.
"Have you come to report me?" she asked in a small voice.
If he had, it was better she prepared herself before she retired upstairs to face her brother's wrath.
"If I had, would you be upset?" he asked with a smile. "It might be amusing to see your brother red in the face and trying to imagine if it is rage or embarrassment."
She raised a brow at him.
"If you would derive joy in seeing me locked away until my marriage to whatever gentleman my brother decided would have me despite my ruination then it would indeed be amusing," she said dryly.
Surely he couldn't be so far from being a gentleman that he would report her to her brother who everyone knew to be a stickler for propriety.
She couldn't even fathom just what her brother's ire would make him do but a boring marriage would be the least of her concerns then.
There were so many options she could imagine but none in the least more pleasant than the other.
"No," he answered, holding up the list. "I did not think it wise to do so considering he would hate that I had seen his precious little sister in such a state of undress." He eyed her as one might eye a delicious piece of chocolate cake and bit his lip lightly then added, "He would hate that very much."
She felt warm under his gaze and while she should have protested being looked at by him in such a disrespectful manner, she felt like she should stand up straighter to give him a better look.
He obviously didn't think her unpleasant to look upon and that realization had her feeling powerful that such a man would like to look upon her.
He's a rake, Cecilia,She scolded her errant mind.Everything in skirts is pleasant to look upon for him.
She steeled her resolve, eying the paper in his hands as he perused it again and she felt even more bare before him as he eyed the contents with avid amusement. She frowned when he chuckled and snatched the paper from his grip.
