Page 19 of A Duchess to Unravel
Theo slowly shook her head, unable to assemble her own words.
“I … you … you are the Devil.” She stuttered out, managing to raise a pointed finger at him.
His grin grew more seductive as he took the tiniest possible step, bringing his chest to touch the tip of her finger.
“Ye already knew I had horns,” he teased. “I wonder what the Horned God of the forest and the sea goddess of lust and mischief could create together?”
He snatched her hand, his movements quick yet gentle, and his large fingers wrapped around her still extended pointer finger and drew it toward his lips. His eyes locked on hers; Alistair drew out his tongue just enough to lick the pad before drawing the length of the digit into his mouth.
Theo’s cheeks flushed, heat blasting through her as her breath hitched, and stood frozen in place as his warm mouth suckledgently. He drew her finger out slowly, his teeth just barely nipping at the end of it.
“Do not put ye body against mine again unless you want it in my mouth, little Calypso. I am a hungry devil. I am never sated.”
Theo blinked rapidly as he lowered her hand and let it go, unable to fathom any words this time.
“Och, good,” he mused, taking in her stunned silence. “Now that I’ve got ye quiet, perhaps now ye will listen.”
He drew his finger up to her chin and gently closed her open mouth, smirking, then took a step back.
“Now, as amusing, if not irritating as ye behavior at dinner was, I would like to move on to a more important conversation. Ye friend the other night was not the only one to be ran out of the Masquerade. After ye left, someone was discovered taking notes on everyone who was bold enough to remove their masks, even for a moment. The notes were confiscated, the person removed, but we dinnae know what was committed to memory.”
The startling news shocked Theo out of her silence. This was not at all what she predicted he would say.
“Well, I never removed my mask that night,” she replied, “So why should I care?”
“Some traits are noticeable,” he remarked, sweeping his eyes down her again, “Even if a mask is worn.”
Again, it seemed as if he was giving her a compliment, but she didn’t react to it.
“You have the convenience of knowing many things about the Devil’s Masquerade,” she said instead. “As if you work, or perhaps even operate the party?”
She expected another chuckle, another answer that wasn’t really an answer, but this time Alistair just shook his head.
“I enjoy the likes of such company from time to time, but I have no interest in taking on such a venture,” he replied.
“Then how do you know so much?” she replied.
He shrugged, his smirk returning.
“I am highly perceptive man. I like details.”
“Too much,” she retorted sarcastically.
His smirk transformed into a seductive grin.
“Ye would not say that if ye had a chance to experience how much attention I can give to them.”
Yet again, Theo was almost rendered speechless, but this time she pushed on, refusing to give him the satisfaction.
“So, you are not the proprietor,” she stated, “Fine. And you delivered your warning. Thank you. I suppose. Are we done?”
Alistair shook his head, that twinkle returning to his dark eyes.
“Nay,” he replied. “As I said, there are other ways to identify people even if they were masked. You and I have particular figures. I am the largest man I have seen thus far among theton.And ye? I’d recognize your figure anywhere. No matter the dress.”
“Stop,” she snapped, unable to take the compliments any longer. “I am not so noticeable. I have spent years among thetonbeing invisible. No one pays attention to me save to mock me.”
“If they mock ye they notice ye,” Alistair replied readily, though a flare of anger erupted in his gaze, “Even if it is idiocy to mock someone as ye.”
