Page 28 of The Duke Says I Do
“Th…thank you.” She hated the betraying break in her voice. She was used to being in control of her feelings. When it came to Granville, feelings took over. Everything was too raw and new for her to know if she could trust what was happening.
The delay must only have lasted a couple of seconds, even if it felt like an eon. Then Granville touched her neck as he released the top hook and eye. At the brush of his fingers, heat flared under her skin. A faint gasp escaped her.
“Are you all right?” He didn’t sound too steady himself.
“Yes,” she said, although it wasn’t true.
As his hand moved to the next fastening, she gulped air into her starved lungs. In twenty-five years, she’d never needed to remind herself to breathe. It always came naturally. Not today. Not when Granville touched her.
He stood so close that his unsteady breath was hot on her nape. It was bad enough when he’d touched her in the stable. Then they’d both known that an interruption was due at any time. In his bedroom, nobody would barge in to shatter the physical awareness between them.
The urge to turn around and beg him to kiss her again was nigh impossible to deny. But if she went into his arms right now, she’d be in his bed soon after. Everything she’d been taught, everything she’d always believed told her that a girl who gave away her virtue too lightly invited more trouble than she could handle.
Portia curled her hands in her skirts. She clenched her teeth until her jaw ached, as this torture in the guise of helpfulness continued. Surely it couldn’t go on much longer.
Her bodice sagged as he released the lower hooks. Her undergarments would be visible. No man had seen her unclothed. Even as unclothed as she was now, with a corset and a shift concealing her back. The thought turned her legs to water.
Granville released a sigh of relief. The ordeal was over at last. “There,” he said in a raspy voice she hardly recognized.
She staggered as she turned. With her bodice clutched to her breasts, her eyes met his. She wasn’t sure what she’d see. Salacious interest? But he looked on edge. Feverish color marked those perfect cheekbones.
“For God’s sake, don’t look at me like that, Portia, or I won’t be responsible for my actions. I’m struggling to remember the duty I owe you.”
She licked dry lips again, then wished she hadn’t when he groaned and closed his eyes in visible agony. “I’ll leave you to undress.”
The word “undress” thundered through her like cannon fire. She was far too aware of how few steps they needed to take to reach the bed.
Then nothing would stop them until she was a virgin no more.
Right now, she wasn’t sure that she cared.
Thank heaven, Granville opened his eyes and moved back. “Can you manage now?”
She bit her lip and told herself to calm down. Not that it worked. She took her own step backward and in her fluster, blundered into the screen. “Oh!”
Granville caught her arm to save her from falling. Behind her, the screen rocked without falling. She was already in a lather of heat. His touch set that heat ablaze.
“God give me strength.” He released her as though she scorched him.
Without looking at her, he stumbled past the screen. Through the pounding of blood in her ears, Portia heard a door shut.
***
It took Granville several seconds before he saw clearly enough to make out the clothing stacked on open shelves in the dressing room. Even so, when he reached to choose a couple of shirts and pairs of trousers, his hand shook.
He was renowned for his coolness under pressure. Nobody who saw him now would call him cool. He was burning up.
At his side, Jupiter gave a soft whine. He glanced down and, despite everything, smiled. The dog wouldn’t win any prizes for looks, but the animal’s sturdy form and wedge-shaped head pleased him. “It’s all right, boy.”
Except it wasn’t.
He needed his head examined. Why the hell had he brought Portia to his private apartments? Apart from the improper but irresistible yen to get her into his bed.
He should have taken her to a guest room to wash and change. Except that would betray her presence to the staff and a bed would still be far too close at hand. He was damned whatever he did.
Jupiter padding beside him, he took the clothing through to his room. “How are you managing?”
“Well, thank you.”
