Page 5 of Alone with the Beastly Duke
Jasmine took a step back only to see the hugest man she had ever laid her eyes upon. His striking blue eyes, long blond hair, and broad shoulders gave him a beastly look that intimidated Jasmine but also piqued her interest.
“Could you be so kind to move out of my way?” The man spoke in a voice so deep it would make her father’s voice sound like a mere whisper.
His voice brought Jasmine back to reality, and it was then that she saw that in his hand was her missing book.
“I shall move out of…” she began, only for her voice to come out croaky. She nervously cleared her throat and continued. “I shall move out of your way, sir, the moment you give me my book,” she finished, holding her hands out indignantly to him.
There was a moment of silence during which the blue-eyed giant looked down at her like she was some jester, a small smile creaking at the corner of his mouth. This angered Jasmine.
“Hand me my book this instance, sir,” she ordered, trying to make her voice sound deep but failing.
“If it is indeed your book, then I shall hand it over to you,” he agreed, clearly amused.
“It is my book,” she continued.
“Then show me the proof,” he said.
“Proof?”
“Yes, an engraving of your name on the book, perhaps?” he suggested.
Jasmine knew now that the strange man was taunting her.
“I would have bought it if you had not stolen it from me,” she huffed angrily.
“Stolen? If you have not bought it, then I cannot possibly steal it, can I?” he continued.
“I know you simply took the book to vex me,” she said.
The man gave a throaty laugh that made his eyes crinkle at the sides with amusement. As much as he vexed Jasmine, his laughter sounded like a melody to her ears.
“To vex you? How was I to know that you had even taken the book before I got here?” he asked.
Jasmine blinked rapidly as she struggled to justify her accusation.
“Perhaps, you like to go to bookstores to vex ladies,” she managed to say.
“And perhaps you like to accuse people you do not know,” he responded.
“Might you be so kind as to give me the book, so I can go to my family?” she pleaded.
“I shall not as I would like to buy the book for myself,” he refused flatly.
Jasmine laughed as she regarded the beastly man in amusement. “You do not.”
“Is that so, My Lady?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. “I would suppose I know more about myself than you do.”
“A grown man like yourself would not read a romance book, not one like this one,” she retorted.
“You, My Lady, seem to know a lot about grown men and their mannerisms. Shall I call you a connoisseur of gentlemen, then?” he asked.
Jasmine gasped and gaped at him as she realized what he meant. She blushed at the intensity with which he stared at her, and she blushed.
“Your mind is indeed indecent, sir,” Jasmine scolded, blushing.
“How so?”
“I said that a grown man like yourself would not read a romance book because I have a brother, and he only busies himself with books about business and finance,” she explained.
