Page 36 of Never Dare a Duke
“I do not see why you objected to my accompanying you,” he said, too mildly. “After all, you were following me.”
She felt a jolt of worry. “Do not mistake my concern for your sister asfollowingyou.”
He laughed softly, still moving forward until he stood on the other side of the sofa. There was something about him that seemed…tense tonight, as if he were being pushed too hard. There were lines of strain at the corners of his narrowed eyes.
He cocked his head. “And why are you concerned about my sister?”
“I saw the way you treated a man who’d shown interest in her. Is not socializing with men the point of this house party? Under your and your mother’s supervision, of course. Or have you decided to reveal how controlling you are?”
“I am being protective.”
“Your sister is behaving innocently. Let us look at this another way, shall we? I wonder if everyone thinks I should be protected from you?”
“Do you need protection?” He began to walk around the sofa.
How far was she going to take this? At her back were the double doors to the conservatory, but she wasn’t going to run from him. What could he possibly do, here in his mother’s house?
And why did she think the respectable duke of Madingley would do anything at all other than tease her?
“I must need protection,” she said lightly, holding her ground as he approached. “You implied so this afternoon. I seem to recall you also saying that we should never be alone. Yetyou’rethe one who closed the doors.”
“So youdothink you need protection from me.”
His eyes lingered on her mouth again in the way that always made her breathing catch.
“I can take care of myself,” she answered, lifting her chin.
“Really?”
She watched in bewilderment as he began to tug off his gloves one at a time. As he pulled on each finger, she felt an answering tremble inside.
“Then tell me what you’ll do,” he said quietly, “if I touch you like this.”
She stood transfixed as he reached out with his bare finger and touched her bare arm, just above her glove. She thought she felt a shock; surely something had changed in the air around them. And then she found she couldn’t breathe as he slid his finger slowly up her arm, toward her short, puffed sleeve. And always he watched her.
Just the small touch was far too warm, starting a tingling that raced from her arm throughout her whole body. She stared in shocked surprise from his hand back up to his face.
“So what will you do?” he asked again.
She swallowed. “I could slap you.”
“If someone were watching, that might matter. But we’re alone here.”
“It’s not right for you to tease me like this.” She was trying to sound stern, but her breathlessness gave the lie to her tone. “I don’t have to stand for it.”
But she wasn’t stopping him, and she didn’t move away. What was wrong with her? He let the back of his finger caress her arm in little circles, and she gave a gasp as he slid his finger beneath the sleeve.
He smiled, and there was a wicked glint in his eye that made her realize he wasn’t always the man he showed the world. But she’d already figured that out—wasn’t that why she had chosen him?
“You don’t have to stand for it?” he repeated. “Then you wish to end our arrangement?”
She opened her mouth but said nothing.
Though he did not release her arm, with his other hand he put a finger beneath her chin and slowly closed her mouth. She shuddered as he boldly caressed her lower lip with his thumb.
“Why are you doing this?” she demanded in a weak voice.
He stared down at her, eyes intense. “Tell me your secrets, Abigail.”
