Page 32 of A Duke But No Gentleman
Her sudden wariness made him realize that he had been staring at her lips.He retrieved the reins, and they continued the drive.This time, he was heartened by her silence.She was not screaming at him, demanding that he return her to her parents.
“I am astounded you have thought of me at all,” she finally said.“The last time I saw you, you were kissing a redheaded woman.”
Tristan did not have to guess how she felt about it.His gaze unerringly found hers, and he was not immune to the hurt in her dark blue eyes.“The redhead is an old friend.”
“Norgrave told me that she was your mistress.”
He silently cursed his friend for his helpfulness.“The lady and I have some history,” he said, treading carefully.“And for the record, the lady kissed me.”
“I felt nothing but pity as I watched you fight her off,” she said dryly.
He grinned at a hint of jealousy in her voice.“Well, I did not wish to be rude.There was a time when she was a good friend.Averygood friend,” he teased.
Imogene’s chin tilted a degree north.She shrugged.“It is your business.”
Tristan chuckled.“Have you not been listening, Imogene?The redhead is an old friend, and whatever our arrangement, it was a long time ago.Norgrave implied otherwise in hopes that you would turn to him for comfort.”An unpleasant thought occurred to him.“Did he succeed?”
She suddenly found the countryside fascinating.The faint blush on her cheeks confirmed his suspicion.
Norgrave was a cunning bastard.
“You kissed him.”
Tristan wanted to quietly murder his friend for touching her.Nor was he happy with her behavior, though he conceded that the marquess could be quite convincing.If given a choice, Norgrave preferred lies over truth.
***
Ten minutes later, she and Blackbern had arrived at their destination.She glanced at her dress in dismay.She was properly attired for social visits.
“What are you thinking?”she asked guardedly.
“I am tempted to paddle your backside,” the duke confessed.He disembarked from the carriage and took a few minutes to secure the horses.“Though I am willing to forgive you for a price.A kiss will suffice.”
The man was incorrigible.It was difficult to remain annoyed with him when Blackbern was so determined to tease her out of her foul mood.During the drive, Imogene had already decided to forgive him.She accepted his hand, and mischievously grinned up at him once both shoes were firmly planted on the dirt road.“If you want a kiss, you will have to catch me first!”
She grasped her skirts and rushed toward the lake in the distance.Needless to say, she ignored his command to slow down.In Blackbern’s company, she felt her first taste of freedom.He encouraged her spirited nature, and dared her to explore boundaries she had never considered crossing until she had met him.Glancing over her shoulder, she noted the duke had grabbed a blanket and basket before he chased after her.His burdens had not slowed him down because he was quickly catching up to her.
“Keep running, darling,” Blackbern said, his laughter making her shiver with anticipation.“Though I should warn you that I always catch what I pursue.”
She had no doubt he spoke the truth.
Pulling on the ribbons under her chin, she tugged off her bonnet and threw it over her shoulder.The duke swore as he dodged to avoid trampling it.She followed the edge of the small lake, heading for the taller grass where she glimpsed what appeared to be an old red brick folly.It was an impressive three-turret structure with a stone veranda that nature had been slowly claiming.
Before she could reach the folly, strong arms encircled her waist and the landscape tilted and whirled as he spun them about.
“Caught you,” he growled, his lips brushing her ear as he embraced her from the back.“What shall I do with you?”
She noticed the wicker basket and the blanket had been discarded several yards away.“You could always feed me since it appears you have brought me on my second picnic for the day.”
“You should have been waiting for me in your mother’s drawing room, not flirting with Lord Asher.”He pulled her closer.“Besides, I hunger, my lady, but not for food.”
Imogene trembled in his embrace.His words did not merely fill her ears.His voice slipped beneath the layers of clothing and caressed her skin like warm smoke.Her nipples tightened in response.She danced out of his arms and turned around to face him once she was beyond his reach.
“Kissing you always leads to trouble, Blackbern,” she teased, even though she was eager for him to kiss her again.“I would not wish to give you the wrong impression.”
The duke casually removed and discarded his coat.“And what impression would that be, my sweet Imogene?”His striped waistcoat landed on his coat.
The only gentleman she had seen without his coat was her father.Her eyes widened as she stared at the white linen stretched across his chest.In the sunlight, the whiteness was almost blinding.
