Page 48 of A Christmas Temptation for the Duke
“Did you enjoy yourself tonight?” he asked her finally. His voice was a deep growl, so low that she barely heard it.
“I did.”
“I am glad,” he said. “I admit, I was hesitant about the whole thing. Hesitant too, about you staying here with me as you now are.”
“Yes, well…” She tried for an awkward chuckle. “You did not give me much of a choice.”
“There is always a choice, Lady Alison. You might have fought against it, but I knew from the minute you walked through my door what you really desired.”
“And what is that?”
His eyes flicked to her lips. “The same thing as me, of course. I…” He groaned. “I have tried to fight it. I have tried to deny it. But some things should not be denied.”
“I do not know…” She leaned back, trying to meet his eyes but unable. It was like staring into the sun, as if to do so would blind her. “All I required was safe haven. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“We both know that is not true.”
“You do not know me at all,” she said.
“I think I do.”
“No.” She matched his stare; defiance pushed to the fore. But it was weak, and she wanted it battered away. “You do not.”
“I know why you fight me,” he purred. As he did, he reached out and took her hand. She gasped at his touch, feeling the heat between them roll up her arm and stab through her chest. “I know why you are so eager to see me angry.”
“I am not…” Her voice cracked. “I just do not like being told what to do.”
“I disagree.” Still holding her hand, he gently pulled her close, and she allowed it. “I think you like being told what to do. I think you like that someone notices you enough to care.”
A shudder ran up her body, and she gasped again as her chest pressed against Lord Grayhill’s… Daniel’s, as she forced herself to think of him. “I would be lying if I said…” She swallowed again. “If I said, it did not feel good to be… to be noticed.”
“I know you better than you think.”
His eyes flashed knowingly, and his other hand moved to her chin, taking it between his fingers. She half made to push him away, but he held on, forcing her to look right at him. She could see the hunger in those eyes, how much he wanted her. And she had no doubt he could see the same in her.
“I see you,” he purred.
“I know that you do.”
“Just as I know what you want.”
“I…” Alison’s entire body was on fire. “Just because I want something, does not mean that you deserve it. I have half mind to ask you to leave.” She did not know what she was saying. She did not know what it meant. All she knew was how it felt.
“You should,” he growled. “You should ask me to leave.”
“Is that what you want?”
“Has what I wanted ever stopped you before?”
He flashed his teeth as he looked at her. His dark eyes flicked to her lips. And then a silence fell between them… was held for a few agonizing seconds… stretched as they took one another in until it became impossible to bear.
“Well?” she said softly, unable to take it any longer.
“Lady Alison, I… I…” He was struggling with something, but she did not know what it was. She knew he wanted her. She knew what he meant to do. But he resisted, fought with himself, tried his best to look away even as he stared at her as if she was the center of the world.
“This is not me,” he said through his teeth. “This is not… not…”
“Not what?” she purred.
