Page 74 of The Duke of Distraction
Anthony came forward and took the pole.“Sarah has always bothered the staff.”
“To excess, I’m afraid.”Sarah laughed.“Father used to banish me to my room because I’d keep our butler or the housekeeper from their work.”
Her eyes widened slightly, and she glanced toward Anthony.Then she sealed her mouth closed and turned her head to stare at the pond.It seemed as though the casual mention of her father had upset her.It was the first time he’d heard her speak of her parents anecdotally.He saw it as a good sign.In fact, he found it a bit relieving because he didn’t relish telling her there would be no moreencountersbetween them.He suspected their liaison was helping her to work through her grief, and he didn’t want to upset her progress.But neither did he want to exploit her vulnerability.
Liaison?He couldn’t call it that.A liaison was planned.Intentional.This was spontaneous.Reckless.
“Beck,” Lavinia said, breaking into the silence and diverting the conversation as a good friend would do.“I think we must go to Scott’s Grotto tomorrow.I am desperate to see the rocks and fossils.”She leaned closer and whispered something in his ear.
Beck grinned and pressed a fast kiss to her neck, just below her jaw.
A shock of envy stabbed through Felix, surprising him.“It’s rude to whisper.”The comment fell from his lips without thought.
“Too bad, because she’s not repeating it,” Beck said.“Some things are meant to stay between a man and his wife.”
“A woman and her husband,” Lavinia corrected, earning her an appreciative chuckle from Beck.
Watching them, it was easy to see how one might fall in love and marry and be blissfully happy.But Felix knew the truth of it.He was suddenly anxious to distance himself from their marital joy.
“If you’ll all excuse me, there are things that require my attention in my study.”
“We’ll have to send George back to London,” Anthony said.“Then you won’t be interrupted.”He chuckled as he cast his line into the water.
Normally, Felix would have laughed along with him.Wasn’t his primary goal to create amusement and enjoy himself?
Inwardly grumbling, he stalked back to the house, where he did indeed meet with George for a short while.After she departed his study, he loosened his cravat and removed his coat, draping it over the back of his chair.He stalked to the windows that looked out toward the drive and stared at a hunting bird perched high in a tree, his head bowed as he searched for prey.
“Felix?”
He suddenly felt as though he were prey.
That was silly.Sarah wasn’t hunting him.And yet here she was, standing inside his study with the door closed.
Closed?
Perhaps shewashunting him.
“Sarah, you shouldn’t be here.”
“Why not?”She sauntered forward and removed her wide-brimmed hat, tossing it atop his desk.
“We need to talk about what’s been happening.”
“You aren’t going to tell me we have to stop again, are you?”She kept moving toward him and then beyond.She loosened the ties on the drapes and drew them over the window.The room was plunged into near darkness with just strips of light filtering past the edges of the curtains.
“Sarah,” he rasped.The mere action of closing the curtains had sent his body into a state of anticipation.
She turned from the window to face him and put her hands on his waistcoat, her fingers opening each button.“Yes?”
He had to put a stop to this.“It occurs to me that you’re using me to avoid your grief.”
Her hands stilled, and she blinked, her dark lashes fluttering for a bare moment before she looked up at him.“Is that what you think?”
“Am I wrong?”
“I’m not sure how I can use you when you won’t allow me to do anythingtoyou.”She resumed unbuttoning his waistcoat, flicking the last one open and then pushing her hands beneath the garment to stroke her hands across his rib cage.
His breath vacated his lungs, and his cock jerked in response.
