Page 46 of Temptations of a Duke's Daughter (The Duchess's Investigative Society 2)

“I’ve requested a room,” he said, interrupting her thoughts.

She blinked. “A room?”

“Yes. You know—where one sleeps and such.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know what a room is.”

“If we are to continue this argument, I suggest we do it in private.”

Giving him an earful here, with everyone listening, was tempting indeed, but she ran the risk of discovery even this far out of London. Gossip of a lady pretending to be a maid would spread easily enough.

He reached for her elbow. “For tonight—and only tonight—we must pretend to be… married.” He nearly choked on the word.

Heat climbed up her neck when she realized what he was implying. She took a step back. “I think I’d rather sleep in the stables.”

“Do not be ridiculous,” he growled. “It is too late to travel home now.”

She matched his scowl and tore her elbow from his grip. He wasn’t wrong but she did not wish to admit that. Nor did she wish to acknowledge that she had no desire to sleep in the stables. Her day had already been long and tiring and she wanted a bed.

She could control herself for one night surely? After all, all she had to do was summon the memory of his many scowls and looks of disapproval and any idea of desiring him would vanish. Easy.

∞∞∞

Valentine cursed under his breath when he entered the room and eyed the singular bed. It offered a temptation he did not want to think about. Perhaps he should sleep in the stables.

The narrow bed could sleep two—just about. A rickety chair occupied the corner of the room that barely allowed him to stand straight with the slant of the eaves. Nothing about its sparse furnishings from the roughly crafted clothing chest to the poorly stitched embroidery hanging at a slant on the wall above the bed invited one to enjoy a night here.

But he did not want to leave Chastity alone in a place like this, no matter how much she’d charmed all the patrons. Some might be too charmed and seek her out.

He shut the door firmly, his decision fortified. No way was he letting anyone get near her. He drew the threadbare curtains shut after lighting the several candles scattered about the room.

“You cannot just—”

He turned to face her and smirked.

Her eyes flared. “Must you smirk at me like that.”

“Forgive me. How should I smirk at you?”

“How about you do not smirk at all? I do not see what is so amusing about this.”

“I am amused because you could not wait two minutes before arguing with me.”

Hands to her hips, she fixed him with a look. “You do make it easy. Especially when you come barging in here, dragging me away as though I am some stray wife who has run away from you.”

“Would you run away from me?”

“Of course.”

She lied. He heard it in the catch of her voice. While she’d been spouting these furious words at him, she moved closer, lifting her chin.

The memory of their kiss surfaced, the one where they had argued much like before he suddenly swept her up, crushing his lips to hers. It had been wild and improper and unexpected…and he wanted to do it again.

So did she. He saw it in the slight part of her lips and the way color rose high on her cheeks and down her neck.

“I thought you harmed,” he reminded her. “I feared you kidnapped or dead somewhere. That was the reason for my behavior and I make no apologies for it.”

“I-I do not want an apology. I just—” She frowned and glanced to the floor. “I am my own woman.” She said this as though she had been forced to remind many a person of such a thing.

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