Page 25 of Five Ways to Bed a Duke

“You are a thoroughly vexing woman. I will never dance with you again,” he replied, his voice rising.

“You are the arrogant one who cannot seem to do anything right,” she spat.

Richard was distantly aware that both of them were not reacting out of anger, but a rising heat that could only be expressedthrough anger, or else it would boil over into searing passion. But he couldn’t stop himself from drawing breath to continue their shouting match.

Suddenly, the sound of a chair scraping on the floor drew his attention. He turned to see Emmeline trying to sneak away. He had totally forgotten about her.

“Where do you think you are going?” he asked her, his voice unnaturally high-pitched.

“Let her go,” Catherine interjected with a daring tilt to her chin. “I think you are the one who requires dancing classes.”

“You know what,” he said, his voice dropping to a sensual whisper, “I should continue our lessons.” He stepped closer to her. “Always compliment a man, never insult him.”

Her pupils dilated with awareness.

“I do not compliment those who have done nothing to deserve it,” she scoffed.

“I could give you something to compliment me about,” he purred, his eyes fixed on her cherry-red lips.

It happened so fast. One moment he was admiring her plump lips, the next he was tasting them. He took her bottom lip between his teeth and sucked on it, and was rewarded by a moanas she tightened her arms around his neck. His tongue darted out and probed her lips, but they remained closed.

Moving lower, he took her earlobe in his mouth, enjoying how she writhed in pleasure.

“Second rule. When a man kisses you, kiss him back,” he said, his voice hoarse with desire.

He kissed up the column of her throat before returning to her lips. He proceeded to kiss her again, and this time when his tongue probed her lips, she opened her mouth, allowing him entry.

He kissed her senseless, his arousal increasing with every moan that slipped past her lips.

The fever in his blood urged him to find a flat surface to lay her down on to consummate their passion, but he was saved by the sound of Emmeline’s feet running down the stairs towards them.

He released Catherine abruptly, causing her to sag against the wall, and moved away from the temptation that was her body. He pretended to pour himself some brandy while his hand shook with desire.

He was dimly aware of Emmy walking back into the room and Catherine making excuses to leave.

“I have to get something at the modiste for my mother,” she said to his sister.

He was surprised that her voice was steady because, at the moment, he couldn’t trust himself to speak.

“Are you alright?” Emmy asked, and he could hear the concern in her voice.

Of course, his sister was concerned about her friend because he was sure Catherine looked slightly disheveled despite her efforts to fix her hair and dress.

“I am quite fine,” Catherine replied. “I have to hurry.”

Richard heard the sound of footsteps hurrying towards the door as she called out her goodbyes.

When the door of the ballroom clicked shut, he braced himself for the questioning that was sure to follow.

“What did you do to Catherine that caused her to hurry out of the room in such a manner?”

“Why would you think I did anything to her?” he asked in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone.

“I left you here with her, and I come back to see her running away in fear. It stands to reason that you had something to do with it.”

Richard chose not to answer that question, instead taking a bracing sip of his brandy because there was no way he was going to explain to his innocent sister that he had been moments away from ravishing her dear friend. He aimed to protect her innocence even though he burned with the need to claim her friend.

But it seemed he also needed to protect Catherine from the monster inside him, and he needed to do it fast, starting with a cold dip in the lake nearby.

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