Page 16 of Seduced By the Rakish Duke

She blinked, all the bravado leaving her right before his eyes.

“I-I’m sorry. It was inappropriate of me to assume such horrible things about you. Please forgive me, Your Grace.” Her eyes dropped to where he still held her wrist.

He watched her eyes as they focused on their connection, and he used the opportunity to pull her further across the desk.

“No need to apologize. I know my reputation precedes me where women are concerned. Plus, I remember being the one who told you that there was only one reason why men would want to be alone with a woman.”

Her eyes flicked up to his. “Wait. So, I was right?”

“No. It appears I was wrong.” He chuckled at the look of shock that crossed her face. “I know. While I am not wrong often, Ido own my mistakes. You should note this—it doesn’t happen often.”

A small smile danced on her lips, and he couldn’t help but smile in return.

Their breaths mingled as his fingers twitched around her wrist.

His eyes drifted down to her plump lips that were slightly open. Inviting.

Didn’t I just say I wouldn’t take anything from an unwilling partner?

Although he’d been with enough women to know that from her body language and eyes, she was more than willing.

It was that thought that had David straightening up, dropping her wrist in haste. Anger and disgust coursed through his veins at the narrative his mind had just created. He banished that line of thought to the far recesses of this mind.

“I think it is time for you to go, Miss Bennett.”

Jenny’s body fell forward, her hands slapping the desk surface to stop her face from hitting it. She pushed herself up, still breathless from their interaction.

“What?”

She brushed the drying red curls from her face—David couldn’t help but notice how soft they looked.

He took a deep breath. “Do we have an agreement?”

Jenny huffed, clearly dumbfounded. He couldn’t blame her. If this was any other woman, he would have her across his desk right now.

He could tell the next words out of her mouth were not going to be pleasant. And while he has been developing a certain taste for their special brand of conversation, he needed to see her out.

He raised his hand to stop her. “It is late, Miss Bennett. We’re both very tired, and I think it would be better for both of us to continue this another day.”

He moved around his desk and took a step towards her. Fighting against his better judgment, he tilted her chin up so their eyes could meet.

“Do we have an agreement?” he asked again. “My helpful tips in exchange for your company?”

The tip of Jenny’s tongue darted out to wet her bottom lip. It took all of his willpower not to lean in and capture the tiny tease.

She shook her head slowly while his hand still held her chin.

“Very well,” he said, dropping his hand.

He opened the study door and led her out into the hallway, to the front door. Jenny stood there expectantly.

He looked between her and the door. “Is there something else, Miss Bennett?”

She looked at the door and back to him. “Oh, I thought… Usually, people call for a carriage or a hackney. I just assumed you…”

David laughed. “And risk people seeing you leave my residence in the middle of the night in a carriage? Oh no—not happening, kitten. You got yourself here just fine, you can get yourself home.”

If David could paint, he would paint the picture of absolute surprise mixed with distress written all over her face. There was a reason why redheads were his favorites. No matter how hard they tried, their complexions could hide nothing.

---