Page 40 of Duke of the Sun

She tilted her head, the smile beaming across her face. “You did not have to.”

“There goes that confidence again,” Michael mused with a raised brow.

As the music carried on, coming to a great swell before reaching the end, Michael found himself holding onto Cordelia tighter than he ever planned to. She was directly in front of him, her face tilted upwards to watch him. The feeling of her stare was one he supposed he might never grow used to.

“You know,” Cordelia suddenly said, “I do not believe you have ever told me of your mother.”

Michael went tense before she ever finished saying the word. His teeth clenched immediately, the muscles within his face flexing and becoming rigid. He kept his head raised, looking over Cordelia and upon the crowd.

“No,” he said through clenched teeth. “I have not.”

Cordelia watched him. If she noticed the change in his appearance, she steered clear of pointing it out. “Do not feel obliged to -”

“I do not.”

She narrowed her eyes, but did not grow upset. “I understand,” she whispered. “I am not a teacup susceptible to shattering from a slightly tightened grasp, Michael. I hope you can understand what I mean by such a thing.”

Michael glanced at her, but she no longer watched him as closely as she did before.

The orchestra soon came to a stop, the other pairs of dancing couples pulling away to bow respectfully and clap towards the musicians. Michael felt as though he was no longer in his body, having no control as he pulled away from Cordelia, a sudden chill passing over him as they stepped apart.

The ball was a greater success than either of them planned it to be. Not only did the Ton see Michael and his Duchess in a new light, but they were eager for more, desperate to have some sort of correspondence with the popular couple of Solshire. While Michael never intended to oblige in the Ton, he was surprised that the exact thing he returned to do had been so easily completed.

Now, as he and Cordelia left the Manor behind, climbing into their carriage, there was a peculiar thought resting poignantly on Michael’s mind.

If everything he sought to do had been completed, what was there left to do?

Within the dark carriage compartment, the night time gave off a deep chill. The ride back to Solshire was not painfully long, but long enough to realize it. Across from where Michael sat, Cordelia had her coat wrapped over her shoulders and still shivered. An unavoidable draft slipped through the carriage.

Michael scooted over. “Move over here,” he said.

“What?”

“It is warmer.”

“I never said I was cold.”

Michael raised a brow. “Don’t be proud. You’ll be warmer over here.”

She mumbled something to herself before moving across the compartment, taking a seat beside Michael. The carriage was not an inherently large one, and their sides were touching the moment she took her seat. Nevertheless, the closeness allowed them to soak up each other's warmth, and soon enough, Cordelia no longer shivered or rattled her teeth.

Michael, insistent on ignoring how her natural perfume wafted over him in an unavoidably pleasant way, glanced towards the window, though the darkness shrouded him from seeing a thing outside. After a few more minutes, and the pleasant rocking of the carriage, Cordelia’s breaths came out long and deep. Michael glanced over his shoulder to see her drifting into a woozy sleep.

He sighed.

Movement came from his side and a heavy pressure rested on his shoulder. Michael glanced over, his eyes widening in shock. Cordelia moved around as sleep overtook her, finding a comfortable spot on his shoulder to doze off on. She nestled her head over his coat, her hands folded over her lap. She was fast asleep within a minute, not giving him a mere second to think before claiming the spot as her own.

Michael almost shifted, eager to move her off of him as soon as he could.

But something stopped him.

He paused instead, watching her out of the corner of his eye. She was incredibly peaceful, her chest rising and falling rhythmically. Not even the bouncing carriage could shake her awake. Michael reached, pushing a curly strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. Cordelia stirred briefly before letting out a sigh.

This time, he would let her sleep.

Looking away, Michael let his eyes close.

What am I doing?

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