Page 29 of Under the Influence

Duke narrows his gaze and studies me. “I feel like you’re testing me like you did those other men.”

“No, I’m usually completely in the zone on dates. I normally sit across from the guy and smile way more than normal. I want the guy to feel good about how much I’m smiling. That way, if I turn off my smile, he’ll feel like he did something wrong. It teaches men to seek my approval.”

Duke leans his head back and laughs hard. Though I’m offended by his reaction, I can’t deny he’s extremely sexy when he laughs.

“Why haven’t you used that move on me?” Duke asks, taking a drink after chuckling himself dry. “I could use some training.”

“Would those moves even work on you?”

“Maybe. You’ve got a great smile.”

Grinning, I nudge him with my hip. “Well, then, get out and go to the other side. I’ll test out my moves.”

“No,” Duke replies immediately. “I like this side of the booth.”

“Good because I don’t want to train you.”

Duke studies me and smirks. “I can imagine you twisting those suckers into knots.”

“I want a man strong enough for me. Not that I’m particularly hard to handle,” I explain since I might be crabby but I know how to zip my lips when a situation calls for it. “But my family can be a bit much, and I didn’t want to fall for a weak man.”

“How do you think your family will feel about me?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t lie well, Edith,” he says and kisses my temple again.

“I think I do.”

“No, your gaze is too direct when you lie. It’s like you heard people look away when they lie, so you’ve decided to stare intensely. Since that’s not how you normally look, I can always tell you’re lying.”

“Oh, well, no one ever told me that I do that.”

“Maybe you don’t lie like that with other people.”

“Maybe. I feel different since we met.”

“In a good way?”

“Only when you’re right next to me. When we’re apart, I start worrying and overanalyzing things. Mostly, my lust is throwing me off.”

“I’ll wear frumpier clothes next time,” he says, and my stomach explodes with butterflies at the thought of us making plans for the future.

“That wouldn’t work. You're sexy from the neck up, too.”

Duke grins. “I’ll wear a big dumb hat.”

Laughing, I lean into him as the food arrives. But us joking around isn’t enough to distract me from how wild I feel inside with Duke constantly touching me. I’ve gotten myself addicted to his affection. His warm breath on my throat literally sends me spinning.

“I do all that, huh?” Duke asks after his kisses on my throat leave me dazed and confused.

“Don’t make fun of me.”

“You’re reading me wrong. I’m bragging about how I have this power over someone of your quality.”

Smiling, I lean against him and whisper, “You are the best bullshitter.”

When Duke’s gaze holds mine, I can almost hear his questions about the future rolling around in his head.

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