Page 8 of Good Duke Gone Cold

Mary hesitated. She wanted to go back to her bed, but she’d be lying if she thought she’d fall asleep right away. Not after seeing Gregory. Especially like this. He just would not leave her thoughts alone.

She made her way to one of the cupboards and withdrew a small jar, picking up a cloth on her way back to him.

Gregory sat down in one of the wooden chairs and spread his legs. “Do your worst.” He leaned back and closed his eyes.

Of course Mary was in the kitchen. He just could not escape her.

Mary moved toward him. “I’ll wipe your eye first as there’s still some blood.” She must have grabbed a cloth in her movements because he felt the pressure of a cloth on his face. He inhaled her soft cinnamon scent.

She rustled. “I believe it has stopped.” She moved closer and opened the jar, placing it on the nearby table. As she dipped her finger in the jar, she had to lean closer to him. Did she know she was standing between his legs? Did she know how enticing her hips were to the hands he commanded to rest on his thighs? Even with his eyes closed, he could sense how close her breasts were to his jaw. She couldn’t possibly be this innocent.

“I’ll just dab a small amount above your eye.” She pressed her fingers ever so lightly on his eyebrow. The light chill of her fingers felt refreshing on his overheated skin.

“You’re cold.” He opened his eyes. In his peripheral vision he could see her bare toes on the stone floor.

She withdrew her fingers from his face, and he felt their loss. “I’m fine.” She shook her head looking muddled. Without thinking, she put her fingers in her warm, wet mouth to clean off the honey.

Immediately, his groin was flooded with heat and his mouth went dry. He had no way of knowing with certainty what expression he conveyed to her, but it was enough to addle her.

“I–I’m fine,” she stuttered, mayhap reaching for conversation, “But you’re not. What happened to you?”

“Reginald.”

“Lord Bainsbury?”

“The one and annoying.”

“What happened? Is he okay?”

Gregory felt a pang go through him. “Yes, he’s fine. Or he will be.”

She must have been waiting for him to answer the question she had already asked twice and was too timid to ask again.

“He was running his mouth.”

“What about?”

“What does Reginald ever run his mouth about?” Why wouldn’t she just drop it? He wasn’t about to tell her that he didn’t really know how he had found himself fighting Reginald. One minute Reginald wanted to tup the barmaid, and the next minute he was talking about Mary’s plays. Who knew what the devil had provoked him into throwing a few punches into Reginald’s soft gut. Probably all that spittle flying into his face. More likely all the wasted ale. The shame.

“I don’t know. He doesn’t run his mouth at me.”

“That’s because I wouldn’t let him!” he practically growled. What did he just say? Did that sound like he was protecting her from Reginald? What the deuce was he talking about now? He needed to keep his mouth shut. And why was she still standing between his legs with those big tawny eyes wide and her succulent lips in that damnable o shape?

He tried to stand up. He thought he had had more room. He didn’t. As he pushed the chair back and rose to his full stature, his body brushed hers all the way up. Every single point of contact was burning.

He put his hands on her shoulders to push her away, but he couldn’t bring himself to depart from her softness. Bloody hell she was so soft and innocent. His arms slid down to her waist and he leaned in.

“Gregory,” Mary whispered.

“Hmm?”

“You’re on my nightrail.”

Mary braced herself for a kiss. But in the same way the dreams she had for herself felt just out of reach, so too was this kiss.

As he leaned in further, his lips brushed her ear and she shuddered. His breath spilled into her body, “Go to bed, Mary.”

His fingers on her waist nudged her into a gentle turn until her back was to his chest. She felt his hands slide further down to her hips. His thumbs made one slow sweep halfway down her bottom and then those same thumbs stopped and pushed her forward out of his searing touch.

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