Page 11 of Denying a Rakish Duke
The Duke pulled her closer. Vanessa’s bare hand fell to his chest, and she pushed to try to keep distance between them. He looked down at her hand and smiled. His reactions were disarming, and she did not know how to take them. “You are strong.”
“I will shout!” Vanessa said quickly.
“Your honor will be compromised.” His hand moved to cover the one she had placed on his chest.
“That does not matter! Your chances of a marriage to my sister will be gone. We will be shrouded in scandal which will make things more difficult for her, but so long as she does not have to be subjected to you, I will do what I must!” Vanessa knew that the words were the complete truth the moment that she voiced them. She did not even think as they left her; they were a simple fact.
His thumb brushed against the soft skin on the outside of her hand. “You must love your sister very much to be willing to risk such a thing.”
Vanessa yanked her hand away from his chest, and Joseph released her to stand on her own. Vanessa instantly stepped back to create distance between them. “Of course, I do.” Her brow pinched; she did not know where he was going with this line of questioning.
“I cannot relate to that sentiment as I have no siblings of my own. Though, I do not think that you fully grasp the depth of what you are suggesting here, Lady Vanessa.”
“If you have come out here to punish me— I will not allow that either.”
“I could call the Constable for trespassing, I suppose. Or, perhaps, I could have my servants throw you out the back door— tell your uncle of how you offended me and demand your sister’s hand in recompense for my wounded ego?”
“You would not dare!”
“Are you quite certain of that? You have already accused me of a great many things this evening Lady Vanessa, and if I am a man of such slight morals as you have implied, then it seems like exactly the sort of thing that I would do.” Joseph placed his hands behind his back, and he took two steps toward her. Vanessa glanced to the door. She could easily thwart him; she was a fast enough runner that she could close that distance easily, she was certain of that. She simply had to make it around him first. Though, if he kept looking at her like that, she did not know if she would be capable of running like she ought to.
“Why did you follow me?” Vanessa glanced behind her for anything that she might grab to fight him off should he attempt to force himself on her— her mind raced with every sinister possibility. If her sisters’ horrible experiences had prepared her for anything, it was that she should always be on her guard in a situation like this one.
“Perhaps I followed you because I wanted an apology.” Vanessa scoffed and shook her head.
“I will not appease your wounded pride by appealing to your ego, Your Grace.” There was not even the smallest part of her that thought that he actually was interested in hearing a forced apology from her lips.
“Perhaps I followed you because I could tell that I pushed things a touch too far and did not wish for you to remain upset,” Joseph said genuinely, turning his attention to a large potted plant at his side. He reached out and pinched the tip of the large green leaves in his fingers so that he would not have to witness her reaction to his words.
Vanessa was disarmed, but the feeling passed quickly when he continued speaking.
“Or more likely, I was afraid that you might try to steal something to further punish me for my wicked tongue.” The corner of his lip tilted upward as he spoke. “But mainly, I knew that I had pressed things too far and wished to correct my mistake.”
Vanessa’s posture softened. “Do you expect me to believe that?”
“That is entirely up to you, but it is the truth. I cannot stand to see a beautiful woman upset.” He placed his hand into his chest. “It offends my protective nature, and I do not want your bad impression to stay … I reacted poorly to the challenges that you presented. You already thought poorly enough of me, and I have only furthered that opinion.”
She did not know what to say. Whatever she had been expecting, this was not it. She was not prepared for things to shift in this direction.
“You could have your pick of any eligible woman in theton,” Vanessa spoke softly, attempting to match his confession with one of her own. “My youngest sister’s generous heart is unlike anything that I had ever witnessed … she would not withstand life as a wife to a man who would never love her. She deserves more than that as I said before.” She shrugged her shoulder in an apologetic fashion. “Even if I did not speak as kindly as perhaps I ought to. I understand that it is perfectly common for a gentleman to have mistresses … but Amanda deserves better than that.”
“So then, which Lady of thetondo you believe should be subjected to such a thing?” Vanessa could see the trap for what it was in front of her. She would not walk into it.
“That is not for me to say, but certainly not my sister.”
“Perhaps you, then.” Joseph turned to her in a fluid motion, his hands coming to clasp behind his back as he lured her back into his intense gaze.
Heat flooded her face and neck. “That is…” she puffed air indignantly through her lips as she rolled her eyes, “insane. In fact, that is the most ludicrous notion that I have heard in many years.”
“More ludicrous than my attentions to your sister being genuine?”
“Rakes like yourself are incapable of true emotion— all you know is how to use and discard women! You have no care for the reputations that you ruin or the broken hearts that are left in your wake! You simply take sensation where you can find it to do … whatever it is that you do!”
“Passion, Lady Vanessa, that is what you mean to say. I utilize passion like a weapon in every form.”
When had he gotten so close?
He stood so close to her now that she could smell the cologne on his perfect jaw. Her chin upturned to keep him in her focus. His broad shoulders blocked out her view of the rest of the room as she peered up at him. He was impossibly handsome … so very tall and handsome.
