Page 62 of A Game with the Rakish Duke
He smiled, leaning over the table and looking her in the eye. “I want to make sure that you do not have a card concealed there. I am only ensuring that we play a fair game, Duchess.”
“Are you accusing me of cheating?” Her voice was outraged.
He laughed again. “I would never do such a thing. I would never infer that you cannot win a game through your skill alone.” He shrugged. “You did say I could ask you anything without argument.”
Catherine raised her chin. “I am no cheater, Sir.” She slowly peeled off her gloves and then tossed them behind her shoulders, looking at him defiantly. “There. Did you see a card fall?”
He suppressed a smile. “No.” He cleared his throat, gazing at her. “Shall we keep playing?”
She nodded. “We shall.”
They started playing again. He kept watching her gloveless hands on the cards, wanting to take one, to lick her fingers slowly, sucking on them one by one until she was begging for mercy…
“I win,” she declared, her eyes flashing in triumph, and she threw her cards on the table.
Thomas shook himself, checking her cards. He sighed in a dramatic way. He was starting to really enjoy this game.
“What do you want to ask me?” He gazed at her, feeling a little dazed.
“I ask you to take off your jacket,” she said, looking up at him with an innocent expression on her face. “Just to make sure that you are not hiding a card in your pocket. If you please.”
Thomas grinned, his heart hammering harder as he peeled off his jacket, tossing it behind him just as she had done with her gloves. She stood up, walked to the jacket and checked the pockets before she sat down again, seemingly satisfied.
“Is that better?” Her eyes were full of mirth. “It is so hot in here, after all.”
“Much better,” he agreed, smirking at her. “I might loosen my cravat as well.” He paused. “Just because it is so hot, of course.”
She watched intently as he loosened his cravat. He realized suddenly that she enjoyed looking at him as much as he enjoyed looking at her.
“You watched me that day at the lake,” he said, his voice husky. “Did you not?”
“No,” she demurred, shaking her head. “I did not.”
“You did,” he insisted, gazing at her.
Slowly, she nodded. “All right, I did. I watched you swimming at the lake. I watched you walk out of the water.” A pause. “I could not take my eyes off you.”
Thomas felt a thrill run down his spine. He had sensed her watching him that day, but of course, she would never have admitted it then. Now, however, something seemed to have shifted between them.
She didn’t want to deny what was between them any longer. In fact, she wanted to explore it. This game told him that, loud and clear.
They kept playing. Catherine was good, skillful at the game, but he deliberately let her win the next few hands. He lost his cravat and socks, tossing them to the wind. His shirt was the next thing to come off. He felt another thrill as he watched her watching him as he slowly peeled it off, throwing it behind him. He was dressed in only his britches now.
“Very good,” she said in a husky voice, her eyes lingering on his chest. “You are a quick learner.”
He chuckled. Their eyes met then slid away. The game commenced again. But this time, Thomas was determined to win. When he triumphantly laid his cards down, fixing her with a triumphant look, she visibly gulped.
The time for play was over. Now, the serious business was about to commence.
“What do you want to ask me?” she asked in a breathless voice.
He leaned back in his chair, so she could see the whole expanse of his naked torso, smiling at her lazily.
“I want to ask you to come and sit on my lap,” he said slowly.
Her eyes widened. She gulped again. “You want me to sit on your lap?”
He nodded. “Yes.” A pause. “Please.”
