Page 14 of A Trap by the Rakish Duke
The warmth of her body seeped into him as he raised his gaze to hers, taking in the uncertainty in her eyes.
“I am used to a certain way of life, Duchess. Just because I have brought you here as my wife, does not mean that any of that is about to change. I will only warn you once. Provoke me, and you will deeply regret the consequences.”
Aurelia closed her eyes and almost gasped again when he brought his lips mere inches away from her own. His knee was firmly wedged between her thighs, pressing precariously against her. One motion would have her suspended in the air and at his mercy.
He fought against the urge to take her right then and there as his blood boiled with lust.
Leaning forward, he placed his lips closer to her ear and whispered, “I do not want to have this conversation again. Do I make myself clear? You have your own life to lead while I go about my business.”
He let go of the curl before trailing his hand up her side and stopping a few inches below her breast.
His thumb stroked the underside of her breast through the fabric of her dress. The enticing scent of her floral perfume filled his senses and threatened his self-control.
He was about to kiss her neck when her voice suddenly broke the spell.
“I understand perfectly, Your Grace.” Her voice sounded strangled as he gently squeezed her side.
“Good girl.” He backed away from her as soon as he heard footsteps coming down the hall.
Aurelia almost panted for breath as she pressed herself against the wall, her hands flattened on its surface to support her weight.
Philip liked the effect he had on her, almost enough to take her to his chambers. Her flushed cheeks and heaving bosom drove him insane with desire. He reminded himself of the harsh fact that she was the daughter of the man who had killed his brother.
“I will be performing various duties around the estate this morning. You may familiarize yourself with the layout of the house in my absence.”
He took a step back and adopted a cold, nonchalant attitude.
Her eyes fluttered open as she slowly closed her fingers into fists and kept them pressed against the wall. “Am I allowed to speak to the staff in your absence, Your Grace? Or am I to move about the house like a thief in the middle of the night?”
Her voice held a note of defiance, yet the wild look in her eyes betrayed how rattled she had become from their encounter.
“You may speak to the staff when addressing them, but never about anything regarding our marriage. I will return for dinner. You are welcome to join me on the condition that you adhere to my rule of silence.”
He allowed his eyes to roam over her body once more before exiting the room.
He stopped across the hall and watched as she lifted her fingers to her throat and stood motionless for several moments. He had thought she would cry, but was surprised to see that she merely ran her fingers through her hair and let out a breath.
She is not as weak as I had thought.
He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the door of the adjoining room. The angle of the hall hid him from view but allowed him just enough space to observe her for a little while longer.
He had wanted her at that moment.Badly. He would need to watch himself around her if he was to keep their arrangement intact.
The problem, however, was that his new Duchess lit a fire in his loins that would soon demand to be dowsed.
Chapter Six
For two days Aurelia kept to herself and interacted minimally with certain staff members. After her breakfast encounter with the Duke she had taken to eating alone in her chambers. The way he had touched her made her worry that she would be unable to resist him if it happened again.
He infuriated her with his need for control, but that same control had filled her with desire when he had backed her up against the wall.
What is wrong with me?
She racked her brain for an answer as she strolled through the gardens and allowed herself to catch her breath amongst the many rows of heavily scented flowers.
Her heart was heavy with a sudden sadness as she thought of her father. Why hadn’t he written to her yet?
Suddenly, an arrow whizzed through the air above her head just as the tips of her fingers touched the petals of a lavender bush.
