Page 21 of His Forbidden Duchess
Her breath caught, and she paused in her walking. There was a level of sincerity in his words and in the way his gaze lingered on her that made her heart race.
It was as though every pore in her body could sense his presence, as if every part of her was crying out for him. She tried shrugging off her overwhelming feelings, crossing her arms, and walking ahead of him.
“Well, do not be,” she said briskly though her voice came out weaker than she had intended. “I have made a bet with you, Felix, and I will not lose.”
Chapter Nine
That was exactly what Felix would have said to her if he’d had the chance. He could not help but grin at her the ferocity of her determination. He enjoyed the fire of irritation in her eyes and the fight in her spirit. It excited him even though he would never admit it.
“You are too stubborn for your own good,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement as he caught up with her.
She shot him a glare, but the corners of her mouth twitched. “Stubborn? You are one to talk. I saw you flirting with that woman at the musicale.”
He raised an eyebrow, unbothered. “Our bet was about bedding women, not flirting. Surely, you are not keeping tabs on me, are you? Or do you possess a greater interest in me than you care to admit?”
Eloise scoffed. “Of course not. I only care about our bet.”
Felix’s smirk deepened, a playful glint in his eyes. “Maybe you would prefer to be in her shoes, flirting with me.”
She looked skyward in exasperation although her glare faltered momentarily, and he caught an unreadable expression in her eyes. “Do not flatter yourself.”
He laughed under his breath. There was something about her obstinacy that provided him with endless hours of amusement. She was so determined to win this ridiculous bet. Yet, the more time they spent together, the more intrigued Felix found himself.
“So,” he said, glancing at her sideways, “Mozart aside… howisthe grand seduction of Mortcombe going?”
Eloise pursed her lips. “Slowly. Too slowly.” She hesitated then lowered her voice. “I need something more effective.”
Felix raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “What are you saying?”
“I have to secure an offer from him, and I am not making sufficient progress,” she muttered, glancing around to ensure no one overheard.
“You really are in a rush,” he said, tilting his head a little to take a closer look at her. He could not understand why she was in such a hurry. “You know, there are ways of cooling that insatiable fire in your belly, if that is why you are in such a hurry.”
When she gaped at him, clearly horrified by his suggestion, Felix winked at her. “It isnotlike that,” she insisted.
“If you say so.” Felix also glanced around, realizing they had stopped in front of a sweets shop. “Come on,” he said, gesturing inside. “Let us discuss this over something sweet.”
Once inside the shop, they joined Lady Brimsleigh and Hannah, who were already sampling the various confections. Felix grabbed a small, delicate sweet and popped it into his mouth. As he chewed, he leaned closer to Eloise, his voice lowering again.
“Next time you are with Mortcombe, especially if food is involved, you will want to be more… intentional.”
Eloise frowned. “What do you mean by that?” she asked as she stuffed her mouth with a sweet, chewing clumsily.
Felix winced and chuckled. “Well, to put it bluntly, you eat like an animal.”
“It really is a wonder that you have any friends at all, Felix. You are rude to say the least.”
She glared at him, but he merely grabbed another treat.
“Oh, come on,” he said, staring at her.
This time, he ate the sweet slowly, his lips deliberately brushing against it as his tongue darted out, savoring the taste. His movements were calculated, every touch of his lips drawing attention. He glanced at her through half-lidded eyes.
Eloise became hypnotized. She couldn’t take her eyes off his mouth, her own hanging open. He looked so delectable, so delicious, that an involuntary squeak escaped her lips.
Felix was decent enough to pretend he hadn’t heard it, but he couldn’t deny it excited him. She was lustful, he was certain of it, and a lustful woman made for an obedient one.
“Like this,” Felix said, offering her a sweet, his voice sensual. “Try it. Slowly.”
