Page 77 of Claimed By Her Forbidden Duke
She forced a smile, but Edmund was only looking more interested than put off.
“And whatdoyou believe in, then?”
“Passion,” she answered, finishing her main course, pleased to find that he had, too. “Pleasure. They are things I have not experienced properly, but I wish to. They are tangible, are they not? They can be short-term or long-term, depending on the people. For example, Julian Gray’s currency is passion. He deals in pleasure for however long a client wishes. He seems happy.”
“He is most happy.” Edmund chuckled.
“And that is my point. A woman seems happier in lust than in love.”
He eyed her with an amused smile, and the way he did not take his eyes off her as he drank his wine sent tingles down her spine. She fought back a shiver.
“And you, Penelope. Are you in lust?”
“I…” she trailed off, suddenly panicked at the question.
She knew what she was, had discussed it with Daphne only days ago, but the way those gray eyes met hers made her breathless, thoughtless.
“I promised you dessert,” Edmund said, sparing her from answering, as he tugged off the lid of another dish, revealing a glistening honey cake.
The sheen of the icing made her mouth water, but it also made her envision how it might look smeared over the Duke’s mouth. He looked at her as though he was envisioning the same.
Suddenly, the room seemed smaller, and Penelope’s breath caught.
“Dessert,” she whispered.
He smirked at her. “The offer still stands—for it to be you.”
Penelope’s pulse sped up as he stood up. She expected him to come around to her, but he only cut another slice of the cake and plated it up, bringing it over to her. With a spoon, he speared a bite off the end and held it up to her mouth. Honey dripped onto her lips, onto her waiting tongue as she swept it over the icing.
Edmund’s eyes darkened. “Perhaps I can have both,” he murmured, his eyes flickering over her face.
He leaned in closer, his hand cupping her cheek. His mouth lowered to hers until they were an inch apart, and Penelope fought the urge to close the distance immediately—only to pull back entirely.
Her chest clenched in panic as she dabbed her mouth with a napkin, whirling away from the Duke and his kisses and his teasing and promises.
“Penelope?” he asked.
“We—we cannot,” she whispered, turning back to him. “It is too dangerous, and I-I cannot let my brother find out. If… if he does, oh, Heavens, it will be the end of me.”
“Penelope,” he said again, reaching for her. “Did I move too fast? I apologize if I did, but please, return to dinner with me. What we have here is perfectly safe. We are away from prying eyes and?—”
“It is easy for you to reassure me,” she snapped, her panic making her defensive and sharp. “If we were caught, you would remain unscathed. You keep on kissing me and touching me, and yet you can walk away as though nothing ever happened. But me—I am adjusting my dresses with the tears in them, climbing out of balcony windows, and trying not to panic over being caught. How can you be so calm when you were almost found with me? I cannot help thinking it is because you truly do not care.”
Edmund scowled at her, insulted and frustrated.
“That is really what you think? That I do not care? That I walk away for that? Penelope, I walk away because you inhabit every thought of mine. Because what I said in the library was true—that I have walked away foryou, because if I let myself have you, I will never stop, never satisfy the craving I feel for you. It will not be a one-time thing, so I have put off having even the smallest taste of you, but I no longer can. Heavens, I cannot eat, I cannot sleep. You are always there, no matter how much I chase you from my mind. Do you know how insane that can drive a man? Against every good reason, Penelope, Iwant you. I want all of you, and I will be greedy in what I take if I have your consent.”
Penelope could only stare at him for a moment.
“It is true, then,” she whispered. “What you said about being…affectedby me?”
“It is very true,” he ground out. “I have suffered greatly, and nothing has satisfied me because it is notyou.”
Heavens, the image of him trying to satisfy his need alone had her trembling as if he might snap at her.
Perhaps she wanted him to.
“Penelope, I will not be merciful if I claim you,” he uttered, pulling her to him.
