Page 9 of Her Duke to Seduce
His breath left him in a rush. That name seemed as familiar as she did. “Have we met before?” He couldn’t escape the feeling that they had.
“Not to my knowledge,” she told him. Her lips parted, but before she could respond, the distant strains of a waltz floated from the ballroom. The real world beckoned, shattering the fragile illusion that had woven itself around them. Aiden reached for her hand, his fingers curling gently around hers. “Dance with me.”
She hesitated. “That would not be wise.”
“No, it would not.” He brought her gloved hand to his lips, brushing a slow, deliberate kiss across her knuckles. “But do you really wish to do the wise thing?”
Her breath caught, and for a moment, he thought she might refuse him. But then, to his utter satisfaction, she nodded. He offered his arm, and she took it, allowing him to lead her farther into the garden, down a path that lead to the center that would make the perfect dance floor beneath the moonlight. He would have this once dance with her. If his luck held, they would have far more than that. Aiden had the distinct—and unsettling—suspicion that Felicity was about to turn his world upside down.
Felicity could not gothrough with it. She could not seduce this man. It would be a mistake that she could never undo, and she did not want to have any regrets. Still, she could not deny herself this dance. It was the one dance she actually looked forward to. All the others paled in comparison. This man held her attention on every level. She allowed him to lead her on to the stone floor in the garden. He twirled her in a waltz with expertise, and not once did he step on her toes.
The warmth of his hand on her bare skin was tantalizing. She did her best to ignore it. That warmth was a distraction that she did not need. Instead, she tilted her head to meet his gaze. “I told you my name,” she said huskily. “But you never shared yours.”
His lips twitched. “How remise of me.”
“Indeed,” she agreed. “Are you going to rectify your lapse?”
He grinned. He had lost his fight to hide a smile and what a glorious smile he presented her. It was all wicked and sin. Felicity wanted to press her lips to his and become lost in him. It would definitely lead to her ruination, and that was what she had wanted. She had worn her scarlet gown to attract a rake—and she had succeeded. One so beautiful she wanted to stare at him forever. “What if I want to keep an air of mystery between us?”
“You can tell me your name and still keep some mystery,” she told him. “You do not know much more than that about me.”
“I don’t know,” he said with a wicked tone. “I can name a few things about you other than your name.” He lowered his hand from her waist to the curve of her hip. “I know you are brazen. I believe there is not much you would not dare to do.”
She almost snorted. "Pray, tell me, my lord, does that approach usually prove successful?"
“I fail to understand your meaning,” he said as he raised a brow.
“You are praising me for being bold,” she said. “You are being, how dare I say it, forward with me as if you do in fact, know me. When we both know that is the farthest from the truth. We are, in essence, strangers.” She tilted her head to the side. “You are attempting to seduce me and yet, you still have not told me your name.”
He smiled. “You are right, of course.” He leaned a little closer. “I do wish to seduce you.”
Felicity had not thought he would admit that much. “You need not try so hard.” She grinned. “I might be willing to let you.” She lifted herself up so she could whisper in his ear. “For a price of course.”
He chuckled softly. “And what is that price?”
“Not so fast, my lord,” she said. “You still have not introduced yourself. I cannot very well allow any seduction without at least having your given name.”
“I suppose I can concede that,” he said softly. “My name is Aiden.”
“Aiden,” she said. “Now that we have exchanged names, we can take the next step.”
She had thought she wanted to ruin herself, but perhaps she did not need to go that far. Felicity feared if she allowed this man liberties, she would become far too attached to him. He might prove to be her undoing. She was far too attracted to him to take that risk. What if she did a foolish thing and fell in love with him. Then where would that leave her? He was a rogue. It wasn’t as if he was in search for a wife, and she still had not changed her mind about marriage. She was not in search of a husband either. Perhaps she could take one thing for herself. She could have a kiss and then move forward with the plans she had for her life. It was the one thing she selfishly wanted for herself.
“And what is the next step?” she asked him.
“In seduction?” he asked.
“Of course,” she replied breathlessly.
He twirled her with ease as the strands of the waltz floated around them. It was almost magical. The moonlight, the stars, the midnight sky—all of it added to the atmosphere. It could almost be described as romantic. Suddenly he stopped and pulled her against him. Heat swarmed her and her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest. “I think this may be a good place to start.” Slowly, he lowered his head until his lips pressed against hers. That one touch was enough for her to lose the ability to think.
His kiss was neither hurried nor demanding, but devastatingly thorough. His lips moved against hers with a tantalizing slowness, as if he were savoring her, as if he had all the time in the world. A shiver ran down her spine, and without thinking, she pressed herself closer. His arms tightened around her, drawing her firmly against the solid warmth of his body. She should pull away. She should remember why she had sought him out in the first place. But all rational thought slipped away the moment his hand caressed the curve of her back, his fingers lightly grazing the exposed skin above the scandalous neckline of her gown.
She was lost.
Felicity had always imagined her first kiss to be pleasant, perhaps even enjoyable, but this—this was nothing like that. This was madness. This was fire igniting in her veins, a dangerous sort of longing unfurling in her chest. She had meant to use him—to make herself unmarriageable—but instead, she was the one being ruined. Aiden deepened the kiss, a low sound escaping from deep in his throat, a mixture of pleasure and something darker. The warmth of his lips, the gentle yet possessive way he held her, sent a delicious thrill through her.And then, as suddenly as it began, he broke the kiss, his breath ragged as he rested his forehead against hers.
“Felicity,” he murmured, her name rolling off his tongue like a whispered prayer.
