Page 29 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
Pulling back, he offered her an uncertain smile, feeling quite unsure of himself as he scoffed, “My aunt would be most proud of you indeed, Miss Thornton, for affecting me thus.”
“Excuse me?”
Miss Thornton stared back at him, her brow furrowed with confusion. James scoffed silently with inward amusement. Of course, she didn’t know his aunt and she had no idea of the kind of pressure put on him by the woman to find himself the perfect match. A woman like Miss Thornton who kept him on his toes. Yet, there was one thing she lacked, at least in his aunt’s eyes; a title with an exceptional reputation attached to it.
Cursing himself for thinking aloud, he pulled away, averting his gaze from hers. He did not like the judgmental glint to her gaze, the look that suggested she knew as well as he did that what he was doing was entirely inappropriate.
“Forgive me, Miss Thornton, I ought not have said anything.”
“Your Grace, I…”
The hazy, almost passionate tone of Miss Thornton’s voice alarmed James. If he remained much longer, he was certain that he would do something they would both regret.
Though he pulled back further, he could still feel the warmth of her body against his own.
Unable to stop, he reached up and brushed a stray strand of red hair from her face, cupping her cheek and gazing into the depths of her grey eyes as he sighed, “I should go.”
Heart clenching at the look of disappointment in her gaze, he forced himself away from her. Noticing how she stumbled forward as he did, he quickly realised that his body had been the only thing holding her up.
A stab of guilt washed over him as he realised the effect he’d had on her. Reeling backwards, he dropped into a respectful, over-exaggerated bow and said, “I am truly sorry, Miss Thornton, for everything.”
With that, he turned, leaving in such a hurried manner that he barely allowed himself a breath before he had left through garden gate.
By the time he returned home, Miss Thornton’s stunned and confused gaze was still burned into his eyelids whenever he blinked them closed. Several times during his walk home he had felt the urge to turn right back around and return to her.
And several times he had reminded himself that it would be entirely inappropriate. He had already caused far too much trouble for Miss Thornton. He wasn’t about to add any more simply because his thoughts were entirely drowned by the presence of her.
No sooner had he entered his own front door than he pressed himself back against the cool wood and closed his eyes, trying his hardest to remove all thoughts of her. Yet, it was next to impossible, so much so that he was entirely taken by the memory of her when the sound of footsteps coming down the hall caused him to jump.
Blinking open his eyes, he was surprised to find Edward standing just across the room, his head cocked on one side with a look of concern upon his face. “Are you well, cousin?”
“Edward! What are you doing here?”
“Your manservant let me in,” Edward explained with a raised eyebrow before he repeated, “Are you well?”
“Fine,” James said curtly. He straightened up and adjusted his jacket, clearing his throat before he added again, “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see if you would like to join me for a go about town,” Edward explained. “A few of our usual conspirators are going to the club.”
At the mention of the gentlemen’s club, James shook his head. “Not tonight.”
His lips pursed the moment he realised his mistake. The look on his cousin’s face suggested he had answered all too quickly. Edward crossed his arms over his chest.
“It’s not like you to decline a jaunt to the club. Whatever is the matter?”
James silently scolded himself for being quite so transparent. Straightening up and looking his cousin in the eye, he stated, “I am simply not in the mood.”
Again, he knew he had said the wrong thing.
“You are always in the mood for a good time,” Edward pointed out, his suspicious gaze darkening further. A thoughtful look passed across his expression then and his next words shocked James to the core. “Does this mood of yours have anything to do with the stunts you have been pulling with Miss Thornton?”
James started object but his cousin quickly added, "People are talking, James, and my mother is not pleased."
Frustration welled up inside James. "Edward, need I remind you that I am the head of this family, a duke no less?"
Edward cocked a brow. "If that is the case then when do you intend to marry? Is that not the next logical step for the head of this family?"
The demanding tone to his cousin's voice was quite infuriating and it took all James had in him not to immediately react.
