Page 44 of For the Duke's Eyes Only

Viola lifted her teacup in a salute. “To the Society for Professional-minded Ladies.”

“We can’t name our society anything so obvious or we’ll be shut down for seditious activities.”

Viola set down her teacup. “You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that. It would be rather a perilous undertaking. Perhaps we could call it something domestic and innocuous, like the League of Lady Knitters? We could keep knitting and mending baskets at the ready as cover in case we’re raided by the authorities.”

“I do like that. Or we could call it something Greek or Latin. Very respectable-sounding, yet non-specific.” Indy fingered the shape of the coin necklace beneath her bodice. “Like the Minerva Society, for Minerva, goddess of wisdom.”

“I do like that.” Viola clinked Indy’s teacup with hers. “They’ll never even notice us. We’ll hide in plain sight.”

“We’ll do more planning when I return from France,” said Indy.

Viola sighed. “I do envy you traveling so freely—I can’t leave Papa these days. I love him dearly but he is trying to one’s patience.”

“Ravenwood would try the patience of a saint. I’m hoping we’ll conclude our search swiftly and I’ll be able to resume my plans for my next journey.”

“He may try the patience of a saint, but please don’t let him turn you into a sinner.”

Too late for that. She’d been sinning in her dreams with Ravenwood for years now.

The hall clock chimed and Viola jumped. “Is it already so late? I must be going home.” She rose from her chair and kissed Indy on the cheek. “Promise me you’ll be careful. I know that you and Ravenwood have a history.”

“Not to worry. I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him. If I could throw him. Which I couldn’t. He’s too large.”

He wassolarge. He’d been thrillingly in control as well. Why had that been so thrilling?

Those hands of his... She was not a small woman, she had generous curves, and his palms had covered quite a lot of territory.

The sensation had been strange. He’d made her feel almost delicate, and she had to be so very strong and powerful all the time to achieve her aims.

And that kiss...

“Indy,” said Viola. “I must leave now.”

Her mind kept diving off of cliffs. She must grab hold of herself. “Not to worry, all will be well. You’re welcome to practice here while I’m away. I should only be gone less than a fortnight.”

She escorted Viola to the door before climbing the stairs to her bedchamber.

You’re making a habit of touching me.He’d said the words flippantly but they’d cut her because they were true.

She’d never been able to shake the desire. The young girl who secretly loved it when he pulled coins from her ears was now the woman who dreamt of him at least once a week.

She’d tried everything: sleeping potions, counting sheep, long walks before bedtime... none of it helped.

The dreams started out innocently enough. Everyday, ordinary Ravenwood interactions. They argued and hurled insults at each other, much as they’d done earlier today, and then... the heat of anger transformed into the heat of desire.

And not ethereal courtly desire—earthly, fleshly desire.

Dreams so far beyond the pale that when she woke, panting and soaked with sweat, she was certain that she’d been marked somehow and that the world would be able to see her forbidden longings written across her skin.

They weren’t your garden-variety dreams.

Her wicked imagination invented things she was fairly sure she’d never even heard of.

The dreams could take any form, fantastical or mundane, but they always involved carnal pleasure. Probably because their rivalry was all about control and power, the dreams were about that as well.

One night she’d be on top, riding him, and the next time he’d have her down on her belly and he’d take her from behind.

Dream-Indy seemed to think she was far more sophisticated and worldly than she actually was. Sometimes she even experienced a pleasure spasm in her sleep and awoke with a sweet throbbing between her legs.

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