Ducal Encounters 03 - Portrait of a Duke by Wendy Soliman

Author:Wendy Soliman [Soliman, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2014-05-26T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Nia felt a little dizzy as she walked into the sumptuous dining room on Lord Vincent’s arm. Her light-headedness had nothing to do with the effects of the champagne and everything to do with the intoxicating presence of the elegant predator escorting her into dinner. A hungry alpha male, stalking his prey and then toying with his catch before moving in for…for what precisely?

Why he chose to amuse himself with someone as unfashionable as her truly baffled Nia. Lord Vincent, she felt perfectly sure, never needed to look far for sophisticated female companionship. Perhaps being at home in Winchester restricted his hunting ground. She happened to be there, available, and had told him she had no expectations of matrimony. Dear God, did he imagine she was cut from the same cloth as Sophia and had made that admission to indicate her availability? She felt hot and cold all over when that possibility occurred to her. But now that she had thought of it, she was unable to imagine why he would not have misinterpreted her candour and decided to act upon it. The living arrangements in their household were rather unorthodox, and she and Sophia were staunch friends.

Now that she understood what drove him, Nia was unsure whether to be flattered or insulted. And what action could she expect him to take if she permitted that misconception to continue unchecked? She felt heat invade her face, and a tingle of anticipation trickle down her spine. Was she actually considering playing him at his own game?

Dare she?

How matters developed between them was up to her because, obviously, she was in complete control of the situation, and of her impulses. She absolutely was!

“What is so amusing?” he asked as he held her chair for her.

Damnation, she had not realised he was watching her quite so closely and had observed her wide smile as the foolish, unrealistic nature of her thoughts took hold. To even contemplate pitting her wits against such a master of seduction was extreme folly. She must be sickening for something. It was the only explanation that would account for such giddy contemplation. Nia sighed, thinking it exceedingly unfair that close proximity to Lord Vincent rendered her incapable of rational thought. Infuriatingly, he appeared to be in complete control of himself; insufferable man! Nia glanced around, frantically looking for something, anything, to explain her smile. He was already far too sure of himself and did not need to know the truth.

“I was wondering if Lord Nathaniel knows quite what he has let himself in for,” she said hastily, watching Sophia working her magic on the youngest Sheridan male. Lord Nathaniel seemed totally absorbed by her. She felt the dark weight of Lord Vincent’s gaze burning into her profile and inwardly groaned. By drawing attention to Sophia’s overt flirting, she had probably just reinforced Lord Vincent’s impression of her.

“Ah, I see.” His sculpted lips curved upwards as he waited for her to arrange her skirts to her satisfaction before taking the chair beside her.

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