How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days by Kate McKinley

Author:Kate McKinley [Kate McKinley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Historical, Scottish, Victorian, Regency, Historical Romance
Publisher: Kate McKinley
Published: 2014-04-17T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

“The man is insufferable,” Pippa said, storming in on Charles. He was in his studio, as usual, a nude statue of Venus positioned directly in front of his painting easel, a white cloth draped over one flawless marble shoulder. “I positively, absolutely, cannot be in his presence again! He offered me diamonds. Can you believe that? Diamonds. He said whatever I wish shall be mine.”

“He sounds like an absolute cad,” Charles said dryly. “However do you tolerate his boorishness?”

“It’s not generosity,” she huffed. “He aims to lure me with his wealth. It’s appalling.”

It’d been a full twelve hours since Pippa had seen Lucas last, and she was still reeling from that kiss at the theater. Her blood still burned, and she still felt that clawing, incessant need for…something.

He was doing this intentionally—trying to seduce her into compliance. And what was worse, it was working. She was so weak when it came to him—resolved to push him away one minute, melting into his kisses the next. She was hopeless.

All morning, she’d paced her bedroom, thinking about that kiss, about the way he looked into her eyes, about the way her heart had flipped when he’d defended her against Mrs. Wayland.

It was all just a ruse on his part, she was sure of it. It had to be. His ruthlessness was legendary, for heaven’s sake. If there was any civility on his end, it was part of a plot to soften her toward him. No one in the peerage could be trusted, least of all him.

And yet, at the theater, she’d seen a side of him that had warmed her.

Charles didn’t take his eyes off the canvas. “So am I to understand it isn’t going well?”

“To say the very least.” She plopped down into one of the blue, velvet-covered chairs to his right. “I kissed him again. Or rather, he kissed me. Or…I’m not quite certain. It all happened so quickly.”

He was so close to the canvas, his nose was practically touching it. “Did you enjoy it?”

The memory of Arlington’s hands on her, his hot, searing lips pressed to hers, had sent heat rushing through her body. To say she’d merely enjoyed it would be understating it by miles.

“Whether I enjoyed it or not is of absolutely no consequence.”

Charles glanced over his shoulder at her. “You’re avoiding the question, which means yes, you enjoyed it—and quite exceptionally, too, if your blush is any indication. And it most certainly is. Good God, woman, you look half besotted already.”

If there was one detriment to having a lifelong friend, it was that he could read her like the morning newssheet, as easily as if her emotions were printed in black lettering across her forehead.

“I’m not besotted. The very idea is ridiculous.” But even as the words emerged, she knew they were a lie.

Charles turned to her, one side of his mouth tilted up into an amused half-smile. “Pip, there’s no harm in sampling what the duke has to offer.”

Pippa glared at him flatly. No harm? She almost laughed.

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