The Devil Duke Takes a Bride (7 page)

****

Benedict couldn’t see straight, and it had nothing to do with whiskey, but everything to do with the minx sitting next to him.

Had a courtesan dressed her?

By Jove, she looked like
…
like
… H
is mind was having trouble processing large words
,
and
he struggled to
remember to breathe
at the same time, and considering he wanted to go on living
,
thank you very much, he chose not to think of an appropriate word.

“Beautiful,” he muttered aloud without thought.

Her head snapped in his direction
,
which then made his snap back to the stage where the second act would be starting soon.

Well, now he looked like an overeager lad. Splendid.

A commotion was heard to his left a few boxes down.

Paisley.

Katherine flinched at his side. Was he imagining things or was the girl actually trying to slouch further into her seat
?

Ridiculous.

“Hiding?” He jerked her upright with one fluid movement.

She glared. “Perhaps.”

“It would never work
,
you know.”

“What wouldn’t?” The flicker of emotion in her eyes told him she knew exactly what he meant.

“You and Paisley. Unlike myself, he’s a man of honor. Aunt has already announced his betrothal
.
Y
ou’d have to kill the girl in order to gain his hand in marriage, and even then I’d wager against you.”

“Do you always offer such pretty compliments?” Her lower lip trembled. Blast, was the chit going to cry now?

“I’m merely telling you the truth. He is the honorable one.”

“What does that make you?” Surprisingly her lip stopped trembling, her glassy eyes pierced him with such longing, he nearly forgot to breath
e
.

He swallowed, gaining time to gather himself. “It makes me the defiant one, I suppose.”

She continued looking straight through him
,
m
aking it deuced uncomfortable to do anything but stare back.

“Besides,” he leaned in and prayed Agatha wasn’t watching. “Do you truly believe he could bring you pleasure after you’ve experienced it with me?”

The minx smiled tightly. “Do you believe yourself to be the expert in that certain area, your grace?”

“I don’t believe. I
know
.”

She snorted.

Did she doubt him?

Of all the hair
-
brained notions. Had she any idea what type of man she was frivolously playing with?

****

“Come on.” He jerked her to her feet and made apologies to the rest of their company. “The lady wants to take the air…
absolutely stuffy here.”

Heads nodded emphatically, and then she was out into the hall with the
d
uke, absolutely pinned by his predatory stare.

He stretched out his arm
,
giving her no choice in the matter but to take it and hope they would return soon.

Dread filled her with each step away from the box that she took. Swallowing her fear, and to be honest, her excitement of being alone with the man, she continued on until he stopped in a darkened corner and pulled her in with him.

“Watch.” He turned her toward the wall. Oh no, why hadn’t she tried harder to fight him, or at least pulled away when he jerked her to her feet.

Trembling, she had only the option of hitting him in hopes to escape. Of course she had known him since he was a child, but obviously the man was different than the boy
,
and she always had a sort of fear of him.

“You’ve proved your point, now let me go.” She moved to elbow him, but he slithered away.

“Point? What point?” He sounded quite confused.

“That you’re not above terrifying innocent maidens into submission in order to gain what you want.”

At that, he laughed, throwing his head back and then finally meeting her gaze
,
a
n actual smile of amusement on his face.

Katherine didn’t mean to gasp, nor did she mean to lean forward to study the beautiful lines that made up this remarkable change in his demeanor, his deep set dimples,
his
wide smile.

Slowly, she lifted her hand and delicately touched his jaw.

Breath hissed between his teeth as he pushed her back against the wall she
had just been
just facing.

“Am I terrifying now?”

“Dreadfully.”

He needn’t know that she was more astonished at his smile than truly terrified.

“Good, though that wasn’t why I went to all the trouble to bring you here. Now turn around like a good girl.”

What in the blazes was he doing? Katherine slowly turned, aware of his every breath as Benedict's lips grazed her ear, his gloved hands moved to either side of her head, one lifted, and a small light entered into their alcove, enough to gain her bearings.

“We’re so close to the stage.”

“Yes, funny thing that, it seems this box hasn’t been used for near a decade.”

“Why?”

“Well.” He pulled the curtains back even wider but not enough for them to be viewed by anyone. “It was said that Count Von Luxemburg killed his wife in this very box. Nobody has taken it since. It is also quite close to the middle class
,
which is of course
,
frowned upon.”

Katherine nodded. “I see.”

He tensed behind her.

“So you’ve taken me here to frighten me? To explain that if I don’t marry you
,
my fate will be the same as the
c
ountess, is that right?”

“My, my.” His hot breath scalded her neck. “What a fun little imagination you have packed up in here.” His hand dipped into her coiffure
,
brushing her skull
and
causing tremors. “Unfortunately, I brought you to this abandoned box so you wouldn’t need to stare at Paisley all night, and also so you could enjoy the opera.”

“I
am
enjoying it
,
” she fired back
,
clearly irritated.

“Really?” His whisper mocked her.

“Yes.”

“Then what, pray tell, is the name of the opera?”

Katherine swallowed. Blast, she had no idea. Not one clue, but surely all operas were similar? “I don’t remember, but it is very romantic.”

His body shook with laughter behind her. “It’s a comedy, minx.
Le No
z
ze de Figaro
to be exact, and I suspect that if you were truly paying attention, you would be quite entranced by the entire performance.”

She grinned, and focused back at the stage. “What’s happening?”

He didn’t move during the entire act as his lips spoke delicately into her ear translating each movement, each song, as if it was his second nature. When she gasped and began laughing, he laughed with her, his body steel behind her.

The curtains closed
,
leaving them once again in utter darkness.

“We should return,” Katherine whispered. “Surely, they will start to worry about us being alone for so long.”

“Do you truly think it could get any worse?”
h
e joked.

Katherine stifled a laugh. “Well, considering most the
ton
saw my skirts up past my knees…”

“Glorious looking knees
,
by the way
.
I would love to see them again
,
”
h
e interrupted.

“I thought you were unconscious.”

“Perhaps I stole a peek.”

“Rogue.”

“Always.”

Katherine shivered as his body left hers. She rubbed her arms at the sudden chill. What in the world was wrong with her?

The white of Benedict’s gloves was visible in the darkened box
.
H
is hand slowly moved in front of him and then reached for the back of her head.

All was lost.

For she went willingly and quite wantonly into his arms. Not at all sure if it was he who had made the first move or she, and not caring even if she was the guilty party.

His lips parted, a hungry moan escaped them as he plundered her mouth with his tongue. A yearning shot through her at his erotic kiss
,
causing her hands to clench and tug at his hair. His mouth was hot and sweet, demanding in its pursuit.

Logic had nothing to do with the way she arched her back into his embrace, allowing easier access
,
and then when his hands began purposefully caressing down her chest, she was again lost
. S
ensations she never knew possible caused her knees to weaken.

Benedict nipped at her neck, and then cursed. “I cannot ruin you at an opera…”

She kissed him hard across the mouth.

“Devil take me…
I so desperately want to try,” he mumbled as he nibbled on her lower lip. “I doubt you would thank me come tomorrow morning, nor would you be ecstatic to face your parents once they see you completely disgraced.”

She stiffened and retreated.

“Good choice,” he uttered, mumbling another oath before taking an unsteady breath. “Blast, what the devil is wrong with me?”

Was he speaking rhetorically?

He cursed again
,
this time kicking something
.
“I cannot be walking around like some besotted fool, my aunt will have me by my b—” He coughed. “My neck, she’ll have me by the neck, and I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Your grace,” Katherine spoke up.

But he was truly having a one-sided conversation
,
so he continued in justifying his actions. “It is your fault! If you were not a woman…”

Katherine snorted. “Would you rather I be a man?”

“No!”
h
e sputtered. “No, no, no, no. Heavens no.”

“I believe you.” She covered her laugh.

Was he pacing? She could see movement but wasn’t sure if he was pacing or merely throwing his fist in the air repeatedly.

“I know!”

She had an idea this was not going to end up being an intelligent end to their conversation.

“Hit me.”

“Pardon?” she choked.

“Hit me, or trip me, anything really. I need to be reminded how utterly wrong you are for me
,
so that when I have moments of weakness, and don’t deny it
—
I’ve had quite a few as of recently
—
I remember that we will not suit, we cannot suit.”

“So your answer is violence?” she asked.

“Precisely. After all, you’ve threatened my life three times before, why not add a fourth?”

“Why not?” Katherine felt anger rise in her chest
. T
he absolute cad
!
He would rather she strike him down than admit any sort of attraction?

Fine. He would get exactly what he asked for.

“It would be an honor, your grace.” With that, she brought her fist back and landed a blow across his eye that would have done her father quite proud.