Page 10 of Deviant Duchess
“I will accept your proposal,” she said once she calmed down, “But aside from your offer last night. I have two other conditions.”
“A lady who can haggle, how fascinating,” Cedric replied, his deep voice mocking.
This time Deborah chose to ignore it, figuring she would need to build up such a tolerance if he was going to accept her conditions.
“First and foremost, I want to repeat what I said in the carriage last night- you will not touch me. Even if we are married, I am not going to consummate with you.”
“How very disappointing,” Cedric sighed boredly, “But not at all unexpected. Fine. I have plenty of willing women just waiting for me to call on them.”
Though Deborah was starting to grow familiar with hisdevil-may-careattitude, she was still startled by the open confession he just made about not being faithful.
It does not matter. It is not as if this is a real marriage. Why should I care where he finds his pleasures?
“Fine,” she replied, trying to sound as bored as he did.
“And your second condition?” Cedric asked, resting his chin in his palm as he looked at her with open boredom.
“I had a certain goal that I was trying to achieve last night,” Deborah explained. “You ruined it. When the time comes, I want your help to achieve that goal.”
Interest sparked in Cedric’s dark eyes.
“What sort of goal?” He asked.
Deborah debated whether to trust him with the truth or not as the maid reappeared with her eggs and toast. She took her time deliberating as she cracked her first egg open with her spoon and spread the lightly cooked egg atop her toast. It was only after she finished her first bite that she made the decision to be honest.
“I want revenge,” she stated, then licked a bit of crumb from her bottom lip.
She did not miss the way Cedric’s gaze shifted immediately from her eyes to her lips.
“Revenge for what?” Cedric asked, his eyes still fixed on her lips.
“You said last night that I would not have wished to be purchased by the man in the gray mask if I had known who he was. But that was precisely what I wanted. I know that man was Sylvester Fairbourne, the Earl of Whitford and the sole responsible for ruining my sister.”
Cedric’s gaze shifted back up to her eyes, and if she did not know any better, she would have thought he was impressed.
“What afascinatingtwist of events,” Cedric mused, leaning toward her. “Pray, tell me more.”
“No,” Deborah quickly replied, drawing the proverbial line in the sand, and was instantly annoyed again when Cedric had the nerve to pout his lips.
“How am I supposed to help you if I do not know precisely what I am to be helping you with?” Cedric asked.
“You will know when I want you to know,” she replied coolly, and she was answered with a roll of his eyes and a sigh of disappointment. Still, a moment later, Cedric agreed.
“Very well,” he sighed, “If for any reason, because I am now so very intrigued about how this is all going to unfold.”
He slapped the table, making her jump as a grin spread across his face.
“Consider your conditions met, my darling bride-to-be. " However, I would like to make one caveat to your first condition.”
Deborah bristled.
“I thought you were not interested in forcing women?” She asked.
“I am not,” he agreed, a devilish glint taking over his dark eyes; he leaned in close.
Once more, Deborah caught his intoxicating scent of juniper and evergreen and held her breath as her heart fluttered.
“However,” he said, his voice dropping to a seductive tone as his eyes raked down her face, over her throat, and toward her bosom, “If you beg for my touch, I fear I may very well have to break that promise.”
