Page 67 of Deviant Duchess
“Oh, indeed,” Cedric answered with a smirk, “I think they need to be freed as well. In fact, I believe thateverypart of you deserves the same apology that I gave your breasts.”
Deborah blushed, still not used to talking or hearing about her body so openly or positively.
“What is it?” Cedric asked, as if he caught her bashfulness in the dim light.
“I just…I am not used to this. This type of attention or…” she searched for the proper word.
“Devotion,” she finally decided.
Something like guilt glimmered through the desire in Cedric’s eyes, and his hands smoothed to the waistband of her trousers.
“Then pray, let me help you grow accustomed,” he suggested, flipping the buttons at her hips open with his thumbs.
She smiled, closed her eyes, and allowed him to do precisely that.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“And tell me, what sort of pet would you like?” Deborah asked, “If you could have any animal in the world, what would it be?”
From his view by the open French doors that led to the patio, Cedric smiled as he listened to the conversation between Deborah and Adeline as they took their afternoon tea outside. A fondness of sorts had settled into his chest every time he saw them together, which in the last couple of weeks had been often.
Deborah’s expulsion of truth had been eye-opening for him. He had always thought that he was not a part of the problem because he made a jest of it. However, what she had said had struck him deep. Just because he was not paying for women’s company did not mean he had not taken something from them when such company was offered. It had him taking inventory of himself in the last few days, causing him to put off his usual responsibilities to either think, spend time with, or watch Deborah. It was through this that he truly began to see howmuch she could do despite the rage and sadness he knew burned within her.
He watched presently as Adeline tapped her chin and looked toward the clouds in the bright blue sky. Deborah’s grin grew wider as she too watched Adeline, and his heart swelled.
“I believe I should like to have a wolf,” Adeline said at last.
Both Cedric's and Deborah’s brows flew up at her answer.
“A wolf?” Deborah asked, leaning toward Adeline. “How exciting! What color would it be? A boy or a girl? What would you name it?”
Cedric laughed, giving himself away, and the two young ladies turned their heads quickly toward them. Adeline’s smile was wide and instant, while Deborah’s was slow and- God help him- almost sultry as he stepped out onto the patio to join them.
“What is so amusing?” Deborah asked, her soft voice laced with sass as she watched him come closer.
“Well, I believe most people would askwhya wolf, but you seemed to accept the answer quite readily. It makes me wonder what sort of fantasy pet you dream of,” he answered, pulling out a chair to join them.
He leaned toward her, pretending to brush a stray hair out of her face as he whispered, “I do hope it is me. I could be a very good boy and lick anywhere you would like.”
Satisfaction surged through him as Deborah instantly flushed bright red and snapped her fan open to hide the assailing color.
“What are you whispering about?” Adeline asked from across the table.
“Nothing,” Cedric and Deborah replied in rapid unison.
“I want to hear your answers to Deborah’s questions,” Cedric said, shifting the topic back to Adeline as he settled back into his chair and laced his fingers together, “Go on.”
“Well, I should like a boy wolf, I think,” Adeline told them readily, “Averybig wolf, with black fur with streaks of silver in it, and golden eyes! I would name him Shadow, because I would train him to always follow me.”
“That sounds a bit frightening,” Cedric mused, swiping Deborah’s teacup to take a sip.
“Not at all,” Adeline quickly replied with a shrug, “You follow Aunt Deborah around all the time, and you are not frightening at all anymore.”
Cedric sputtered on the tea as Deborah let out a snorting laugh. It was true that ever since his decree that they not be away fromone another, he had practically attached himself to the woman’s side for as many hours of the day as possible. However, he had not realized that Adeline had noticed.
“Ibegyour pardon, I certainly can be frightening when I want to be,” he replied, faking offense as he dabbed at the fresh tea stains on his shirt.
“Maybe,” Adeline answered with a grin, “But you are not when it comes to Aunt Deborah and I.”
