Page 14 of The Devil's Accidental Duchess
“Release you? Because you asked me to, My Lady.”
“No.” She let out a huff that he really shouldnothave found adorable. “I am asking why you… told my father all those things,why you accepted this. I mean, we have never been introduced. We have never evenmet. You do not know me.”
“That may be so, but it was the simpler and more bloodless solution. Unless, of course, you would like me to summon him back so that I can tell him the truth about your little book club?”
She balked. “Well, no. But?—”
“And then, of course, I would have to duel him—properly, this time—for grossly disrespecting me in my own home,” he continued, quirking an eyebrow at her. “I would be justified in that, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes, I suppose you would be,” she muttered. “Goodness, I hate that you are right.”
She gave a little pout that had him wondering what it wouldtastelike. Bloody damn.
“You will find that I am right about a great many things, love.”
“Not necessarily,” she quipped with a jaunty grin. “And while I concede that you might have taken the right course of action earlier, what do we do next?”
“Why, we get married, of course.” He winked at her. “Now, I must see to procuring that special license, or your father might draw his weapon at me once more. Not that it would concernme. I could have shot your father at least five times before he managed to cock the hammer.”
She paled, and he knew she understood he was not bluffing.
“Do not look so pale,” he teased lightly. “I know the archbishop well. There will be no difficulty. Excuse me.”
He was well aware that that was not why the color had drained from her face. A special license was easy enough to obtain. But for him, staying in her presence would be the thing to cause his sanity to fray at the edges.
Philip had scarcely taken three steps away from her when she called out. Again.
“Wait!”
“Yes, love?” He really should stop calling her that, but he liked the way it made her turn that delicate shade of pink.
He liked it way too much.
“Don’t you mind my reading and being in a book club?” she asked, looking genuinely curious.
Philip heard himself laugh. “Not if reading is the most mischief you could ever get up to.”
There it was again. That blush.
Damn it.
Walk away now.Walk away while you still can.
He was going to need a drink. Maybe two.
Who was he fooling? Nothing but a full bottle would do for his situation.
