Page 11 of The Duke’s Lessons in Temptation

“Of course, I did. Abigail even told me I was acting strange. Apparently, I’m dreadful at playing the part of a flirtatious lady.”

He chuckled, and the gravelly sound of his voice stirred something in her belly, startling her.

“I’ve seen better.”

He walked to a side table and poured himself a brandy and her some wine. She joined him, and he handed her the glass. His fingers brushed delicately along her hand as she accepted it. Cora’s eyes darted to his face.

“Flirting is about increasing the yearning between two people. The little touches and the words used matter. It isn’t an overt thing, but discreet.”

He smiled softly at her, and she wondered, for a moment, if he was still teaching her or really looking at her. “The most important part of all of it, though, is to be yourself. You can’t be Lady Clark or me because you are neither of us. You still need to be Cora, who loves maps.”

Cora took a sip of her wine. “Bellamy isn’t as keen on them as I am. When we were younger, he often found them dull.”

Damion frowned and sat on the arm of the sofa while she stood next to him. “Are you sure he is the gentleman you want?”

“Of course, why do you appear so skeptical of that?”

“Because when you speak of him, you don’t talk about any physical connection. It matters. You don’t understand that now, but you will,” he stated.

“It isn’t that I’m clueless about attraction. I am confident that when we are finally together, it will come.”

His brows shot up as if confused by her statement. “Have you ever spoken with or danced with someone you felt any desire for?”

Cora blushed, unsure. “We aren’t all rogues.”

Damion grinned. “No, correct. I imagine your brother would be furious if you turned into a she-rake.”

She sighed and took a sip of her wine. “Do you think that is wrong? Men can behave as they like, but women are held to a standard so different?”

Still seated on the arm of the sofa, Damion asked, “Are you an advocate for equality?”

“I, of course, have thoughts on it and believe women are as adept as men,” she murmured.

“I don’t disagree.”

Cora’s conversations with Damion were stranger than with Christopher. In some ways, deeper. It means nothing, she assured herself. They contemplated each other. She wondered what he was thinking. He probably found her to be an oddity. Yet, the way his eyes darkened didn’t indicate such thoughts.

She was taller than Damion right now because of his seat on the arm of the sofa. His legs were splayed, and her eyes drifted down to his firm thighs. An ache bloomed in her lower half. Was this the attraction he spoke of? She wouldn’t know because she’d never been this close or alone with a man.

Liar. She’d spent many hours with Christopher, but they were children, she reminded herself. She hadn’t been alone with him since his return. They’d both grown up a great deal in two years.

Cora found herself curious about what it would be like to kiss Damion. He himself said desire could exist without deeper feelings. She imagined that this feeling was what he meant. Would it be useful to kiss someone she didn’t care for that much to understand the difference?

She stepped closer to him and further between his legs. He placed his glass down and looked up at her, watching her actions. “What are you doing, Cora?”

“Do you think we are attracted to one another?”

His eyes flared with something Cora suspected was desire. Yes, even though they were strangers, there was a physical connection. She felt it.

“I won’t deny it.”

She moved closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “May I kiss you? I want a deeper understanding of mutual…well—”

“Desire,” he provided huskily when she couldn’t get the words out.

“Yes.”

He cupped the back of her neck and drew her mouth to his. Cora, for a brief moment, wondered if her request truly had anything to do with Christopher, but all thoughts were forgotten as their lips touched. She’d expected something sudden or harsh, but it wasn’t.