Page 49 of Project Duke

He may be one of the best men she had ever met.

She felt safe with him. She felt accepted. Understood. She felt…happy. And even with his attempt to restrict her and confine her to her house, part of her knew he meant well—even though she loathed restrictions.

Despite his misgivings and his barking and his exterior of an irresponsible man, he cared about her.

And that was a man she could easily love. Too easily.

“Forgive me,” said Poppy, correcting herself and wiping her adorable, excited look from her face, arranging her grimace in the same manner as Grandmama. Calliope thought it was a pity to hide Poppy’s natural enthusiasm under the calm and collected mask of a well-bred duke’s sister, but she had undergone the same education, which the girls lacked with no mother and no governess to teach them manners. “And so the man took out a knife—”

“A knife?” asked Jane.

Jane looked so lovely, Calliope couldn’t stop a grin from spreading across her lips every time she looked at her new sister-in-law. Jane wasn’t a timid wallflower, dressing in the grays and browns that she’d been before marrying Richard. Instead, she wore dusky pinks and blues that favored her coloring. Her spectacles weren’t the simple unassuming round frames she’d worn before, but had quite a daring, unusual design with slanted outer edges that created a striking feline impression. And the glowing love that was evident every time Richard looked at his wife melted Calliope’s heart.

Both of her brothers had found happiness and love, but she’d never thought she would. Until last night when, for the first time, she’d felt she may be wrong about that.

While Poppy talked and everyone asked her questions, Calliope’s gaze kept returning to Nathaniel, who, it seemed, kept returning his gaze to her, too. She couldn’t get enough of his eyes, his handsome face. Something warm settled on her lower back.

And then moved down…

His hand!

She opened her mouth in shock, staring at everyone else in the room, wondering if anyone noticed he was touching her. She turned to him, widened her eyes, and mouthed, “Nathaniel!”

Devils played in his brilliant turquoise eyes, their corners wrinkled in a barely noticeable smile, and he slowly licked his lips. She followed the trajectory of the edge of his tongue, and her body began burning. And then his hand moved even lower, and her breath was stolen from her chest as he cupped her bottom…

She gasped and looked away as she felt the heat of his palm spread through her skin, through her flesh, and right into her sex.

“Are you all right, Calliope?” asked Jane with a frown.

Goodness gracious, this man would bring her to her destruction! Heat flushed through her. She should feel humiliated, embarrassed—what if anyone noticed something?

Instead, Nathaniel leaned closer to look at her, as though to see if she was well, and a satisfied grin lit up his face.

“Are you all right, darling?” he asked, then leaned even closer, as though to inspect her face. “Heavens, you’re so beautiful when you’re flushed,” he murmured just for her. “And what a gorgeous bottom.”

In addition to her shock, she felt…exhilarated. Desired. Appreciated.

Part of her loved this game. Even though she couldn’t let it continue for long.

She bit her lower lip to stop her grin. “I’m quite all right, thank you,” she said and stood up. “Just a little warm.”

She turned away from him, or she would redden even more, no doubt, and they would make a scene, providing a bad example of social manners to his sisters. The goal was, after all, to hone their manners and prepare them for their first Season next year.

She stood up, feeling Nathaniel’s warm gaze following her every movement. “Where is Preston?” she asked. “I haven’t seen my brother yet.”

“He has a visitor,” said Penelope. “But perhaps he already left.”

“I will go and see,” said Calliope. This would give her a chance to ask if he had found out anything new about Spencer.

“Would you like me to come with you?” asked Nathaniel.

With her side vision, Calliope could see the excited and surprised look Jane and Penelope exchanged with each other. The heat in Nathaniel voice couldn’t have escaped anyone.

“Please, stay, Kelford,” said Grandmama. “Your wife is perfectly capable of finding her brother without your help. And do tell us about the latest news of the wars.”

Nathaniel cocked his head in reluctant agreement. “As you wish, Lady Grandhampton,” he said, his eyes still on Calliope.

Hiding her smile, Calliope walked out, closed the door behind herself, and leaned with her back against it, needing a little time to compose herself. What was Nathaniel doing to her? Despite her tears, he still wanted her. He’d made that quite obvious just now. There was a promise in his eyes and in his touch, a promise she wanted him to keep.