Wildfire Kiss (Sir Edward 1)

“Do you?” Corry attempted logic.

Babs put a hand over her heart. “In here I do … but you are quite right, and I am being foolish.”

The drawing room door opened at that exact moment, and Maudly surprised the assembled group by dropping into a bobbing curtsey and saying in regal terms, “His grace, the Duke of Barrington, Sir Charles Liverpool, and, oh dear, I’ve forgotten t’other one’s name.”

The duke, just behind her at the double doors, grinned and bowed his head winningly to say with some amusement, “Good for you, my dear. If you are to forget anyone’s name, it might as well be Freddy’s here.”

“That’s right,” said Maudly smiling widely at the duke and dropping another curtsey. “Sir Frederick Douglas.”

***

The duke’s eyes were on Babs as she jumped to her dainty feet. Her morning gown of yellow fitted her body to perfection, and that body … he couldn’t stop from gazing at it. He found himself almost hypnotized as he looked at her from the top of her beautiful, dusky curls set high on her head, and damn, he liked the way they bounced around her piquant, exquisite face! His gaze traveled down her slender neck to those full, luscious breasts, heaving with her breath, above the empire bodice of her pretty morning dress. Those sweet, full, and plump, and, hell, what the hell was he doing? He was in her drawing room … and with her father present! Bloody hell!

He looked to her father as he and his companions exchanged greetings with him, and went through the usual amenities, but he could see her out of the corner of his eye, standing there like a goddess …

He paid his respects then to Lady Jane, bent over Miss Bretton’s hand, nodded to Otto, and finally was able to move to Babs. He bent his head to her proffered and ungloved hand. He allowed his lips to linger a bit longer than was customary. When he brought his head back up, he found her sparkling dark eyes; he felt as though the air had been instantly sucked out of his lungs.

“You are even more enchanting in the full light of day, my lady …” he said softly and cursed himself as an idiot. What stupid, inadequate words.

She released a short laugh. “And you are, as ever, all too charming to believe.”

He smiled, for he could see the skepticism in her eyes. Damn, but he admired her, and it was for more—a sight more—than her beauty. She could be trouble, she was trouble, bloody hell, he was in trouble.

He played the game to cover his tension. “But, sweet beauty, how can you doubt the truth of the words … even though they are spoken from my lips?”

She clapped her hands. “Very good, but …” Her finger very naughtily, saucily went upwards and touched his nose. “Coming from you, a lady could never be sure just what truths lie behind the words.”

He wanted to take her in his arms. He wanted to shove his tongue into her mouth and taste her. Hell and fire, he wan

ted to ram his cock deep inside and make her his own. Why the devil had he come here to torture himself? He couldn’t do any of those things, so what had moved him to visit her …

The smile she wrung from him was driven by his desire. The voice he spoke to her with was infused with heat. His words were low and meant only for her. “The truth is—I dream of you, of what it would be like …”

She nearly gasped with surprise and pleasure, for she had no doubt about what he meant. She might be a virgin, but she wasn’t stupid. She was not, however, taken aback. “Do you, your grace … and are they pleasant dreams?” She knew she was being bold and audacious, and it was thrilling.

“I wish I could show you …” he whispered.

Lady Jane interrupted their tête-à-tête at that moment by calling out, “Dearest Babs, come help your cousin—she is surrounded by gentlemen!” It was her way of getting her wayward niece away from the duke, whom she was sure could only have lascivious intentions!

However, even as she spoke, Maudly came in with refreshments, and Lady Jane got up from her chair to oversee this, clucking her tongue as she instructed Maudly who in the room required what, giving Babs the opportunity to respond to his outrageous remark. “I am certain you do … after all, you did not get your title of Wildfire for holding back … did you?”

The duke moved in on her. She was saucy and playing with fire, for he was heated up and beginning to wonder how innocent she was. She flirted beyond the norm for an innocent maid. He whispered, “Why is it you have such a low opinion of me? Has someone been spreading false rumors?” He took her hand and kissed her fingertips.

She gently pulled them away as she glanced towards Lady Jane and then returned her dark eyes to him. She drew on all his senses. He felt alive in her company. What was it about this chit that drove him to such extremes?

“I don’t listen to rumors. They never serve to further the truth. I draw my conclusions about you … from you,” she said softly and lowered her gaze.

“Then, there is only one thing to be done,” he answered with a mock sigh.

“Oh?” Her dark brow was arched.

“Reform me, my angel.” His hand went playfully to his heart. “Make of me what you will, for I am your slave.”

She laughed out loud. “Oh, do stop! I am persuaded that there isn’t a female alive who could reform you—or enslave you.”

He was suddenly serious as he looked down at her. “Right you are, my Lady Babs, and how wise of you to see it.”

***