Bewitching the Duke

Selina stared at the swelling in his foot before gently pressing a finger into his ankle.

“Damn you,” he whispered as he clutched the arms of his chair.

“I was just testing the amount of pain you felt.”

“Oh? And I suppose hiding behind my curtain was part of the treatment? Do you do that for everyone or just me?”

Selina rolled her eyes and bit her tongue. “I am quite sure you know why I was here.”

“Yes, I do. Now . . .” He pulled himself up out of the chair to tower over her. “Get out of my house.”

“Here’s the ice, miss,” Mr. Roberts said as he walked into the room and then halted midstride.

“Escort Miss White out, Mr. Roberts,” the duke ordered.

“That will not be necessary, Your Grace,” Selina said with a smile. She walked over and took the ice and herbs from the butler. “Mr. Roberts, I just need some cloth to bind his injury.”

She turned back to face Northrop. “Your Grace, sit back down this instant. My duty is to keep you healthy and standing on a twisted ankle is not good for it.”

He started to rebuke her and took a step forward. He muttered a curse as he grabbed the desk for support.

“Now,” she ordered.

“Very well,” he said in a low voice. “Just wrap my ankle and be done with it.”

“No, we do this my way.” Selina crossed her arms over her chest and smiled down at him. “Put your foot on the desk to elevate it.”

With a low growl, he did as she asked. She pressed her fingers over the bone and down the length of his foot. Her hands trembled slightly as she lifted his foot and moved it. What was wrong with her? He was a patient just like any other.

“I don’t believe anything is broken,” she finally said.

“I could have told you that. It’s a sprain, nothing more.”

“How exactly did you sprain your ankle while out riding?”

His cheeks reddened slightly. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Tell me.”

“When I jumped off my horse, my foot landed on a rock. My ankle gave out and I went down.” He glared up at her. “I must have looked like a complete fool to my own groomsmen.”

A loud cough sounded from the doorway. Selina turned to see Mr. Roberts standing there staring at her hands on the duke’s foot. She stared down at the duke’s ankle as heat crossed her cheeks.

Oh, God, she had been caressing his foot.

Chapter 3

Colin watched as Miss White’s face turned bright pink. Perhaps it hadn’t been his imagination that her light touch felt much more like a seductive caress than a clinical examination. As soon as Roberts entered the room, her critical focus returned.

As much as she irritated him, he was certain that she took her duty seriously. This was not the first time he’d sprained this ankle. Her scrutiny of his foot showed her skill.

“I will bind your foot now, Your Grace.” She picked up the linen cloth for binding and started at the arch of his foot.

When she lifted his foot, a spark skipped up his leg and all thoughts of her skill went out the door. Colin closed his eyes to get her out of his mind. That only increased his awareness of her every movement.

The scent of lavender wafted around him, enticing him. Her soft fingers moved across his calf as she wrapped his foot. He imagined her hands skimming over his body, touching his chest . . . his hard. . . . He blinked his eyes open.

Dear God, he certainly couldn’t find her attractive.