The Rake's Wicked Proposal

‘It would serve the purpose of telling me that he is a cold-hearted monster!’ Grace contradicted indignantly.

‘Grace, I do not intend arguing with you on this matter—’

‘Good—because I have no intention of arguing with you, either.’ She increased her pace so that she drew ahead of him on the pathway. ‘I shall do exactly as I please. Take your hand off me, Lucian!’ she warned softly as she found her progress suddenly impeded.

Lucian gave a frustrated sigh at her obvious anger. The two of them had spent little enough time together this past week as it was; for them to argue the very first time they were alone together was unsupportable. ‘Perhaps if I were to request that you do not pursue the subject with your aunt…’

‘It is too late for requests, My Lord,’ Grace assured him with false sweetness. ‘As I said, I shall do exactly as I please—’

Lucian’s impatient snort cut across her stubbornness. ‘Your father should have put you over his knee more often when you were a child.’

‘My father was everything good and kind.’ Her tone implied that he was not. ‘The mere idea of physical retribution upon his own child would have been completely abhorrent to him,’ she continued stonily. ‘And if he were alive now he would thrash you within an inch of your life for even suggesting such a thing!’

No matter how she might mock the sentiment, Grace really was incredibly, enticing beautiful when she was angry, Lucian acknowledged achingly. Although certainly not in the mood to entertain resuming their earlier intimacy!

He gave a shake of his head. ‘I was not suggesting that I was considering putting you over my own knee, Grace—’

‘Perhaps that is as well, My Lord—you would be made very sorry if you even attempted such a thing!’ Her eyes sparkled challengingly, her clenched fists at her sides a warning of her intention of defending herself if necessary.

Lucian let out a frustrated sigh. Could he have no conversation with Grace without them either arguing or making love? If they did have to do one or other of those two things, Lucian would so much rather it was the latter!

But it was impossible not to admire Grace’s obvious intent to bring about physical retribution upon him if he should so much as attempt to put her across his own knee and smack that enticing part of her anatomy. The mere idea of it was enough to arouse him all over again…!

Oh, not in the context of physical abuse, or any intention of actually hurting Grace. No, Lucian had physical arousal more in mind—both Grace’s and his own.

Grace would look so very desirable draped across his knee, her beautiful face flushed and aroused as he dealt a few gentle slaps to her shapely bottom. Especially if she were wearing no clothes at the time, her bottom bared and her breasts thrusting forward, her body warming in arousal— Damn it, if he did not soon fully make love to Grace he was going to go quietly insane!

‘Grace, the last person to challenge me in such a way spent the next week in his bed, nursing a couple of broken ribs and a very bruised jaw!’

Grace eyed him uncertainly, knowing by the coldness of Lucian’s narrowed gaze and the tight clenching of his jaw that she had pushed his patience to the limit of its endurance. She also knew that she was now arguing with him for argument’s sake…

Not that she wasn’t angry with him for daring to forbid her to do anything—because she most certainly was. But Grace was very aware that a few short minutes ago she had once again been in Lucian’s arms. Willingly. That but for Francis Wynter’s interruption she might even now be lying on the soft brown soil beneath the trees, doing much more than allowing him to kiss her. His description of placing her across his knee while he administered smacks to her bottom had ignited a warmth between her thighs that she had no control over.

It would not do. In view of the fact that it was still her intention to end their betrothal at the earliest opportunity, it really would not do!

Her mouth curled disdainfully. ‘How typical of a man to think that he can settle all disagreements with one form of physical retribution or another.’

‘I guarantee, Grace, that you would thoroughly enjoy the sort of physical retribution I would bring to bear on you!’ The leashed power of Lucian’s tensed body was almost tangible as he looked down at her from between narrowed lids.