All About the Duke (The Dukes' Club Book 4) by Eva Devon

wine.”
    Her eyes watered as she drew in another deep sip, trying not to seem shocked that he hadn’t moved his hand away from her back. That he was, in fact, slightly rubbing his palm along her shoulder blades. So she searched for something, anything, to say that wouldn’t make her seem a complete ninny. “Do you often resuscitate ladies?”
    A dark, mischievous laugh rolled from his lips. “They do have a tendency to faint in my presence. Or so they feign.”
    “Faint?” She blinked, wondering at the ninny-hammered nature of so many women. She blamed society. Women were not inherently silly. “Why would they faint?”
    “Out of pleasure I presume. But even I have doubts that I have such powers.”
    Fainting from pleasure? She’d never fainted once in her life. “Might I ask, why would someone become incapacitated by such a thing?”
    His hand paused in its firm but seductive stroking. “I beg your pardon?”
    She cleared her throat then gulped more of the wine, feeling more and more comfortable discussing such shocking things by the sip. “ Faint from pleasure . I would like you to elucidate.”
    “For one, most ladies who faint from pleasure don’t use words like elucidate. Women who use such words usually give as much pleasure as they take.”
    “Indeed?”
    “Mmm. There’s something about intelligent women. They realize the more pleasure they give the more their partner will desire to return it.”
    “I see.” She didn’t see at all. Well, she understood the concept that giving might assist one in getting, but she didn’t truly understand the hows. Of course, she had a basic understanding of anatomy. Anyone who went to a museum or the Academy to look at the pictures did.
    “You have the most curious expression on your face, Alfred.”
    “I. . .” She stared at her wine glass. There was about a half inch left. Shrugging, she brought it to her lips then drank until there wasn’t a drop left.
    He arched a roguish brow. “Requires that much courage, eh?”
    “Unlike you, I am not accustomed to discussing lewd things.”
    “How should I know what you’re accustomed to? You’ve run off from home, cut your hair, and have been pretending to be a young man. Who knows what other scandalous things you’ve gotten up to.”
    “I assure you,” she said, feeling strangely indignant. “I have the most honorable character.”
    “How very boring.”
    She frowned, her face warm. Boring? “I have no wish to be. It’s a fate worse than death, being boring.”
    He laughed softly. “I wouldn’t go that far, Alfred.”
    “Wouldn’t you?” She gestured with her empty glass. “Might as well just step into the grave if one is going to be boring.”
    Tears stung her eyes and she blinked rapidly. It wasn’t just being boring though. It was having one’s will crushed by a society that didn’t accept interesting women.
    The duke cocked his head to the left and sipped his wine. “I’m sure there are many happy boring people.”
    She shook off the unhappy thought and allowed herself to feel the confidence of his presence. After all, he was being so receptive to her thoughts. Unlike any one since she and Juliana had been girls.
    “Fools,” she said firmly.
    “Perhaps.”
    “Explain to me this pleasuring business,” she suddenly demanded, determined to be anything but boring or broken. Wait. There was something far better. She pushed herself to her feet, swaying slightly. “I change my mind.”
    A soft laugh passed his lips. “Do you?”
    “Mmm.” She lifted her gaze to his and, daring herself for everything she was worth, she placed her free hand on his chest. The feel of his hard, warm skin over muscle was positively thrilling. She wished she could rip his shirt from him and feel his velvet skin beneath her palm. Perhaps she could.
    “Show me,” she whispered.
    He stilled, the laughter dimming from his face, replaced by something far more dangerous. Silence followed her proposal as he stood as