said, “I agree, Lily. My sister is delightful.”
He hesitated as if he would say something else, but then lifted his glass and took another drink. She lifted her glass and drank as well. She felt a little giddy and knew that they had finished at least two bottles of wine between them over the course of the last few hours.
She said, “It must be very late. I think I should retire.”
She stood up quickly. Duncan followed her movement and gently held her shoulder as she swayed slightly.
He said, “Let me walk you up.”
She wrapped her arm through his as they headed into the hallway. It was dimly lit and she was vaguely aware no servants were about. He put his hand over hers and pulled her into the library.
“I want to get something to read,” he murmured.
Releasing his hold, she followed him and stepped into the room, which was lit by the glow from the fireplace.
Turning to look at the bookshelf to her right, she sensed he was looking at her as he asked, “Do you need something?”
She turned and met his gaze as he pointed to the bookshelf.
“No. Thank you.”
She watched as he seemed a little unsteady as his right forefinger glided over the titles of the books. He glanced sideways at her as he pulled a book from the shelf. Walking towards her, he said, “This is a murder mystery. Do you like mysteries?”
She laughed slightly as the effects of the wine she drank made him seem a little less imposing than he was trying to be. She replied, “I enjoy a good mystery.”
His gaze traveled over her length before he said, “You are a mystery to me.”
He swayed slightly as he held out his arm for her. She hesitated, but wound her arm through his as he led her back towards the door, but then he stopped and pulled away. He looked down at the book and tossed it withexpert precision onto a nearby chair. Closing the door, he placed his forehead against it and said, “How do you do it?”
Staring at his back she replied, “Pardon me? How do I do what exactly?”
He turned around to face her and his expression was almost feral. The effects of the alcohol no longer apparent. “How do you act as if great tragedies have not occurred all around you? How are you so strong, yet look so vulnerable? How do you go on so easily and are able to smile as if everything is all right?”
Lily paled. She shook her head as her breathing became shallow. “I, I don’t know.”
“I am just trying to understand you.” Duncan stepped closer to her. He cupped her cheek with his hand gently, but his gaze remained hard.
She pushed his hand away from her face, but he wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
Inhaling sharply, she smelled a mixture of soap, cologne and wine as she was pressed into his hard form. It was a form she had seen all too well the other night and she felt his strength as she pushed against him.
His hold eased slightly, yet he remained against her. She whispered, “What are you doing?”
His right arm was still around her waist as his left fingers began to trace the ruffles along the bodice of her gown. Glancing down, she watched his fingers delicately skim along her cleavage. Her breath hitched.
His gaze followed his delicate touch and she felt her skin ignite from the heat of the contact. His voice was low, seductive when he replied, “I told you. You are amystery and I am trying to understand every beautiful part of you. I need to figure out if you are an angel or a devil in disguise.”
Inhaling sharply, the sensations of her body held her in stunned silence as his fingers brushed the tops of her breasts and skimmed along her neck before he gently cupped her cheek. His brown eyes darkened to midnight as he lifted her chin and his mouth descended on hers. His lips were gentle and coaxing as he teased her mouth with delicate caresses before sliding his tongue over her lips. Her lips parted, welcoming his kiss as his tongue slid over hers.
Holding her nape, his tongue
He hesitated as if he would say something else, but then lifted his glass and took another drink. She lifted her glass and drank as well. She felt a little giddy and knew that they had finished at least two bottles of wine between them over the course of the last few hours.
She said, “It must be very late. I think I should retire.”
She stood up quickly. Duncan followed her movement and gently held her shoulder as she swayed slightly.
He said, “Let me walk you up.”
She wrapped her arm through his as they headed into the hallway. It was dimly lit and she was vaguely aware no servants were about. He put his hand over hers and pulled her into the library.
“I want to get something to read,” he murmured.
Releasing his hold, she followed him and stepped into the room, which was lit by the glow from the fireplace.
Turning to look at the bookshelf to her right, she sensed he was looking at her as he asked, “Do you need something?”
She turned and met his gaze as he pointed to the bookshelf.
“No. Thank you.”
She watched as he seemed a little unsteady as his right forefinger glided over the titles of the books. He glanced sideways at her as he pulled a book from the shelf. Walking towards her, he said, “This is a murder mystery. Do you like mysteries?”
She laughed slightly as the effects of the wine she drank made him seem a little less imposing than he was trying to be. She replied, “I enjoy a good mystery.”
His gaze traveled over her length before he said, “You are a mystery to me.”
He swayed slightly as he held out his arm for her. She hesitated, but wound her arm through his as he led her back towards the door, but then he stopped and pulled away. He looked down at the book and tossed it withexpert precision onto a nearby chair. Closing the door, he placed his forehead against it and said, “How do you do it?”
Staring at his back she replied, “Pardon me? How do I do what exactly?”
He turned around to face her and his expression was almost feral. The effects of the alcohol no longer apparent. “How do you act as if great tragedies have not occurred all around you? How are you so strong, yet look so vulnerable? How do you go on so easily and are able to smile as if everything is all right?”
Lily paled. She shook her head as her breathing became shallow. “I, I don’t know.”
“I am just trying to understand you.” Duncan stepped closer to her. He cupped her cheek with his hand gently, but his gaze remained hard.
She pushed his hand away from her face, but he wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
Inhaling sharply, she smelled a mixture of soap, cologne and wine as she was pressed into his hard form. It was a form she had seen all too well the other night and she felt his strength as she pushed against him.
His hold eased slightly, yet he remained against her. She whispered, “What are you doing?”
His right arm was still around her waist as his left fingers began to trace the ruffles along the bodice of her gown. Glancing down, she watched his fingers delicately skim along her cleavage. Her breath hitched.
His gaze followed his delicate touch and she felt her skin ignite from the heat of the contact. His voice was low, seductive when he replied, “I told you. You are amystery and I am trying to understand every beautiful part of you. I need to figure out if you are an angel or a devil in disguise.”
Inhaling sharply, the sensations of her body held her in stunned silence as his fingers brushed the tops of her breasts and skimmed along her neck before he gently cupped her cheek. His brown eyes darkened to midnight as he lifted her chin and his mouth descended on hers. His lips were gentle and coaxing as he teased her mouth with delicate caresses before sliding his tongue over her lips. Her lips parted, welcoming his kiss as his tongue slid over hers.
Holding her nape, his tongue
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