Duchess in Love by Eloisa James

Furtive gropings in the dark—leave that for all your loose friends!”
    Anger rose in the back of her throat again, but Gina choked it down.
    â€œWhen you behave like this,” she said slowly, “I feel as if you don’t want me, Sebastian. As if you wish to marry Her Grace, the Duchess of Girton, not me, Gina.”
    â€œOf course I want to marry you! But you are precious to me, Gina. Not a lightskirt to be treated as such.”
    â€œKiss me,” Gina coaxed. “No one lost her chastity kissing.”
    He sighed and bent his head again. At first the kiss was a mere matter of lips, but then his body woke to the soft body pressing against his, and the eager lips under his, and slowly the kiss deepened, until Gina was being held tightly. Herhands escaped only to smooth the planes of his face, to trace his cheekbones with her fingertips.
    His arms fell away. “Is that sufficient?”
    â€œOf course,” she agreed. “Shall we return to the house?” For he deserved a reward as well.
    He gave her a pleased smile. “Yes!” he said, rather too eagerly, to Gina’s mind. Oh well, once they were married, it would all be different. She wouldn’t feel so much like a hunter stalking a deer. Once they were married, he would be free to express his love for her—if only in the confines of their bedchamber.
    They neared the house when he stopped for a moment. “I just want to make sure that you know that I want to marry you, ” he said, voice low.
    â€œI know.”
    He cupped her cheek. “Because I do. I want you as my wife. I simply don’t want to ruin your reputation, that’s all.”
    She smiled. “I do understand, Sebastian.”
    There was a country dance just beginning when they walked into the ballroom, so they took their places next to a flushed and laughing Carola. Every time the dance brought Gina back to Sebastian, she smiled at him so deliciously that the tips of his ears began to warm. “Gina!” he hissed as they turned in a circle.
    â€œWhat is it… love ?” she said, so quietly that no one else could hear it. She leaned back against his arm as he twirled her in a circle, and the way she looked at him! There was naked lust in her eyes, to his mind.
    â€œGina, what if someone sees you?”
    She giggled, and Sebastian realized for the first time that his fiancée had indeed drunk far too much champagne. She stood alone for a moment as he processed in a circle before twirling her one last time and handing her to the next partner.
    As he took her in his arms she flung her head back, andsmooth red curls fell from their moorings and slid over her bare shoulders and arms.
    â€œWhy do you have to look so…so seductive?” For some reason her whole demeanor was infuriating him.
    She glanced down at her gown, a slim gown of floss silk with a deep rose trim. “The bosom is low, isn’t it?” she acknowledged.
    â€œYes, it is!” Sebastian challenged.
    â€œI feel as if you are always angry at me lately,” she replied. “This gown is no more daring than those worn by most women.”
    She was right. “I apologize. It’s just that—you are going to be my wife. I would like to be the only one admiring your bosom.”
    She giggled and moved into his arms for their final twirl. “Silly,” she said softly, touching his cheek with one finger. He tightened his grip, and her hair flowed over his black sleeve. “You shall,” she whispered, her smile deepening. “I promise you, we will have a private viewing.”
    Â 
    C amden William Serrard, the Duke of Girton, walked into the ballroom flanked by Tuppy Perwinkle and his cousin, Stephen Fairfax-Lacy. He looked about impatiently, hoping to see Gina. But there was no sight of her anywhere. A long winding line of dancers was slowly bouncing their way along a diagonal. Just then a gap in the line of dancers widened