What the Duke Wants by Kristin Vayden Page A

before the fire, holding out her sodden gloved hands and shivered.
    “Take off your gloves for pity’s sake,” Charles grumbled and reached for her hands.
    “But—”
    “No arguing. You’ll never warm up with wet gloves.” Though as soon as the words flew from his mouth he bit back a groan. Wet gloves were the least of her worries when her entire dress was dripping on the floor.
    “Thank you,” she said with quiet grace.
    “You’re welcome. Now. I’ll not have you think I’m dismissing you. To be sure I’m not keen on the fact that I was interrupted not once but four times this afternoon, but that’s no bloody reason to gallivant about the city and get soaked.”
    Carlotta’s lips thinned into an irritated line as she glanced to him after his speech. “I wasn’t gallivanting about town.”
    “Oh, and what exactly do you call, whatever it was you were doing?” Charles asked, crossing his arms.
    “Having a picnic,” she said dryly.
    “In the rain?”
    “It wasn’t raining when we left.” She spoke through clenched teeth.
    “Have you no understanding of London weather? Just because it’s not raining doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way! One must always assume it will rain at some point.” Charles huffed indignantly. Just where had the girl grown up if not London? As he thought the question, he realized just how little he knew about Carlotta. A strange prickling in his chest made him realize how much he resented that fact. He wanted to know about her.
    Nothing could have scared him more.
    “I’ll keep that useful information in mind,” Carlotta retorted.
    “Very well,” Charles responded weakly, still rocked by his realization of the depth of his emotional involvement.
    His futile emotional involvement.
    Of course, that didn’t seem to be stopping him from being captivated by her lips.
    Her green eyes reflected the firelight, giving them an orange halo in the center. Luscious lips parted as her pink tongue caressed her lower lip before biting it.
    Charles bit back a groan. The minx wasn’t even trying, and she was fully seducing him.
    Without thinking, because had he thought , he certainly wouldn’t have acted , he took the two steps towards her, which brought them nose-to-nose. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t back away. Which was all the invitation Charles needed.
    Slowly, he lowered his head, caressing her face with his gaze until the last moment when he allowed his eyes to slip closed. A fraction of a second later, he felt the soft pillowy bliss of her lips touching his. Her breath was sweet, warm and inviting, so he kissed her again, lingering a moment longer. When she didn’t move, he reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders, encouraging her as his lips caressed hers once more, teasing them, tasting them and tutoring them to accept his attentions. The fragrance of cedar and fresh rain mingled around her, adding to the heightened awareness that had already woven a spell over him.
    Tentatively, she kissed him back.
    ****
    Certainly, Carlotta had thought about what it would be like to be kissed. But not ever having experienced it personally, her imagination could only be so creative in its daydreaming.
    Nothing could have ever prepared her for what the real experience held.
    Never could she have imagined the softness of a man’s lips, not when his frame was so muscled and hard. Never would she have guessed a kiss could be gentle and not chaste. The heat from his hands as they rested on her shoulders surely anchored her to the spot, a delicious weight that added to the already heady pleasure of the kiss.
    A kiss she was beginning to return. At first, she was so shocked, she was quite frozen, even keeping her eyes open as he gave the first kiss. But slowly, as his warm mouth teased hers, offering her gentle coaching, she found herself wanting—no, needing—to return the kiss. She mimicked his movements, the flick of his tongue and the nibbling of his lips till she heard