Page 105 of The Duchess He Couldn’t Resist

And to make her realize how serious he was, he kissed up her neck, grinding against her.

“They will find and see us.”

“Those siblings share the same trait,” Brandon murmured against her skin. “No sense of direction.”

“We can’t ignore them!”

“We can, and we will. Let me demonstrate.”

“Isn’t it behind this large oak tree?” Lily was heard closer.

Marigold tried to push Brandon away, but it was impossible. He held her captive with his body, his hands on her, and that wicked tongue of his wreaking havoc on her sensitive skin.

“You are a terrible host,” Marigold hissed in his ear.

“If I hide out here, I technically never hosted them.”

Marigold chuckled and pushed his chest once more.

“Lily, is that you?” she said aloud.

Brandon looked at her, utterly hurt and betrayed. Marigold left one peck on his lips and let her feet touch the ground.

“You will pay for this,” he threatened.

“Gladly,” she said and straightened her clothes.

“Marigold?” Lily was looking for her.

Marigold got out of the safety of the tree and made her way towards her friend. Lily must have seen her rosy cheeks, but she commented nothing.

“There you are!” Lily said and took Marigold in her arms. “You shouldn’t be working out in the heat. You look… flushed.”

Marigold realized that it was too much to ask for her best friend to leave her appearance without a pointed remark.

“I see,” Owen was even less subtle. “We interrupted something.”

Marigold turned and saw Brandon come out from under the tree, trying to look civil while still adjusting himself.

“Owen!” both women exclaimed.

“What?” Owen moved to tease his friend. “It is obvious we interrupted something. But then again, with these two, in order not to interrupt something, we would have to visit in the middle of the night. And then again, I am not sure they wouldn’t be⁠—”

“Owen!” It was Brandon’s turn to issue a warning.

“I completely understand your frustration,” Owen assumed a fake apologetic look. “It is, to say the least, annoying to be interrupted while you⁠—”

“Finish that sentence, and the garden will have a good fertilizer.”

“I am sympathizing, my friend. I still remember being in the arms of the unhappily married Lady Harriet when her husband decided to make a rather unexpected and frankly rude appearance, leaving me no choice but to jump out the window with my needs unattended.”

“Lily,” Brandon turned to the girl who was giggling behind her hand, “I promise you that I will take good care of you once I kill your brother.”

“Please don’t,” Lily burst out laughing. “Despite his many flaws, I am rather fond of him.”

“Let’s head back to the house for some tea,” Marigold decided to defuse the situation.

They walked back through the garden, Lily with her arm around Marigold’s, and Owen following with a very disgruntled Brandon.