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She felt the need to apologize for interrupting his quiet time. “I’m sorry,” she said, as they started down the corridor.
“Sorry for?” A lock of hair tumbled across his forehead as he looked down at her.
“For being a bother,” she began. But she couldn’t find appropriate words. She stumbled over her own tongue.
“You weren’t a bother.” He held up a hand to stop her when she would have protested. “You are a delightful breath of fresh air.”
“Why do I sense a ‘but’ coming at any moment?” she murmured.
“But,” he finally said. “I care for your reputation even if you don’t.”
“I don’t give a good damn about my reputation,” she said. But ladies didn’t speak in such a way, did they? Not true ladies. She groaned beneath her breath.
He chuckled. “I give a good enough damn about your reputation for both of us.”
They were quickly approaching the door to her bedchamber. She’d tried to remember the path through the maze of corridors that was the Hall. Hopefully, she would remember adequately. They stopped in front of her door.
“Good night, Your Grace,” she said softly. But she gasped when she looked up at his face. His eyes intently peered into hers, as though his gaze alone could divulge what was in his soul.
“I need to warn you of something, Sophie.” Not Sophia. Sophie. She liked that.
“All doom and gloom again, are you?”
“Take me seriously,” he said, his voice crisp as clean bed linens. But not nearly as cold. In fact, his voice was as hot as a fire on a cold winter’s night. He cupped the side of her face in his hand. “The next time you come to my room, Sophie, be prepared for me to kiss you.”
He wanted to kiss her? She wanted nothing more. But that was not part of her mission. She couldn’t mess this mission up. “Yes, Ashley,” she whispered.
He inclined his head swiftly and left her standing there in her doorway. She watched him as he strode away, his steps swift and full of self-assurance. It was only when he was gone that she realized she still wore his robe. She brought it to her nose and inhaled deeply. Yes, she’d be fully prepared for him to kiss her. That’s why she must stay out of his room and out of his path entirely. It was necessary. Stay away from the duke. He was dangerous in more ways than one.
***
Ashley turned a corner and cursed himself for being raised a gentleman. Any other man would have tossed Sophia Thorne onto his bed and not let her come up for air until the next morning. Damn his sense of decorum. Damn his desire to do the right thing. Damn his moral hide. He had a raging manhood, a desire for Sophie that wouldn’t be easily appeased, and now he couldn’t get the little minx off his mind. He stopped and started to go back to her. But then a door opened to his left and his brother stepped directly into his path.
“What the devil?” Finn muttered as Ashley nearly bowled him over.
Ashley regarded Finn’s state of dress, which mirrored his own. Their valets would skewer them if they knew they’d been seen in public in such a state. But it was the middle of the night, after all. Finn’s neck was bare, his shirt hanging open. Ashley glanced down at himself. His shirt was untucked. Thank God, it was untucked, or he could be forced to explain the state of his manhood. Fortunately, the very sight of his brother was taking care of that for him.
“Where have you been?” Finn asked.
“You first,” Ashley grunted. He glanced toward the door Finn had just exited and raised an eyebrow.
“Must you know everything?” Finn murmured with disgust as he turned to walk toward his own room. A mere day ago, his brother had been lamenting the loss of his mistress. Not to mention his prowess when the woman had complained about his lack of “attention to her needs.”
“That mistress is off your mind, I assume?” Ashley asked casually.
“What mistress?” Finn asked with a grin. Then he raised a brow of his own and looked down his nose at Ashley. Not an easy feat when his brother was an inch shorter than he was. “Who were you with? Anne’s room is at the end of the opposite end of the house.”
“I was escorting a lost lady back to her chamber,” Ashley admitted. No need to tell him who the lady was, was there?
“And you just happened to stumble upon her in the corridor?” Finn scoffed. “Try that on someone who doesn’t know what a recluse you are. You rarely leave your chambers.”
“Perhaps I’m changing,” Ashley tried.
“Perhaps you’re a poor liar,” Finn laughed. “How is Miss Thorne?” he asked casually.
“Perplexing,” Ashley admitted.
“Perplexing can be good,” Finn tried.
