No Duke Will Do - Eva Devon Page 0,5
not at all what he implied.”
Heath blew out a breath. “Your father will say whatever he needs to say to make himself feel as if he’s secure. I have no desire to bed a chit of a girl.”
“I’m not a chit of a girl,” she defended tartly.
He cocked his head to the side then heard himself saying, completely without plan, “Prove it to me. Let me sample the wares, then.”
Her lips parted slightly. “Sample the—”
“Yes,” he said. “If you’re going to give yourself to me, surely, I should know what it is I’m going to be having. A kiss perhaps?”
She tensed, but then it was clear she was drawing herself up, summoning her resolve. She gave a tight nod and crossed over to him, offering her face up.
He laughed.
“Do not laugh at me,” she all but shouted. “Do you realize how much courage it has taken me to come to this place?”
He folded his arms across his chest, determined to make her understand what she was doing. “A great deal, I should imagine. My God, you’re lucky you weren’t snatched up on the street.”
“Perhaps you’re right, but there are worse fates, I think.”
“Worse fate than being snatched up on the streets in the East End?” he spat out with sudden and unbidden anger. Anger at her for her own lack of knowledge of the danger she’d put herself in.
“Clearly, my girl, you know nothing of London, and you know nothing of life.”
“I am not your girl,” she returned hotly. “I know a great deal of life. Far more than most young ladies my age.”
His anger slowed as he considered her words. “I’m sorry for it. I don’t wish people to know suffering.”
She nodded her acceptance of his relent. “Well, I have known it, and I’m here to stop the suffering.”
“You can’t,” he replied without mercy. “Life is suffering.”
Again, she narrowed her fiery eyes. “That is a very dark view.”
“A dark view, but the truth,” he countered. Now was the moment. The moment to cause her to run. To hie off. To forget her madness.
“A kiss, then,” he ordered. “To see if you’re. . . worth the debt.”
Even as he stood there, towering over her, daring her, he couldn’t believe he was doing this.
It was certainly not what he had intended.
He had intended on sending her on her way after having a moment with her, seeing what she wanted, seeing what she was willing to do.
Now, he found himself wondering, how far exactly would she go to save her father?
Too far. Too bloody far. . .
“Come on, then,” he said. “Do your best.”
She hesitated before she bit her lower lip. Then she rushed, “I don’t really know how to proceed.”
“You do not know how to seduce a man?”
“No,” she admitted. “It is not in my purview. Young ladies are not allowed to pursue such things.”
“You wish me to seduce you?” he asked, showing the absurdity of her pursuit.
“No,” she said, perplexed.
“Then, we are at an impasse, for I have no desire—”
“You do not desire me?” she broke in.
He stopped at that.
Did he? Yes. God. He hated to admit it.
He did not generally find ladies to be appealing, but there was something about her that drew him. He studied her carefully. Once again, taking her in from the top of her head to the tips of her slippers, which were peeping out from beneath that long cloak.
“Lady Mary, a man would have to be dead not to find you desirable. Now, show me. . . Show me what you’ve come to sell.”
She stilled.
Then she lifted a hand to her cloak tie, pulled it, and let it open.
As expected, she wore a simple gown. Pale blue linen, the stuff of ladies just come out, and barely a tempting view of her body could be found.
“You know,” he finally said. “I’m not very much interested in inexperienced misses.”
“Well, then,” she said, letting her hand drop from her cloak. “I suppose we are wasting both of our times.”
“Yes, I think we are,” he agreed, suddenly feeling. . . out of control. He was losing his upper hand, for his body was responding to hers in a way it never had before. . . He felt as if, if he was not careful, he’d devour her whole.
“And I think you should go. This is not a path I particularly wish to go down.”
“What?” she cut. “Debauching a young innocent? Surely, you’re accustomed to such a thing. I’ve heard of the horrors from this place.”
“Horrors from this