Free The Black Duke's Prize by Suzanne Enoch

her shoulder, much as it had when they fought in
the Hamptons' library. He pulled down the quarto and handed it to her. As his
hand left the manuscript, his fingers brushed her cheek, and she shuddered.
    She knew that she should move, walk over to one of the chairs or to the
deep windowsill, but instead she stood like a statue, holding the manuscript
carefully in her hands and afraid to breathe. His fingers touched her cheek
again, brushing the skin so lightly it made her shiver. The other hand touched
her shoulder, and she turned around as though under a spell.
    "You should never turn your back on a gentleman of ill
repute," he chided, his fingers still cupping her cheek. "Even a
cowhearted quitter like myself."
    She agreed wholeheartedly, but still didn't speak. If she did he might
stop looking at her in that way that was making her stomach flutter and her
heart beat so fast.
    "What. no argument?" he continued in the same quiet voice.
"No witty sally for me? Cat got your tongue, Kate?"
    Nicholas took a step closer, and with his fingers tilted her face up.
The Black Duke leaned down and touched his lips to hers in a faintly
brandy-flavored kiss. Katherine's eyes shut at the contact. Shivers ran up and
down her spine and into the tips of her fingers and toes, and she leaned into
him. His hand slid down from her shoulder to her waist, and he pulled her
closer. Something began to slip from her fingers. . . .
    "The play!" she cried, her voice muffled against his mouth,
and she bent forward, bumping her head, to grab the fragile pages before they
could strike the floor. She trapped the quarto against her calf and carefully
picked it up again. Only then did she look at Nicholas.
    He stood a few feet away, rubbing his chin and glaring at her.
"Ouch."
    "Well, it was your own fault," she retorted, determined not to
let him see how much he had unsettled her.
    "I see you've recovered the power of speech," he returned,
stepping forward.
    She backed away, clutching the quarto to her chest like a shield.
"Stay away from me," she warned.
    "A little late to be acting shy," he commented, coming closer
anyway. "Don't tell me you were displeased."
    "Being displeased or not has nothing to do with it." she
replied, stopping with her back against a shelf of books. Nicholas Varon was
dangerous in a way that she hadn't imagined. She had been schooled for her
entire life on how to be a proper lady, but at this moment what she wanted more
than anything was for the scoundrel to kiss her again.
    "So you did like it." he responded, grinning and pursuing her
into the corner.
    Her heart pounding, she nearly gave in. "You, sir," she said
desperately, "are a rakehell."
    He stopped. For a moment he looked at her, then nod- . ded and took a
step back. "And you, Katherine, are a lady." He bowed elegantly.
"My apologies."
    Katherine exhaled.
    Abruptly he strode forward and took her shoulders in his hands.
"But you were wrong. I am not a quitter," he murmured, running his
finger along her lower lip. With that he turned and left the room.
    After a dazed moment in which she nearly walked out of the library with King
Lear, Kate shakily replaced the play behind its protective glass. She
returned to the drawing room to see Lady Alison just rising to come and get
her.
    "Ready to go, Kate?" she asked, smiling.
    Katherine cleared her throat. "Yes."
    Julia Varon rose as well. "Did I hear Nicky's voice in the
hallway?" she asked curiously. "He said he might stop by today."
    Katherine nodded. "Yes. He was in the library," she mumbled,
knowing that she must be blushing.
    The Dowager Duchess nodded thoughtfully. "Ah. He often goes
there."
    As they took their leave Katherine thought she heard the duchess
chuckling, but she couldn't be certain.

 
     
    9

     
    He shouldn't have kissed her.
    It had been a muttonheaded thing to do, something he would have
expected of a schoolboy on his first trip to London in search of town bronze.
Nicholas berated himself on the entire drive