Free Bewitching the Duke by Christie Kelley Page A

wept.
    “Why?” she mumbled. “Why does God have to be so cruel sometimes?”
    “I don’t know,” he said against her hair.
    “It’s not fair. She’d had such an easy time of it. No morning sickness, no problems at all. Why didn’t the baby survive?”
    “Shh,” he whispered, unable to think of a word to say that would comfort her. He closed his eyes only to relive his own anguish at the loss of his wife and child.
    “I didn’t feel movement the last few times I saw her. I should have prepared her for the outcome.”
    He had no idea what to say to her so he continued to hold her close.
    “Why couldn’t I have saved her?” She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
    Unable to move for a long moment, he just stared at her. She needed his comfort, his warmth, and God knew he needed the same from her. Slowly, he brought his lips to hers.
    A gasp of shock was all he heard from her. He moved over her lips as desire crept over him. Waiting for her to push him away, he tentatively slid his tongue over her full lips. Her hands moved to his chest but instead of forcing him away, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
    Wanting nothing more than to take her pain away, he tugged her body against his. They were both soaked from the rain but he didn’t mind. Their heat warmed them. Passion flared as he skimmed his tongue over the crease of her lips again. Only this time, she opened for him.
    The sensation of her velvety tongue on his almost sent him over the edge. He wanted to lay her down on the wet grass and make love to her for hours. As she responded to his kiss, he heard a low moan from her throat.
    God, this wasn’t right. He couldn’t want her like this. He couldn’t make love to her all night. But his body wouldn’t listen to reason. He trailed his hands down her back and cupped her buttocks.
    She moaned again as he pressed her hips to his growing erection. He wanted to slip into her warm depths and watch her face as she reached her climax. He wanted to release his pent-up frustrations and feel that moment of pure pleasure.
    He wanted—
    She thrust him away. “Oh dear Lord, what were you doing?”
    He blinked and shook his head. “What was I doing? I believe you were doing it too.”
    “That may be, but I am not engaged!”

Chapter 7
    Selina raced to the woods to get away from the duke. Hiding behind a tree, she watched as he searched for her. She prayed the darkness would conceal her position. She didn’t want to hear his reasons for kissing her. Or face the fact that her body betrayed her.
    “Selina, come out of hiding. I need to take you home,” he said, impatience lining his voice. “It’s raining and I believe we would both feel better if we talked about what happened in dry clothing by a warm fire.”
    A warm fire with him near would lead to far more than a simple chat. With rain still falling, she could barely make out his form even though he was only a few feet away. She remained completely still to keep her hiding place secret.
    “Dammit, Selina!” he shouted. “Where the bloody hell are you?”
    The angry tone of his voice was just one more reason to keep quiet. At least now it sounded as if he was going deeper into the copse of trees. With him farther away, he might not find her tonight. If he did, he would surely tell her that his kiss meant nothing. He’d only been trying to make her feel better.
    He was nothing more than a rake. All the rumors she’d heard about him over the years were true. She felt a pang of pity for his impending bride.
    She stilled her thoughts and listened for him again. A twig snapped a distance away and then she heard a muttered curse. Knowing this might be her only chance, she broke away from the trees and ran toward the house.
     
     
    Randall opened the door as she approached the house. “Is everything all right, Miss White?” he asked hesitantly.
    “Yes,” she replied with a quick glance back toward the pond. “I’m just wet from the rain.”
    “I