Duchess Beware (Secrets & Scandals Book 2) Read online

  An hour later, she huddled under a large oak, too afraid and too tired to move. Coldness had seeped deep into her skin and turned her bones to ice. The inky sky had begun to streak bright, jagged bolts, and emit low rumbles and moans. The wind blew harder, got colder. The bolts got brighter and splintered across the sky. And the moans turned into cracks and booms that shook the ground beneath her. Silver covered her ears and cringed, scooting farther against the tree, the bark biting into her back. The devil was coming for her. He was sending all the demons from hell.

  Someone called her name.

  Silver lifted her tear-streaked face when she heard her mother’s voice rise above the howling wind and rustling trees. Since she’d lost her slippers, her mud-splattered feet were numb. She struggled to rise. The wind snatched the tears from her face and molded her dress tight against her legs when she stood. Weak with relief, she watched her mother materialize from out of the nearby trees and hurry in her direction.

  Then the loudest, most terrifying blast bellowed out above her. A blinding beam of light surged down, as if reaching for her, making her body tingle and her hair stand on end. Her mother pushed her away just as it struck.

  Silver slowly opened her eyes. She could still smell the burnt flesh and charred tree bark, could still taste the bile rising up her throat.

  “Are you all right?”

  Blinking several times to clear the agonizing memory, she turned her head and saw Daniel standing before her. His features were contorted with worry, and his hands were clamped around both of her arms. “I-I’m sorry, what did you say?” Her words were thick and raspy.

  His brows drew together. “What is wrong?”

  “N-Nothing is…ooooh.” A roar sounded, like the very demons from hell had returned for her. Panic rose from the pits of her stomach, filling her mouth with its bitter dregs. The storm was getting closer. Silver swallowed hard, remembering how her mother’s face had been melted away, leaving a smoldering blood-soaked skull with one eye dangling from its socket. Her jaw had been wide open, revealing two rows of white teeth, smoke pouring out from between. Her mother had died screaming her name.

  Silver shivered and squeezed her eyes shut.

  “Dear God, Silver, you have lost all color. Are you ill?”

  She could still hear that awful scream. Shaking her head, she cupped her hands over her ears to try and keep from hearing anymore.

  “What is it, sweet? Tell me what this is about,” Daniel said, his voice turning gentle.

  His arms folded around her, warming her cold body. He drew her against his chest and pressed her head down onto his shoulder. Slowly, her muscles relaxed. She would be safe.

  Thunder rumbled overhead, and she stiffened. She had to get away and tried to pull free. But Daniel’s arms tightened, keeping her in place.

  “Is it the storm? Is that what has upset you? Ah, Silver, I’m here. Don’t be afraid. ”

  The flash at the windows made her cringe, and she knew the awful sound would follow. And still, she could not contain a yelp of alarm when the deafening blast arrived, rattling the window panes. Dear God, it was coming for her.

  Daniel eased Silver from the bath and held her trembling body. He had no idea how to help her. He also had the devil of a time trying to keep his body from responding to her state of undress and her sweet smell emanating up to him.

  With the silkiness of her bare skin against his palms, he drew in a ragged breath. He’d been shocked when she stood from the tub several minutes ago, the soapy water sliding down her naked body. It felt like one of those lightning bolts had come through the window and struck him. Damn, she was beautiful. Her skin, a creamy smooth with just a hint of rose, full breasts—fuller than he had imagined—with dark pink nipples that jutted upward, hips that flared slightly from a small waist, and long shapely legs.

  Lightning flashed again, and Silver recoiled. He tightened his hold, bringing her snug against his solid erection, and groaned as lust swept through his body. He lowered his head, thinking it would ease her distress, and pressed small kisses over her rose-scented cheek.

  What a mistake.

  Unable to help himself, he lifted her chin with his fingers and settled his mouth over her soft, trembling lips. Just a taste, he thought. Surely that would shock her enough to pull away from him. Perhaps even issue the jarring slap he’d need to halt this madness.

  He threaded his fingers into the soft curls at her temples, feeling her pins come free, the silken tresses spilling over his hands. Then he parted her lips with his tongue. Ah, how sweet.

  It took Daniel several seconds to realize Silver hadn’t pulled away. God’s truth, she had moved closer, even began to respond.

  Damn.

  He had to stop. Taking advantage of her moment of weakness pricked his conscious. With every ounce of strength he possessed, he started to ease away.

  “Don’t,” she pleaded, pulling him back. “Don’t leave me,” she whispered and placed her lips over his.

  Daniel fought his desire. He could not allow this to go on. But with her bare body pressed firmly against him, his solid shaft pulsating painfully against the front of his pants, it ate at his resolve. His hands moved down her back and cupped her firm rear. Then he crushed her feminine heat against his throbbing bulk.

  The kiss grew almost savage. She met his passion with her own. The magnitude of lust surging through his veins eclipsed rational thought. He could do nothing but sate the desire that had been building within him day after day, tormenting him from the moment they met.

  Silver slid her hand into his shirt, her touch sending a fiery path over his bare skin. He sucked in a breath. How many times had he tortured himself with the thought of her naked flesh against his? With the taste of her on his lips? The sound of her crying out his name in release?

  He fumbled to pull his shirt away, giving her free reign to explore. Her feathery exploration made his heart pound and his breath hitch. Daniel couldn’t stand the sweet torture another second. He pulled her back to him, groaning when her tight nipples connected with his bare skin, and he kissed her long and deep with slow, even strokes.

  He led them toward the bed, peeling his boots and pants away between heated kisses. They tumbled down on to the blanket and his thoughts scattered when his stony shaft fell into the crevice between her thighs. It took all the willpower he possessed to keep his hips from inching forward.

  Taking a shuddering breath, he inhaled her rose-scented skin then lowered his mouth to hers, still hungry for her taste. Putting his weight on his left elbow, he used his free hand to explore her soft breast. He swallowed her moans of pleasure and slid his tongue along hers in slow, even caresses. She wound her hands around his neck and squirmed slightly beneath him.

  Christ in heaven, he wouldn’t be able to stay still much longer. He slid his lips down her jaw and kissed her neck.

  “Daniel,” she whispered in a husky voice, a siren’s voice, sending waves of longing through his body.

  He shuddered, lifting his head slightly. She opened her eyes, dark with passion, and he shuddered again. “What will you have me do, Silver?” he gritted out. If she insisted they stop, he would surely die.

  She raised a trembling hand and set her palm against his cheek. “Don’t leave me.”

  With a groan, Daniel kissed her. His tongue slid into her mouth and sipped her sweetness. He moved a hand down her body and halted at the soft curls between her legs. His finger found her wetness, and he wanted to roar in approval. Instead, he moved his hips forward, the sensitive tip of his shaft meeting her dewy entrance, and pleasure spiraled through him.

  Unable to deny the temptation a second longer, he eased in. He gritted his teeth as her hot, tight sheath melted around him. Nothing had ever felt so good, and he paused for a moment to savor the feeling.

  She moved after several seconds, causing him to sink deeper. His senses were overwhelmed, raw, carnal, bringing him alarmingly close to completion. And that would never do. By God, he w
as not some randy youth who unloaded his cargo with the first thrust.

  Taking a deep breath for control, Daniel withdrew then slid his entire length into her heated tautness. A strangled groan gurgled up from the back of his throat. The base of his spine tingled. He was drowning in pleasure more intense than anything he had ever felt before. And he had the deuce of a time resisting the urge to hammer away. Slow. He had to go slow.

  Truly, he would have been able to stay in control if Silver hadn’t shifted beneath him. He could no longer piece rational thought together, just knew he would die if he didn’t move.

  She offered her lips. He kissed her deeply. Hungrily. The poignant ecstasy surging through his veins made him momentarily lose his mind. He couldn’t think, only feel as he drove in and out, then harder, faster. And, curse it all, she kept in rhythm. He heard her moan his name, and the tremors started up his spine. Suddenly, she stiffened and cried out her release, then she tightened around him. Oh bloody hell, he couldn’t wait. With one last thrust, he found bliss. A kaleidoscope of color exploded behind his closed eyes and his whole body felt as though it had shattered into a thousand pieces.

  The intensity of his release startled him, then pleased the hell out of him. Daniel laid his head on the pillow beside hers and took in deep gulps of air. Her womanly scent fused with the sweet smell of roses. God’s truth, he’d always think of Silver whenever a rose perfumed the air.

  Rain pelted the window, mingling with the sounds of their heavy breathing. Some of the passion-induced fog began to lift from his mind. The small resistance he’d felt at the onset of their lovemaking settled into his thoughts, branding his conscious like a white-hot poker. Of course Silver had been a virgin! He remembered her tiny flinch, just hadn’t rationalized what it meant at the time. He’d been too occupied, he thought bitterly.

  What had he done?

  Daniel rolled off the bed and began to dress. His hands shook. He needed time to gather his scrambled thoughts.

  Dear God, what had he done?

  When he’d stalled long enough, he slowly turned to Silver. She had the bedding wrapped around her body and watched him with wary eyes, still a bit clouded with passion. So, now he knew. All the weeks of dreaming what it would be like with her didn’t compare to reality, and he knew with utter certainty this night would haunt him until the day he died.

  He tore his gaze away from her and paced the foot of the bed. Why did Silver make him lose his head and act so foolishly? He’d always managed to control his lust, even with more beautiful and sophisticated women. His guilt soared higher and he became furious with himself. “Dear God, how could I have been so—?”

  “Stupid?”

  He turned and settled his hands on his hips, watching the wariness melt from Silver’s deep blue eyes. She crossed her arms over her sheet-covered breasts and leveled him a scathing look. “Then why didn’t you stop, Your Grace?”

  Daniel opened his mouth but snapped it shut. Damn it, she was right. He turned to the window, searching for the right words. The rain made small rivers over the glass. “I assure you, I did not intend for this to happen. I merely wished to divert your attention from the storm.”

  When she made no response, he swiveled around. Didn’t she understand how serious this was? Her very reputation could be ruined. She could lose all her friends and become an outcast. How would he live with himself if that happened to her?

  Silver’s eyes glittered, and her chin lifted several inches. “Rest assured, Your Grace, you succeeded with diverting my attention from the storm. With the greatest success, I might add. Now I wish to be alone, so leave.”

  Damn, what an alluring wench. Her hair cascaded around her face and down her shoulders in deep red waves, and her rosy lips were swollen and glistening wet from his kisses. Kisses that made his blood boil and rush down to thicken his manhood.

  Daniel gritted his teeth against the urge to storm to Silver and make love to her all over again. Instead, he spun on his heel and left.

  Chapter Seven

  Silver dressed long before sunrise the next morning. At quarter past three, she had given up on sleep all together and fumbled into her clothes. The duke haunted her. His scent clung to her sheets, keeping her wide awake. She even tried sleeping on the chair, but when she closed her eyes, what they shared kept invading her mind. The constant throb between her thighs didn’t help matters, either.

  While waiting for the sun to come up, she paced her bedroom, preparing herself to face Daniel at breakfast. Oh, God, even the thought of his name twisted her stomach in knots. Silver halted at the windows and glanced out into the darkness, shuddering at the memory of his reaction. Had it truly been such a horrible mistake? For him, yes. But for her? She wrapped her arms around her chilled body. She could not call it a mistake. Not when it had been so wondrous and beautiful. Not when she would do it again if given half a chance.

  By the time the sun peeked up over the horizon, Silver had changed her mind at least a dozen times. She couldn’t remain in her room forever. Aunt Prudence would suspect something if she didn’t show up for breakfast. And her brothers... She cringed. No, facing the duke again would be inevitable. She might as well get it over with before her brothers returned from market.

  Silver walked to the door and froze. What would Daniel say to her? How would he react? Would he still be upset? She pressed her forehead against the cool wood. Would he simply ignore her? Pretend nothing happened?

  She spun around, shaking her head. How could she face him? She settled a hand over her pounding heart and glanced at the bed. Reliving what had happened there over and over would drive her insane. So, she couldn’t stay hidden in her room. With a deep breath, she turned and opened the door before changing her mind again.

  Each step became more difficult than the last as Silver made her way to the breakfast room. Several times, she jerked to a halt, ready to scamper back upstairs. But she quelled her panic and forged ahead. Her whole body trembled as she stepped through the doorway. She clutched the folds of her gray skirt and slowly looked up.

  Not there. She exhaled the breath she had been holding for what seemed like forever. Only Garrett and her aunt were seated at the table. Dizzy with relief, she made her way forward.

  Garrett stood and held out her chair. “Good morning, Silver. I hope the storm didn’t keep you awake half the night?”

  She forced a smile and took her seat. “Good morn…” Her words died on her lips when Daniel stepped into the room. She gripped her trembling hands together in her lap and looked away.

  Thank goodness Mrs. Burns chose that exact moment to roll in a cart from the kitchen, breaking the awkward silence with at least two squeaky wheels and the rattling of china. “Some storm, aye, Silver?” the housekeeper asked, transferring the heaping platters of ham and kippers onto the sideboard.

  Keenly aware of the duke taking his seat directly across from her, Silver almost missed the question. She cleared her throat, focusing on what had been asked, trying not to notice how the smell of food made her stomach roll. The storm. Last night. She closed her eyes. Dear God in heaven. Last night.

  Something touched her arm and she started. Barely able to swallow back a gasp, she found Garrett studying her with worried eyes. “Are you all right?”

  No. She was anything but all right. Especially now that the whole room was staring right at her. She could also feel the duke’s green eyes on her and fought the urge to jump up and fly from the room. That would be way too suspicious. Aunt Prudence was already scrutinizing her odd behavior. Instead she summoned all her strength to force a calm, pleasant expression and nodded. “Yes, I’m fine, Garrett.”

  The meal went on for days. Silver could only move the food around with her fork. Daniel never looked back in her direction. He spoke with Garrett and her aunt in his usual manner, giving no indication of what had happened the night before. Silver couldn’t help but be perturbed by his composure. Especially since she struggled so hard to remain calm. She noticed fro
m beneath her lashes he looked as though he had slept well. Curse him. No dark smudges showed beneath his eyes, and his graceful movements gave no evidence of fatigue.

  Although she tried to repress them, images of what they shared flooded her mind yet again, making her body tingle. Silver pressed her lips together, determined to ignore any attraction she felt for the duke, and glanced away. If he could sit there so calm and act as though nothing had happened between them, then, by God, so could she.

  “How did you fare last night?”

  Silver nearly dropped her teacup. “Pardon?” Knowing she had little choice, she looked up and tried in vain to focus solely on her aunt.

  “I’m certain the storm was a frightening affair,” Prudence said with narrowed eyes. “Do forgive me for not coming to you, child, I felt unwell.”

  She noticed her aunt’s untouched plate and frowned. “You needn’t apologize.” Her throat tightened. “I managed.” Daniel gave no indication he had overheard the conversation as he lifted his teacup to his lips. She shifted her focus back to her aunt. “Shall I send for the doctor?”

  Prudence shook her head. “I feel much more the thing this morning.”

  Silver nodded, absently rubbing her damp palms over her skirt. Something wasn’t quite right. Could her aunt know what had happened? She found her gaze once again on Daniel as he sliced the ham on his plate. His fingers were long and slender, the backs of his hands smooth except for a small crescent-shaped scar near the middle knuckle of his right hand. Visions of his beautiful, nude body assaulted her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed her cheeks weren’t shining like two ripe apples.

  Aunt Prudence spoke again. “Would you care to assist me with my embroidery this morning?”

  Silver chanced a peek at the duke, certain he still ignored her. Instead, her gaze crashed into glinting green eyes full of raw hunger. With a swift intake of breath, Silver jerked to her feet, nearly upsetting her chair, and fled the room. Being in Daniel’s presence tore at the core of her soul and made her yearn for something so deeply she couldn’t stand it. Perhaps staying away from him would give her tattered heart some time to mend.