Page 9

“You already know what,” Alice hissed at him, swatting his arm playfully. “Now, do behave, darling—unlessyouwant to be the one explaining to dear Ethan why we must leave his party much earlier than is considered polite.”

“You have never been much for politeness.”

From other people, that might have sounded incredibly rude, but the lighthearted banter between her sister and brother-in-law was so sweet that it fairly made Phoebe’s teeth ache just listening to it.

Her heart, too, when she realized with a sinking feeling that she may never be as comfortable with her own betrothed as Alice was with Colin. She hardly knew the Viscount Dexford, but she did not think that he would take kindly to her taking such liberties to tease him, especially in a public setting like the one they were currently in.

Most gentlemen never did.

She sighed again as they were ushered into the ballroom, blinking slightly at the sight of such a grand chandelier allaglow. Music drifted vibrantly from where a string quartet was playing by the dance floor, and—oh dear heavens! Was that a champagne fountain made of a tower of delicate crystal flutes?

The decadence of the entire affair was nothing like she had ever seen before. Certainly worthy of being hosted by the Duke of Sin himself, if she was brave enough to utter it out loud.

“I am surprised to see that you have taken my suggestion to heart,” a low, silky voice murmured against her left ear, sending shivers through her body.

Phoebe whirled around, and true enough, Ethan was smirking at her, his eyes glinting as he boldly ran them from the top of her head down to her toes, lingering where the neckline dipped most provocatively.

I should have never worn this dress here.Even if Mama had been most adamant about it.

“I should warn you to curb your wild ways, Your Grace,” she muttered, secretly hating how breathless his gaze had made her.

He chuckled, the sound low and rich andabsolutelysensual. “My, my, Lady Phoebe Barkley. I never knew you had such fire in you.”

She bit her lips as he delicately trailed a finger down her arm.

“Perhaps,” he continued silkily, “if you had been so bold earlier, tonight would be much different…”

He was talking such nonsense that Phoebe nearly burst into giggles. Did he really think that she would be able to capture his attention if she had worn a few more provocative dresses?

“And I would suggest that you keep your hands to yourself, Your Grace,” she reminded him primly. “You are about to be married now. Another Wolf tamed.”

She saw how his eyes darkened with a simmering fury and should have stopped right there. Instead, she let out a dramatic sigh and continued.

“All the ladies will now have to look to the Duke of Wolverton to satisfy their?—”

She broke off when she felt a strong arm snake around her waist, her body being pulled up close to a decidedly harder one. Instinctively, Phoebe raised her hands to push against his chest.

Big mistake.

Her hands were now flattened against a wall of muscle hidden beneath linen and fine velvet.

He was all male, and his eyes glowed incandescent with barely restrained fury.

She looked around and found that he had deftly maneuvered them into a more isolated area of the ballroom, hidden from view by a pillar decorated with lush foliage and flowers.

“You are playing a very dangerous game, Phoebe,” he growled.

She squirmed against him and glared back at him. “I feel sorry for your wife,” she hissed at him.

“Save your strength, sweetheart. She came into this marriage knowing full well what she was getting herself into,” he spat out.

Just what did he mean by that?Phoebe wondered as she looked at him with surprise.

But it was not her business to pry, and Phoebe Barkleyneverdid anything out of bounds.

“Please let me go, Your Grace,” she told him with far more calm than she truly felt.

To her astonishment, his hold on her loosened, and then, he let her go.