Page 56

Hector peered down at her with a confused expression. Juliet’s gaze wandered from his ruggedly handsome face to the shirt he was wearing.

The buttons at the top of his shirt were undone and offered her an unobstructed view of his muscular, toned chest, his skin rippling like waves with every breath he took. She wanted to run her hands over his taut body and feel his every movement.

“Juliet…”

“Reading!” she squeaked loudly, her cheeks growing hot. “I…I was reading.”

Hector raised an eye at her odd behavior then shifted his attention to the closed book on the grass a few inches away from her.

“I mean…I was reading. B…Before you called out to me, I was just resting my eyes. It is such a lovely day out, so I thought…”

“What were you reading?” he questioned, dropping down onto the blanket to sit next to her.

Quickly, she nudged the book further out of reach.

“Stories. Just…good stories.”

Hector nodded, smirking at her. “Ah, such captivating tales they must be to leave you in such a flustered state at their mere mention.”

Juliet sniffed and turned her face away. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“I’m sure you can wager a guess,” he teased as he stealthily reached around her and snatched up the book.

Juliet gasped in indignation and tried in vain to grab back the book, but he wrapped his arm around her and pinned her to his side.

“Will you tell me more about this book, or will I have to find out for myself?” he questioned, still managing to simultaneously hold her and keep the book out of her grasp.

Juliet felt the heat in her cheeks intensify, and she shook her head.

“It really is not important. All that lies within those pages is a collection of stories. Nothing more.”

“Are you certain?”

She hesitated, unable to think about much more than the warmth of his body against hers and the heady musk that clung to him.

“Perhaps they are romance stories,” she admitted quietly, giving in.

“Ahh,” he sighed in realization. “I see now; that must have fascinated you deeply. Although, I must say…reading a book to learn about such things is pointless to me. If you would like, I could show you some real activities.”

Juliet stared at him blankly for a moment then the implications of his words sank into her, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh, how gracious of you, Your Grace. I did not know you were such an expert on such matters,” she snickered, managing to slip out of his grip.

She did not get very far and stilled when his hand curled around her chin, and his gaze dropped to her lips then rose again to stare into her eyes.

“I know enough to be certain that I would be an excellent teacher,” he offered as his thumb lightly caressed the outline of her lower lip. “The question is whether or not you would be willing to have a private lesson with me.”

Juliet fought the urge to shiver and sank into his touch. “I must be incredibly special to receive such an offer from the Duke of Islington himself. Will you promise me that this lesson will be worth my time?”

Hector looked taken aback, as though he had not expected her to take him up on his offer.

Before he could reply, the butler approached them, and Juliet quickly pulled away.

“My apologies, Your Grace, but a few documents from the Marquess of Elwike just arrived if you would like to handle them now.”

Hector nodded and rose to his feet quickly without sparing Juliet a single glance. “Enjoy the rest of your afternoon, Duchess.”

As Juliet watched him leave, she knew that whatever excitement her book had given her would pale by comparison to the rush of heat that her husband had lit within her.