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“This steak is the best I have had all my life,” Aunt Augusta blurted. It was a weak attempt at lessening Penny’s heated gaze toward her husband.

“I have a better recipe,” Penny smiled. “I should send that to the cook for next time. Perhaps this house would do better with a female touch.”

She saw his jaw tick.

Good.

“We could exchange the black of the walls for something lighter or warmer. What do you think, Lydia?”

Muttered curses fell from his mouth as he raised his head to meet hers. She got him.

“There will be no renovation of my estate. I happen to like it the way it is.” He looked like he had had enough of her nonsense, but she saw the restraint in his eyes. She wanted him to let go of that restraint, and so, with boldness from the heavens, she locked her eyes with his.

“I,for one, happen to detest it, Your Grace.”

Chapter8

“What did you just say?”

Rhysand knew better than to indulge her, especially with the way his breeches tightened when she looked at him like that. Like she wanted nothing to do with him. His cock had hardened for heragainat that moment.The first time it happened, it had been in that garden when she spoke back to him with that foul tongue she harbored. How he would have liked to put that tongue of hers to better use.

He had resisted the urge then because she was not married to him, but now…

He had the chance. It was their wedding night, after all, and he could deduce it as preparing for his heir. He could… if she did not excite him like she did. It was bad enough that she did it unknowingly. An innocent temptress with a wildfire of desire in that tiny body.

“Lydia dear, come with me.” Their aunt must have noticed that a quick change of topic was not going to solve the problem this time. Miss Lydia jumped up immediately, and after passing a worried look at her sister, she followed the older woman out. Rhysand waited until they were out of the room before he spoke again.

“You seem to have forgotten that the agreement was never for you to play duchess inmyhouse,” he spat the words contemptuously. He did not care whether he hurt her or not.

“And I do not think that the agreement was for you to be so cruel!”

“It is what people call me these days.”

Her temper flared. “How could you–”

“In any case, you have forgotten the agreement; you are to birth an heir, and only after you have done that are you awarded a house where you shall be free to do whatever you please, decorate it as you like.” Penny bit her lower lip. “You do not do whatever you please here.”

“How do you expect us to bring a child into this world when we cannot be civil with each other? I want to know you first, Rhysand. We can at least try to be friends–”

“I told you already, did I not? I do not have any friends.”

“You should not be proud of such a thing.”

“And yet I am.”

Her lips thinned.

“I see now how right people are to call you theCruel Duke! You are indeed cruel, terrible, and unfeeling!” Something in him sparked, and he ordered all the footmen out of the dining area. He kept his eyes locked on hers as he pushed himself out of his seat and approached her. She stared up at him with fake bravado. Behind those blazing eyes, she looked like a prey cornered by a predator with no way out. He might have been slightly impressed that she did not back down under the weight of his menacing glare that sent men twice her size fleeing in tears.

He leaned against the table in front of her and took her chin in his hand, raising her face to his. God… she had beautiful brown eyes, fierce and mesmerizing.

“I do not intend to argue with you anymore, Sunshine. I can see that you grow more insolent by the day.”

She swallowed, and his eyes followed the movement. As innocent as the movement was, it sent a jolt down to his member.

“You agreed to my terms willingly, and I shall keep my end of the bargain but do not hope to find anything more than duty in our marriage. Because I will break your heart…”

And with that, he exited the room, leaving her an aroused mess.