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At the sound of her name, she let a soft breath escape. “This pull between us.”

The air in Derek’s lungs evaporated. No. This was just a game. She knew this. It was nothing more.Right?

Derek searched Eleanor’s eyes for elaboration.

“But it cannot be,” she said as she took a step back. Then another one. She turned and left the room.

It was then Derek noticed that his hand was still raised, his thumb extended.By God. I was touching her lip.

With that thought, his mind and body reconnected, and he could still feel the softness of her lip underneath his finger. How could he have let that happen? How did he not have control of his body so that he didn’t realize he was touching her lip?

Maybe this wasn’t a game after all. And if it was, he was in serious danger of losing.

CHAPTER 23

Eleanor stood outside the study door.It is now or never.

She raised her hand, knocked, and waited for a response. She heard some rustling but no answer. She knocked again.

This time she heard a thud.

She pounded on the door. “Your Grace? Are you all right?”

Eleanor pressed her ear up to the door and could hear faint laughing.

“Yes, come in, Eleanor, I’m fine.” The Duke’s voice sounded strained.

She pushed open the door to find papers all over the floor, and the Duke sprawled out on the ground.

“Oh my heavens!” Eleanor rushed to him and kneeled by his side. “What happened? Are you all right?”

The Duke was still laughing at himself, but she noticed he was holding his side as he laughed. “I’m fine. I dropped some papers, and then like a dolt, I walked and slipped on them. I really am fine. More embarrassed than anything.”

Eleanor went to slip her hands around him to help him up, but he scooted away.

“No, it’s ok. I can get myself up.” His jovial spirit quickly changed to somber insistence. “I’m fine, really.”

He rolled to his side to push himself up and winced.

Eleanor sighed. “You are not fine. I think you may have really hurt yourself.”

She wrapped her arm around his waist. “Put some weight on me.”

“I fear I’ll crush you.”

Eleanor blew a loose curl out of her face. “I think you know I’m much more capable than people give me credit for.”

Derek stopped moving and looked into her eyes. “I do know that.”

Something in the way he said it sent chills throughout her body. His voice always had a way of evoking the most inappropriate responses from her body. Which was one of the reasons why she did her best to stay away from him these past few days. Unfortunately, they ultimately ended up in each other’s paths.

She dipped her head and with one big push with her legs, she got the Duke to standing position.

“There we go,” she said as he righted himself.

Eleanor noticed there was a slight wobble in the Duke’s steps as he gingerly walked back to his desk.

“Oh my. You’re completely doxed aren’t you?” she asked in disbelief.