Page 16 of A Bride for the Wicked Duke (Claimed by Regency Devils #2)

Chapter Sixteen

"Y ou wished to see me?” Aurelia began as she walked into the office. She left the door behind her open purposefully.

“Close the door,” the duke commanded of her.

“Oh…” She hesitated. “Are you sure? I cannot be gone for too long.”

“Close the door,” he said again.

She did as she was bid to. The sound of the door closing had an effect which she had anticipated but was made no easier to rationalize because of it. The same way she always felt when she was alone in the duke’s presence. Part excitement. Part worry. Part hope, because despite knowing that she could not succumb to him as she so wanted to do, she also prayed that she wouldn’t be given the option.

“You looked to be enjoying yourself tonight,” the duke began. He stood in the center of the room, arms folded across his thick chest. He spoke with a casual tenor, not accusing, not probing either.

“I am, thank you.” She stayed by the door, not daring to walk further into the room.

“Lord Mildenhall,” he continued. “You two seem to be getting along.”

“Is that a problem,” she said sharply, followed by a grimace as she knew the duke would not like that. Also, she did not want to suggest that she cared about what he thought.

“Did I say it was,” he said.

“He is kind,” she said with a soft smile, doing her best to appear at ease. “And interesting. I was enjoying speaking with him very much.”

“And I am glad to hear it.”

Aurelia frowned as she studied the duke, trying to ascertain why he had asked to see her. What could he possibly want? I know what I wish for it to be…

Aurelia was no fool and she knew well enough what tonight was really about. The duke might not have said as much to her, but she reasoned it out quickly. All these single lords gathered together in one place. Her invitation, one which would not have been extended before she and the duke had agreed to their arrangement.

He was trying to set her up. That was all it could be. Not satisfied with the progress she was making, he had decided to take the initiative and fast-track the process. It was a clever move, she hated to admit, and indeed Lord Mildenhall seemed interested in her. A boon, it should have been, as Lord Mildenhall was indeed kind and friendly and interesting enough. What was more, he appeared interested in her. No sense that he was forcing the interaction, and every sense that he was probing her gently as a suitor might do before announcing his intentions as such.

Still, it did annoy her slightly. The implication being that he thought her so hopeless that she could not find a suitor herself. Does he think I am that undesirable? That much of a lost cause that he has to do all the work for me? Although if that was the case, why had he called her to his office…

Her heart beat quickly. Part confusion. Part excitement. Part… lingering desire to relive their last lesson because at the end of the day, whatever was the duke’s intent, Aurelia was only human.

“There are a few things I wish to speak of,” the duke started as he approached her. She stood tall, calm, refusing to even consider that something might happen between them. “Concerning your behavior tonight.”

“Oh?”

“You have been doing rather well.” He stopped before her, two feet away, trapping her between his body and the closed door. “Since you have arrived, I have been watching you…” Her heart raced at the thought. “… and the fact that you have gained Lord Mildenhall speaks to how far you have come in such a short amount of time.”

“That is…” She frowned as she tried to read where he was going with this. “That is good, no? Is that not the entire point?”

“It is,” he said with a nod. “If you keep this up, I see no reason that Lord Mildenhall will not insist on courting you. And he is a man of great worth, more than capable of paying off your debts.”

“Alright…” Still, she had no idea where this was going.

“All that is to say, I am proud of you.” A soft smile took his lips.

“Oh….” She blinked. “That is…” A frown now as she searched for what this was truly about. “That is very kind. And if you are able to put in a good word for me with Lord Mildenhall, obviously that will be to both of our benefit.”

“Consider it done.”

Nothing was said for a moment after that. Aurelia studied the duke intensely, certain that this could not be the only reason he had asked to see her. Surely this conversation could have waited. As to pull me away as he has done might cause unwanted suspicion . Yet he seemed content with his words, almost relieved as she read it. What does he want?

“If that is all…” Still facing the duke, she reached behind her for the door handle. “Lord Mildenhall will be expecting my return.”

“Of course,” he said. “That is…” He hesitated, biting into his lip. Brow furrowed, she saw something pass behind his eyes, a look she knew only too well. A look that excited her in ways she was quickly becoming accustomed to.

“Yes?” she asked, letting go of the doorhandle and meeting the duke’s eyes. “Is there something else?”

He groaned as if from pain, shutting his eyes and taking a moment. When he snapped them open, she understood perfectly what was on his mind. And thus she understood the true reason he had asked her here to see him. Not that this made things simpler. It only complicated them.

“There was one more thing that I need to point out.”

“Just the one?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“A few moments ago, when you were speaking with Lord Mildenhall, I was across the room and even then, my conversation was cut short by your laughter.”

“My laughter?” she scoffed, knowing that he would enjoy the rebuke. “Surely, you are joking?”

He looked at her flatly. “You know that I am not. It was loud and shrill, unbecoming and surely something that might give a man like Lord Mildenhall reason to pause.”

“Oh no…”

He sighed as if with regret. “You need to learn to control it. As you have done so well tonight with your other more…” He took a deep breath as his eyes roamed her body. “… tempestuous habits, you forget yourself sometimes.”

“What should I do?” She was looking at him, her eyes pleading because she knew where this was going and oh how she wanted it.

“Another lesson, I think…” He growled as he spoke to her, taking another step closer so that he was right on her. “One you are sure not to forget.”

She licked her lips and she felt herself moisten between her thighs. “What… what sort of a lesson?”

“As I said…” He reached up with his right hand, resting his fingers under her chin so that she was forced to look at him. In those eyes she saw the hunger, the lust, the want that he held for her. It made her entire body shake. “A lesson you will not soon forgot. And where I hesitate to use the word punishment, I will let you decide.”

“That is fair…” She puckered her lips, expecting him to kiss her. Needing him to.

“No,” he said, seeing what she was expecting. “As I said…” His hand dropped her chin and snatched her waist roughly. She gasped and he stepped further, forcing her back so that she was pressed against the door. “Not that sort of lesson.”

Her heart raced. Her mind searched. What does he mean to do? Not that I care. There is nothing he could do right now that I would not want. “You best teach me then,” she purred. “For I am a slow learned, and I dare say that if the point is not made…” She shrugged and then breathed. “I will likely err again, for I am a very bad girl.”

He groaned and squeezed her by the waist. Eyes shut, his breathing was ragged as if he was trying to control himself. She watched him, waiting with impatience, needing him to do as he wished to her. I might scream if he does not .

Then his eyes snapped open, and he met her. “Turn around.”

She bulked. “Excuse me?”

“Turn around,” he growled. “I will not ask again.”

Her beating heart spiked inside her chest. A moment of panic for she had no idea what he intended. But Aurelia found in that moment that she trusted the duke completely. And whatever it was that he was going to do to her, she knew that she would enjoy it.

Without question, she turned around.

The duke stepped into her immediately, pressing his body against her and pinning her to the door. Both his hands moved down and wrapped around her butt, squeezing it. He moaned with pleasure as his lips wrapped around her right ear. “The next time you even think of laughing loudly or doing anything that draws attention in a way it ought not to, I want you to remember this. Is that understood?”

“I am a slow learner…” Her body was shaking with excitement. “You best make it a good lesson.”

He chuckled as he pulled back. Then his hands slid further down her butt and grabbed at her dress. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt him lift her dress higher and higher until her bare butt cheeks were exposed.

On instinct, she stuck them outwards, presenting them. This had the duke moaning again and she could picture on his face the look of abject desire that she knew he was wearing.

His hand began to stroke her bare skin softly. Rubbing it as if in admiration. She frowned, not sure what he was doing or how this was meant to teach her –

He pulled his hand back and spanked her! A sharp crack. A spike of pain flaring across her skin. She cried out and might have screamed but he was quick to wrap his other hand around her mouth to keep her from making too much noise.

“I do not want to do this,” he growled into her ear, his body once again pressed against her. “It is for your own good. Understand?”

She nodded but could not speak for his hand was covering her mouth.

Again, he spanked her. Harder this time. The sensation was unlike anything she expected. Yes, it stung, as that was the point. But it did not hurt. It did not cause pain. Rather, she felt the spike ripple through her body and touch at her loins. She felt herself turn wet instantly, her legs nearly giving out.

A third spank, the hardest one yet.

“Are you going to behave yourself? Nod if you are.”

She went to nod but paused, considered, and then shook her head.

He chuckled deeply; she could hear it coming from his chest. Then he spanked her again and her cry of pleasure was muffled. “Are you going to behave yourself?”

Again, she shook her head, pushing her butt out, tempting him to continue to punish her.

“This is for your own good.” He spanked her. “You will behave.” He spanked her. “You are a lady, and you will act as such.” Another spank, the hardest one yet, and her knees gave out as she collapsed into the doorway.

The duke pressed against her, pinning her in place. His body was heavy. His breathing was ragged. She could feel his heart beating inside his chest. Just as she could feel his manhood pressing through his pants as it rested between the crevice of her butt cheeks.

“You’re going to be a good girl from now on, aren’t you?”

This time, she nodded.

“I thought so,” he chuckled, his hand now massaging where he had spanked. “And every time you are with Lord Mildenhall, I want you to remember this moment. Will you do that?”

Again, she nodded.

He breathed on the back of her neck. His lips found her earlobe and he began to suck. Her body shuddered and she wanted him like she never had before. She was his to do with as he wished. Anything and everything! I am at his mercy…

Only then, as quickly as it had started, it ended.

The duke released her and stepped back. As he had done the last time, he turned on her and walked across the room as if from shame. He did not look at her, his entire body shaking as he tried to calm his breathing.

“Go,” he said.

“I…” She hesitated. “Are you –”

“Go!” he snarled. “Before you are missed.”

She gasped at the sudden rancor. Confusion enveloped her. She had no doubt now that the duke wanted her as she wanted him. She knew beyond questioning that their physical attraction was real, and whatever this was went beyond mere lessons in etiquette, as he liked to claim. But that only sought to make the matter all that much more perilous to her intrepid emotions and sense of righteousness.

The reason she had gone down this path in the first place was for the sake of her family and their debts. If she had not, her sister would be forced to marry someone beneath her, ruining her life in ways that Aurelia simply could not stand by and let happen. This was for Eveline. That was all it could be.

And yet moments like this one right now flew directly in the face of that claim. If Aurelia truly did care for her sister and her family as she knew she did, why did she continue to allow the duke to draw her in like this? Why could she not resist him? No good could come from what she and the duke were doing, and what was more, it was likely to lead to disaster.

But dammit how she wanted him. Even now as I flee from his office, if he was to call me back… I do not think I have the self-control to say no. There were the two halves of her brain locked in constant battle. The logical side that knew she needed to resist the duke’s lure, and the amorous side that could not stop thinking about him.

The journey back to the drawing room was a long and confusing one. Her buttocks ached from where he had spanked her. Her mind was one of confusion, not at all sure how she felt or what she should do.

And this confusion only compounded when she entered the drawing room to see Lord Mildenhall coming for her. He wore a big smile, his blue eyes danced with glee to see her once more. She had no doubt that if she wished it, he would continue to pursue her. But he wasn’t the duke, and that was one point she simply could not get around no matter how hard she wished it.