Page 28 of Courting the Duke (Reimagined Regency #2)

“That is a profound statement and one that seems fitting for the moment.” Hoxton cupped Serena’s cheek and, lowering his head, caught her mouth with his, aching to make her his wife.

For a moment, he considered attempting to introduce her to passion’s kiss.

He was in charge of his own household, and if he were a truly selfish man, he would send a message to his aunt begging off from their dinner.

But he wanted to show off Serena, thus he must put aside his lust for her until later that night.

He lifted his head after a moment and brushed his thumb against her moistened lips. Liquid eyes met his, and he spied the desire reflected in her amber eyes.

“I am a songstress, not a poetess, although the two of them often meld together.” Serena sounded breathy, and the dewiness in her stare almost pulled him back into the seduction.

“You are proficient at both. Come, we must finish viewing the house before you are torn away from me to ready yourself for dinner.” Hoxton lowered his gaze to the floor as he inhaled a steadying breath. His mind might be set on his course of action, but his body protested.

With a nod, she allowed him to walk her across the hallway and down another set of stairs.

He opened a door to reveal the ballroom, its walls painted white and with frescoes of cherubs on the ceiling.

The Hoxton coat of arms, depicting a hawk with a cross, dominated the middle section of the ceiling.

“You probably recall the ballroom, since we did have some events here over the past few weeks.” Hoxton’s heels clicked on the parquet floor. As she glanced around, her face lit with joy. Serena, happy, was a sight to behold.

She was very pretty and bore a strong resemblance to her cousin, Roxanne.

It wasn’t until she turned to the side to reveal her profile that it was less than perfect.

It didn’t matter to him. Her kiss ignited his passions, and her goodwill toward others cemented a place in his heart for her.

He couldn’t say that he loved her, nor could he commit to any stronger emotion ever in the future, but he did like her, and he prayed that she liked him.

“Yes, I remember the ballroom. It is quite striking.” Serena stared up at the ceiling when he placed his arm around her waist. She looked at him, her mouth slightly parted.

He was sorely tempted to kiss her, but took her hand in his and began to twirl around on the floor.

“You told me you like to dance, so I think we should waltz for a few moments if that is acceptable to you?”

With a laugh, she fell into step with him, her enthusiasm contagious.

Nobody else was in the room, there was no music to serenade them, yet he felt as though an entire orchestra was present.

As a gentleman, he had been schooled to dance.

His ankle prohibited some activities, but dancing wasn’t one of them.

After a series of twirls, he stopped and pivoted, his ankle protesting, but he ignored the pain. With a hand on her back for support, he guided her downward. Her face upturned, he caught her mouth in a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his embrace.

His good intentions went out the door. He stood upright, bringing her with him, her breasts pressed tight against his chest. Her softness tempted him, and he wanted to move his hands up her sides and cup the weight of her breasts.

She might be petite, but she was curvaceous, and he could hardly wait to explore her luscious body.

Once again, he reminded himself that this was not a time for seduction, but a time to explore who she was.

He released her and took a step back, needing a bit of distance to continue their conversation.

He extended his arm again and waited for her to put her hand on it.

“We shall continue our tour of the halls, and I will try my best not to kiss you again.”

Her smile faltered as she frowned, glancing down. She pressed her lips together before she lifted her lashes once more, uncertainty in her gaze. “I am not sure if I should be flattered or insulted.”

“You should be insulted.” He nodded with emphatic confidence, trying to hide his smile.

Her eyes widened for a moment before she shook her head, elbowing him. “You are incorrigible.”

“Indeed, I am. However, if we continue along these lines, we will never make it to dinner on time and disappoint those who are joining us. Although I must say, I was looking forward to this time to learn about your likes and dislikes. Perhaps it would behoove us to write letters like I did with Roxanne.” It wasn’t until they’d corresponded that he discovered the real woman behind the shiny facade.

He’d also shared something deeply personal that only a select few were aware of.

One day, he might tell Serena the same thing he’d told Roxanne, but he wasn’t ready for that, nor was he sure he ever would be.

Serena kept her profile to him and nodded, accompanying him down the stairs. “While that worked well with Roxanne. I think that you and I are past the point of being newly acquainted. Everything that you learn about me, I would rather tell you from my own lips than write on a piece of parchment.”

“We have a lifetime to discover all we can, and maybe some things we’d rather not uncover,” he said with a tongue-in-cheek grin. Their tour was over for now, but there was one place he couldn’t wait to be with her, but that must wait until later.