Page 9 of Her Duke to Tempt (Wayward Dukes’ Alliance #29)

Seven

E nid gazed out the window of the carriage as the landscape of Scotland unfolded before her.

They should reach a village soon or at least she hoped so.

She was tired of being cooped up in this carriage, and she could not stop thinking about the words the Duke of Templeton had said to her.

A sense of anticipation filled the air. It was a mix of excitement and tension that had settled over her and she could not shake it.

When she had started this journey, it had been with one goal in mind.

To find her niece and ensure that she was all right, and to escort her back home, or rather to her home.

If Felicity’s father discovered that she had run off Enid never would be able to live it down.

Her brother doted on his daughter, and it would devastate him if something were to happen to her.

For that alone she was irate at Felicity for running off.

“It won’t be much longer now,” the Duke of Templeton said beside her, his voice low but comforting as always.

She glanced at him, appreciating the warmth in his tone, though there was an underlying concern she couldn't ignore. He hadn’t spoken a word in a while, but neither had she.

They each had their reasons for remaining silent.

He was disappointed in her and she was not so certain she could ever give him what he wanted from her.

She wasn’t so certain she was capable of love or intimacy.

Not long after the duke spoke a village came into view and Enid breathed a sigh of relief.

How had he known? Did it matter? Not really, at least not in the grand scheme of things.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She hoped that Felicity would be in this village.

It was the nearest one to the inn they had stayed at the previous night.

It made the most sense that they would have traveled here, but that did not mean it was true.

The carriage rolled to a halt, and the driver stepped down to open the door.

Enid inhaled deeply before stepping out, her boots sinking into the soft earth of the village square.

The sun had already begun its descent an hour earlier and the village was bathed in moonlight.

“Well, here we are,” the duke remarked, looking around the small, cobblestone square. “Let’s go inside the inn and secure rooms for the night.”

They walked toward a modest inn at the corner of the square, its sign swaying gently in the evening breeze. The sign boasted its name proudly, The Thistle and Cairn. They stepped inside the inn, and she baked in the warmth of a crackling fire. A large, stout man with dark red hair greeted them.

“We need two rooms for the night,” Templeton said.

The innkeeper frowned. “I’m afraid we only have one room left,” he said apologetically, his eyes darting between Enid and the Duke. “It’s a small room, but it should suffice for the night. Would you like to let it?”

Enid exchanged a glance with the duke, her mind racing.

She hadn’t expected this, but the journey had been long, and the village was small.

There was no other choice. She could see the slight tension in his posture, the unspoken discomfort at what they would be forced to do.

But they had no other option. “We’ll take it,” Enid said, her voice steady despite the fluttering in her stomach. “Thank you.”

The duke nodded, though his lips pressed into a thin line. “Yes, we will.” He sighed, clearly uncertain about this decision. Was it because he wanted more from her than she could give him? He would not take advantage of their situation. She trust him… “We’re grateful you have one available”

“Indeed, we are,” Enid replied with a smile, though she could feel her heart beating a little faster. They were both adults, after all and one night in a single room shouldn’t be an issue.

Once they had secured the room, they made their way upstairs.

The room was small, but charming. It had a fireplace, and a window that overlooked the village square.

Enid set her things down and, after a moment, turned toward the Templeton.

He had already seated himself by the fire.

She could feel the weight of the silence between them.

She did not like it. Not at all… Enid had to do something, or she might go mad.

“Shall we have a game to pass the time?” she suggested, trying to lighten the mood. “Perhaps Vingt-un?”

The duke raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a wry smile. “You wish to play cards?”

Enid laughed, the sound light and carefree.

“Do you have something else in mind we can do to pass the time?” She tried to make it sound as if it were nothing and that the silence between them did not bother her.

“We cannot look for Felicity or your son tonight. The innkeeper is sending food up to us and I do believe that I heard somewhere you are good at cards.’

He studied her for a long moment and then nodded. “I have my moments,” he said with a chuckle. “But I am not a gambler at heart. Very well, let’s play.”

They sat down by the fire, the warmth from the flames a contrast to the chill in the air.

As they played, Enid couldn’t help but notice how at ease they were together.

The tension from earlier seemed to melt away with each hand they played, and the quiet conversation flowed naturally.

She glanced up at the duke’s face, catching his eyes just as he looked at her.

For a brief moment, she felt an undeniable pull between them.

It was as if the space between them had shrunk, and all of a sudden, they were not so far apart.

After several rounds, Enid had won a few hands, but the duke had certainly bested her more times than she cared to admit.

The competitive edge in her was beginning to itch, and she wanted to even the score.

As the next hand was dealt, she leaned in with a mischievous grin.

“I propose a wager,” she said, her eyes sparkling with challenge.

“The winner of this round gets a boon from the loser—any favor they wish. No questions asked.”

The duke’s brows rose, intrigued by the offer. “You’re a bold woman, Lady Winston. What makes you think I would agree to such a wager?”

“Perhaps you should be more worried about losing, Your Grace,” Enid teased. “I’ll make sure you regret it if you do.”

He smiled, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “Very well. Let’s see who the better player truly is, then.”

They played in silence for a few moments, the flickering light from the fire casting dancing shadows on the walls.

Enid focused intently on her cards, but her mind was strangely distracted.

She had already come to the conclusion that she would win this round.

Her heart pounded with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty, and as the cards were laid down, the duke sighed and conceded the hand to her.

Enid looked at him, her eyes narrowing with determination. “Well, Your Grace, I believe that makes me the winner.” She leaned back in her seat, trying to hide the thrill of victory that surged within her.

Templeton raised his hands in mock surrender. “I concede, Lady Winston. What is it you wish?”

Her heart fluttered in her chest. This was her moment, her chance to take a risk.

She had already allowed herself to become tangled in the emotions that had been bubbling beneath the surface for so long, and now she couldn’t stop herself.

She had been thinking about ever since his bold statement in the carriage.

He had made it clear that he wanted her, and damn it all, she wanted him too.

She had never wanted a man the way that she wanted the Duke of Templeton.

He tempted he in ways that she could have never foreseen.

It was time she did some tempting of her own.

She held his gaze and said, “I want you,” she said, her voice low but steady. “I want you to kiss me.”

The words hung between them like a spark before a fire.

The room seemed to still, and she saw the shock in his eyes, followed quickly by something darker, more intense.

The silence stretched, and for a moment, she wondered if she had made a mistake.

But then, he moved toward her, his gaze never leaving hers.

And for the first time in her life, Enid allowed herself to stop fighting the undeniable pull between them.

He lowered his head until his lips hovered over hers.

She parted her lips in a gasp and then he closed the distance between them.

The kiss was soft at first as if he wanted to give her the opportunity to pull away.

He doubted her sincerity in asking for this kiss and probably thought she would change her mind.

Enid wasn’t going to do that though. She had wanted him to kiss her for a long time, but she had not thought it wise to give into that urge.

But this night might be her last opportunity to take what she wanted, and she wanted it all from him.

She wanted to do more than kiss him. She wanted to lie with him in that bed and make love all night.

She wanted to know what it felt like to have him slide into her and bring her pleasure. He pulled back and stared down at her.

“Enid?” She knew what he was asking with just her name on his lips. She should take pity on him and tell him exactly what she wanted, but she decided that perhaps a little seduction would be the best course.

Slowly, she stood and turned her back to him.

“Help me out of this gown, Logan.” She used his first name.

She almost never did that even though he had given her leave to years ago.

She kept up propriety and always used his title.

Even in her own mind. It was how she was able to keep her distance for so long.

“Are you certain?”

“That I want my gown off?” She glanced over her shoulder. “Of course, I am. Now do be a good duke and help me remove it.”

He finally came over to her side and quickly unfastened to closures on her gown.

It parted with each release of a button and then it gaped wide.

She slid her arms free and allowed the gown to fall to a pool at her feet.

She could retrieve it later. Enid had not bothered with stays.

They would have been too difficult to bother with while she traveled without a maid.

So, she stood before him in nothing but her shift.

He stared at her and swallowed hard. “What do you want tonight?”

She tilted her head to the side and studied him. Then she boldly met his gaze and said, “I want you.”

He did not wait for her to rethink it. Logan stepped forward and swept he into his arms. His lips crashed over hers in a searing kiss that stole her breath.

He cupped one of her breasts in his hand and he squeezed it lightly.

She moaned as he continued to caress her through the fabric of her shift.

He slid his hand between her thighs and stroked her there.

She began to writhe as a desperation filled her.

Logan pushed a finger inside of her as he rubbed his thumb over her sensitive flesh.

It did not take long for her to become completely lost in his touch, and then she crumbled as pleasure overtook her.

Logan carried her over to the bed and removed her shift before setting her down.

He held her gaze as he removed all of his clothing.

Enid quite liked watching him strip bare before her.

He was a magnificent man, and she could not wait to feel his skin against her own as he took her.

He joined her on the bed and settled himself between her open thighs, then began to press his hard length inside of her.

When he was fully seated inside of her, he met her gaze.

He held it as he began to rock in and out of her.

He did not look away for one second as he brought her to pleasure once gain.

Once she had found her release, he lost all semblance of control and began to thrust harder, and faster, until she fell apart again.

Only then did he completely let go and find his own release and he shouted her name as he shook with pleasure.

He held her and rolled to his side pressing soft kisses on her face and neck.

He stroked her back as she fell asleep in his arms, and she couldn’t help wondering why she had denied herself this for so long.

It felt…right…and she hoped she had not waited too long to claim him as her own.

It had been too good, and she wanted more than one night with him.