Page 49 of Second Duke's the Charm

Shit. Bloody. Buggering Hell.

It was Thornton.

Chapter Seventeen

Tess’s first impulse was to duck back inside Case’s house and hide, but Thornton was upon her before she could make her escape. He caught her by the shoulders and spun her around to face him, angling her face toward the light.

“Itisyou,” he growled. Incredulity burned in his eyes as he studied her face. “What in God’s name are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Tess countered, battling an awful combination of frustration and guilt.

Damn it. What were the odds that he’d be driving past at that precise moment? She must be cursed.

His brows lowered ominously as he glanced at the half-open door, and then back at her, clearly arriving at the correct conclusion that she hadn’t just been walking down the street. His fingers tightened on her upper arms, but the anger that seemed to have propelled him from the carriage had been replaced by a cool calm that was even more intimidating.

“Whose house is this?” he asked softly.

She raised her chin. “A friend’s.”

“A male friend?”

“As it happens, yes. Not that it’s any business of yours.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Oh, Scarlet, we made a deal. That makes it very much my business.”

His tone made it clear that he thought she’d been with a lover. Tess rolled her shoulder and he released her arm, but then caught her hand instead.

He was not wearing gloves. The touch of his skin was like a static shock.

“I must admit, I’m curious to see who could have drawn you here.”

To her horror, he tucked her hand against his side, and pushed open the door. She had no choice but to go along with him, pulled along in his path.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

It took him three strides to reach the open door of the parlor, and he took in the scene with a single, devastating glance.

It did look horribly incriminating. Two half-drunk glasses of liquor. Case, half dressed, his shirt and robe hanging open as he dozed in apparent postcoital exhaustion in the chair. He didn’t even rouse as Thornton strode forward and stood looking down at him.

“You told me you didn’t have a lover.” His voice was almost a growl.

“He’s not my lover,” Tess hissed, keeping her own voice low to avoid waking Case. “This isn’t what it looks like.”

He shot her an incredulous, cynical look. “I find it hard to believe you were seized by a charitable impulse to escort him home and put him to bed. Is he your brother?”

“No.”

“A relative of any kind?”

Tess shook her head. “No.”

“Then it’sexactlywhat it looks like, Scarlet.”

He sent a scathing glance at the blissfully ignorantCase, then shook his head, as if her choice was inexplicable.

“Really? A drunken sot like him? You’re going to have to explain the attraction. I’m amazed he could even perform, in that state.”

Tess tugged her hand from his. “I’m leaving.”