Page 64 of Seven Nights with the Wicked Duke

"Thank you, Your Grace," she told him, lowering her eyes.

He cleared his throat then.

"Shall we?" he asked, pointing a table to the side she hadn't noticed. "I prepared for the last two items on your list today and as you know, there will always be a twist."

She saw him try for a rakish smile and fail so he settled into a small smile instead and moved towards the table, eyeing the cards.

Gambling. She remembered.

"Aren't we supposed to be at a gambling den?" she asked.

"We could have but it would have been terribly boring," he answered, smiling brightly. "What I have planned is much more fun."

She raised a brow knowing that nothing good ever came from what he considered fun but she didn't protest. She was all too glad to be out of her house and doing something remarkably enjoyable. He hadn't led her to an activity she didn't ultimately enjoy so far so she would trust him again. What was the worst he would do?

"What are the rules?" she asked as he helped her into her seat.

He smiled and sat himself, picking up the cards with long elegant fingers. She liked those fingers.

"There are only two rules tonight, Cecilia. First of all, you will not speak of your suitor or any other man," he answered, shuffling the cards with hypnotic skill.

She nodded even if his words made her smile and itch to disobey.

"And the other?" she asked. "You said there were two."

He grinned like a cat who had just cornered a mouse.

"For every game you lose, you will take off a piece of clothing," he answered.

Of course he would add such a component, but she didn't mind.

Most of their encounters left her in various states of undress so it would be no hard thing. Theo, on the other hand, had hidden his body previously and now that she had seen him once, she wanted to do so again and again. Perhaps she would get to touch him this time.

She eyed his hands as they moved the cards with speed and precision, marveling at how artistic a simple art appeared to be in his hands.

He was skillful at everything thoroughly improper, she mused and smiled softly to herself.

"If I happen to win then?" she asked.

He smirked at her as though her suggestion was ludicrous.

She folded her arms and raised a brow at him in challenge.

"If I happen to win any of these games?" she asked again.

"You will find that I am willing to do the same," he answered with a nod.

Excitement piqued in her at the possibility of winning such games even if her chances were slim. He was a more experienced player and master of deception. If she were ever to win, it would be only because he let her and not because she was particularly skilled.

Still, she wouldn't give up.

She would learn the rules and see how best to break them when the situation demanded.

After all, he wouldn't also play fair.

"You have to tell me where you learned to play so shamelessly, Cecilia," Theo commented with a frown that had her grinning broadly. "I never expected you to cheat."

It seemed her plan to play without rules had been well founded. For the first few rounds, he had won but after she got tired of his smug smiles and tone as he demanded her to remove more layers of clothing, she decided to do what she had initially decided and now he seemed to be regretting rather seriously teaching her to play.