Page 74 of The Devil's Deceit

He’s too sharp. And he thinks his family are smarter than him.

I. Am. Doomed.

“I am. I just… your jacket was closer.”

I am so bad at this. I’m going to get caught. It’s only a matter of time.

“Leave the jacket. Leave the dress. I’ll have the staff press them if you’re so concerned.” He peels back the covers and pats the mattress. “Come to bed. And lose the dressing gown.”

My knees knock together as I make my way back to bed, but he doesn’t seem to notice. I take off the dressing gown and drape it over the end of the bed. As soon as I’ve slid beneath the covers, Christian wraps his arms around me.

“Not tired, huh?”

“No. Strange place, strange bed, you know.”

“I have an idea that’ll tire you out.” He kisses my neck, my jaw, my lips. By the time he’s pulled me on top of him, he’s hard. Gathering my hair into a pony tail, he grinds his erection against me.

“That’s your idea, huh?” I can’t help smiling, partly because I just dodged a bullet, partly because this man somehow makes it easy to.

“Yeah, and if you do all the work, you’ll tire out faster.”

I chuckle. “You’re full of charm.”

“No, beautiful, I’m full of cum.” He laughs, and something unexpected and scary shifts in my chest. Sooner or later, I’m going to have to face up to the truth.

I am falling for this man. Hard.

Chapter Twenty-Four

CHRISTIAN

Waking up alone the day after my wedding was not on my bingo card. I’d planned to wake Grace with my head between her legs before sinking into her and giving her several orgasms. The mattress is cool, meaning she’s been up for a while. I fling back the covers and use the bathroom. Then, dressed in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, I go in search of my wife.

Wife. Damn that sounds fucking sexy, and no one is more surprised than me.

The dining room is empty, although set for breakfast, and so is the main living room I share with Tobias and Saskia. In fact, the house is deathly quiet. Everyone is probably having a lie in after a late end to the night before.

Everyone except Grace.

After what she said last night about struggling to sleep, I hope she settles here. We hadn’t discussed a honeymoon, nor had I intended to propose one, but maybe a few days away will be a good transition between her home and mine. A way to bridge the gap and slowly ease her into her new life.

The door to my office is ajar. I push it open. Grace hasn’t heard me. She’s standing with her back to me looking at an array of family photos I keep on several bookshelves.

“Morning, Duchess.”

She startles, almost dropping a picture of my parents in a thick, mahogany frame. “You scared me.” Putting it back, she turns in my direction, her teeth grazing her bottom lip. She ducks her head like she’s suddenly shy, which, considering everything we did last night, is so damn cute I could split my face in two with the smile I give her.

“Waking up alone was not in the plan.” I close the distance between us, drawing her into my arms. “Did you sleep much?”

“A little. I hope you don’t mind me looking at your photographs.”

“What’s mine is yours.”

She grins, all signs of shyness vanishing. “Be careful, Mr. De Vil. I may clean you out.”

“Anything you want, Grace, I’m happy to give it to you. I benefit from this marriage by not having to marry some stuck-up debutante who’d bore me every time she opened her mouth, and you get financial security. Which reminds me. Your credit card should arrive today.”

She frowns. “Credit card?”