Page 21 of The Duke’s Cursed Virgin (Cursed Brides #3)

Chapter Twenty

“ T heo, it’s—it’s magnificent. You made a fire, too? Here?”

When they reached the top, they turned left instead of right. They walked a little more. Then, Theo pushed a set of double doors, revealing a library.

Sophia’s hand flew to her mouth as she tried to suppress a gasp. It was not just a library. It was a grand one, with shelves stretching from floor to ceiling, lined with countless books. There was a massive fireplace, with glowing embers. It kept the room warm and cozy.

Everything was like a dream. The mahogany furniture was intricately designed and richly upholstered with velvet and satin lining.

“I know you’d approve of this,” Theo declared with a smirk. “I was thinking of bringing you here, but I could not find the right time. Tonight, when I realized that you truly love books and not just, ahem, a certain type of books, I thought to bring you here.”

“So, you had been thinking about it,” she murmured in wonder.

“Yes. But I come here often, too. Therefore, the servants know better than to leave it cold.”

“You read?” she asked as she scanned the titles.

Popular texts joined more obscure ones. There were fiction and non-fiction titles. Her heart was racing. This time, it wasn’t because of desire or lust.

“I do,” Theo said, looking a little smug.

“Would you be ready to be tested, then?”

“Ah. I always welcome a challenge, Sophia.”

“I do, as well. I always do,” Sophia said a little more softly.

Something was different in the air—something she wasn’t certain she liked. It felt bigger than anything she had felt before. Still, she didn’t move away when he reached out and stroked her cheek with his knuckles.

“It’s terrifying,” he whispered.

“What is?” she asked, frowning.

“That you have made me break many of my rules.”

Many rules .

Sophia knew she was not his common choice of mistress. What other rules had he broken?

“You are the first woman I brought here into this library,” he confessed.

Part of her liked it, and another part protested.

Then, he kissed her. Again, all her worries flew away like they had never been there.

There was still something different about the kiss. It was not hungry or urgent. It was something else that she had difficulty determining. Should she even try? His kiss was intoxicating, pulling her toward him—physically and otherwise.

When he finally released her mouth, she rested her forehead against his chest. She swore she could hear his heart pounding just as hers was.

“I should go,” she said, surprising herself.

There was that time when they would not part unless they were both physically sated. They spent most of their time in bed. This time, though, she knew that something was not quite like how it was before.

“Stay. Sit with me. Read with me.”

There was desperation in his voice, and she knew that he could tell that everything was not like before. He was simply confused.

“Let’s do it another night,” she said gently.

“All right,” he finally agreed reluctantly.

Sophia declined the invitation that followed three nights later. She sent back a letter saying that she was indisposed. Theo would like to believe her, but he wondered if she was slowly saying goodbye, and he couldn’t even blame her.

It didn’t mean he would not try again.

When Sophia finally returned after their last tryst, Theo observed her more closely, checking for subtle shifts in her behavior. He wondered if she would try to leave early like last time.

“I thought you wouldn’t come back,” he admitted gruffly, after they ate dinner in complete silence.

Dinner was simple the past few nights. No chocolate. Less wine. Apparently, Sophia wanted more tea, and he wondered if she wanted to keep her wits about her.

“I am here now,” was her simple reply.

It didn’t give him the answers he wanted.

“No. Tell me what happened last time. Do you still want this?” he asked, trying to give her a more flirtatious look but possibly failing.

“Yes. You are good company, Theo,” she said with a smile. “Aunt Mary complains about not getting my attention when she attends balls and other public gatherings.”

“She wouldn’t want you to be in such good company,” he said as his hand reached for her thigh. “This kind of company.”

It was what she wanted. They were here for this—physical release—and he would give it to her. He would give himself the pleasure. He’d miss her warm curves and how his body and hers fit well together. He grew hard just from the memory of being inside her.

Something flashed in Sophia’s eyes. He wasn’t certain if it was annoyance, but it was not desire. She rose from her chair and began walking up the stairs. He knew where she was going, and he followed her. He almost felt like a predator stalking his prey, with the way he tried to get a whiff of her scent.

She opened the library like she owned the place, and he liked that. He followed her closely, not touching her but close enough to. Her fingers grazed the spines of the books on the shelves, and her face contorted in quiet concentration as if she was learning the titles by heart.

“I knew you’d appreciate the library,” he said as he snaked an arm around her waist and held her close to him.

“You assume too much, Theo,” she responded, turning so that he could see her small smile. “But I already know that.”

“You think I’m presumptuous? Do you think that instead of me being skilled at reading people?”

This time, he walked away from her and sat on one of the couches. She was looking at the books and not him, and he was almost jealous of his own library. She plucked one, flipping through the pages absentmindedly.

“We don’t know each other well, Theo. We are simply enjoying each other.”

Theo frowned at that. Sophia had been right about him. He had spent all his adult years keeping everyone at arm’s length. She was different. He realized that he wanted her to get close enough. She was a challenge to him—a dangerous temptation.

“Speaking of reading people,” he began, steering the conversation to less dangerous territory. “I wonder what you think of my friend Philip. He had been in the most ridiculous situations. Always charming, but always in trouble.”

Sophia turned to him, looking intrigued. It made him wonder what she thought of Philip. Was she interested in him the way most women were? Would she have chosen Philip if there was an opportunity?

“Tell me more,” she urged.

“Oh, there was that one time he tricked me into attending a dreadful masquerade ball. I find all balls dreadful, but this one was supposed to be full of mystery and intrigue. Soon enough, I realized that he was merely seducing a French diplomat’s wife. It was a miracle that we escaped without the diplomat challenging him to a duel.”

“You went along with it?” Sophia asked, laughing.

Theo relaxed a bit more upon hearing it.

“Yes. I do have one friend, and that’s Philip. I can tolerate all of his foolishness. He’s worse when he is unsupervised.”

“Oh. And all this makes you a good judge of character because…?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Because he is a better man than most people give him credit for. He seems nothing more than a rake, but he isn’t,” he said seriously.

“Hmm. But on the one hand, I believe you are every bit as capable of mischief as him. Friends often share qualities,” she said.

“Oh, do you, now?” he asked. It was his turn to raise an eyebrow.

“Yes,” she responded with a shrug, meeting his gaze. “I believe so.”

Theo beckoned her over with his right hand, and she obeyed. She sat next to him on the couch.

“What else can you read about me? Have I been laying down my cards for the world to see?” he asked teasingly.

There was some hesitation. For a moment, Theo saw her blanch.

“You hide too much from the world, Theo,” Sophia said, her eyes pleading.

Or was she afraid? She couldn’t possibly be.

“Do I?” he asked evenly.

“Your stories, Theo. They reveal so much about you. When you feel things are getting too uncomfortable, you change the subject. You are willing to talk about your friend, your business deals, and horse riding. But you don’t want to talk about your family.”

“Some things should be left behind. The past is the past.”

“I’m still trying to discover more about my past—about the accident.”

“Not everyone is the same, Sophia,” he gritted out.

Her mouth opened and closed without any words coming out. She looked down as if she had been slapped. He suddenly felt the urge to touch her face or to spread her wide on the couch and have his way with her.

“I understand,” she replied meekly, twisting her fingers on her lap.

Theo didn’t think he liked the quiet acceptance. Sophia had given up on demanding explanations. He shook off the heaviness of the moment, stretching lazily until his hand rested on her back.

“I believe we must stick with the more diverting kind of confessions, don’t you think? What is it you want, Sophia?”

Her breath hitched, and his eyes followed her heaving bosom. Theo knew then that he should focus on what he knew—making a woman fall apart in bed.

“Have you ever had a real dream? You have been running away from the whispers. The gossip. There must be something more.”

She was silent for a moment. She looked away from him.

“I don’t know,” she said, her voice slightly breaking.

“We can discover it together,” he offered, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

She smiled and nodded at him as if she agreed.

“I should go home, Theo,” she whispered.

“You haven’t even read a book from my library yet.”

Please, stay .

Those were the words he wanted to say.

What was going on with him? Where was the fight? The authority?

“I know. I don’t want to get so used to them. There’s only a tiny library in the Holtons’ home, and after the Season ends, I will have to return to Scotland.”

The reminder of their situation being temporary was like a splash of cold water on Theo’s face.

“Oh, but would you miss this?” he asked, boldly squeezing her breast.

He thought that she would slap him, but she didn’t. Instead, she moaned.

“I-I do. You know I do,” she moaned.

“So, you’re back. My wanton mistress,” he said.

Her eyes flashed angrily, and he wondered if he had gone too far. Then, she pulled him down to her by the nape of his neck and kissed him ferociously. He told himself to stop thinking by then and let himself be swept by the tides.

“I want you,” she said, half-begging.

“I’m here, darling. Of course, I’m here.”

This time, he shocked her when he flipped her onto her stomach.

“W-What is this?” she asked.

“On your knees,” he commanded, pulling her up by the waist. “You will receive your punishment tonight.”

“Punishment?”

“For not coming when I asked you to.”

“I was indisposed,” she whimpered, but she remained on her knees.

“Liar!” he growled, baring her buttocks.

“I was, Theo. I was,” she insisted.

“Now you’re not?”

“No. I want you so badly,” she cried. “I’ll take your punishment.”

So, he spanked her bottom once. She moaned.

“Take me then,” Theo ordered as he slammed into her wet core.

The sex was frenzied from the beginning, with Theo thrusting in and out while squeezing her breasts. He kept the pace, and soon he felt her flutter around him. She held him like a vise as she climaxed, milking him.

It was not enough. He was not ready yet. He continued to pound into her through her orgasm. Again and again and again.

Finally, he let himself go.

The release helped him forget how much it would hurt to let her go.