Page 9 of The One With the Scoundrel of a Duke (Wicked Widows’ League #31)

T HE INVITATION TO SEEK the comforts of Lucas’s room was still tumbling around in Audra’s mind the next day when the house party portion of the celebration began.

The impromptu bride and groom would take off tomorrow evening for their honeymoon, but several guests would remain to enjoy the week together.

Activities on the docket for the daytime included enjoying the garden and shopping. Awaiting them for the evening was more card playing, and music and dance.

Part of the reason Audra was replaying Lucas’s words in her head was that she couldn’t get the man out of her mind. And part of the reason she couldn’t get the man out of her mind was that he really hadn’t left her sight since breakfast. In sight, in mind.

He had sat himself next to her at the breakfast table, enjoying small talk about the weather and some of the shops they might visit later in the day. Lucas also mentioned that Wallace would be arriving today, and that brought a smile to her face.

She recalled the slight wince Lucas had responded with when he asked her if she was happy he was coming.

Seeing him cringe a little while he waited for her answer revealed a further depth of his investment in her, and as much as she was tempted to toy with him a bit, she didn’t have a coy nature.

So she had plainly—with the promise of a secret he easily agreed to—stated that Alice would be the most happy about the news of Wallace’s arrival.

And that smallest of secrets gave them a reason to smile at each other, as though they were in cahoots.

Though there was likely to be no cahooting to speak of.

It was Alice and Wallace after all. Those two were bound to do enough cahooting of their own.

After breakfast, Lucas had staked his claim at her side again as they went shopping, and he hadn’t left it.

The rake was choosing her in front of everyone and not being very discreet about it, but she still wasn’t sure how she felt about it.

He was charming, and more handsome than any man she knew.

The jealous stares from other women were not hard to spot, she needed only to turn her head to find another woman narrowing her eyes at her.

So this is what it felt like to have something every woman wanted?

Or rather, this was what it felt like to be aware of it.

As Lucas led her into a little shop of fragrances, she noticed that they were alone.

“This is a nice little shop,” she said, trying to sound casual about being alone with him. It felt intimate, for some reason, to be in this type of store together. She couldn’t possibly pick out a fragrance with him around.

“Try this,” Lucas’s voice was low, and warm, and right beside her ear. It sent a shiver down her arm. Then—

A waft of a sweet heliotrope filled her nostrils. The soft almond scent warmed her from the inside out, like a delicious biscuit with hot tea.

“You like it that much?” She could hear the amusement in his tone.

Not realizing she had even closed her eyes at all, she let them flutter open.

“Hmmm…it’s wonderful.” There was no point in denying what her face had already told him.

“It would smell incredible on you.” He was standing so close that her skirts were being crushed against her thighs. And she had the striking thought of what it might be like for her body to be crushed to his.

“Do you think so?” she murmured into the crackling air between them.

“I do.” He leaned in even closer, rendering her oblivious to her surroundings.

It was all him. His broad shoulders, his deep, throaty compliments, and the heat blazing off of him.

She could imagine him pulling her into his arms, wrapping her close to his body, pressing his lips to hers, feeling his cock—

DING!

The shop bell rang, effectively breaking the spell that the thickened air and heliotrope had cast.

It happened in a flash that he bought the little vial, had it wrapped, and insisted that she put the little vial into her reticule.

It was completely inappropriate for him to buy her such a gift.

She should not accept it, lest he think it would sway her to seek his comforts.

She should have returned it to him, and if he refused, she should have left it at the store.

Should have. Could have. And she would have…

if any single part of her wanted to. But she didn’t want to do what she should have done in that moment.

She wanted to accept the gift and just let it be what it was.

Nobody would know anyway.

Only her.

And him.

It was another secret between them.

And it felt…buoyant.

Yes. That was the exact word. An odd one to be sure, almost random. And although often the sharing of secrets had the negative connotation of darkness and forbiddenness, she felt neither of those things. She felt…lighter…inflated. It was the oddest thing.

By the time they had gotten home that evening, Audra’s head still hadn’t cleared. Lucas had given her some space over dinner, but afterward, she found herself being his partner in a game of Bridge.

It was a game she enjoyed playing from time to time, but it did require most of her attention, especially with the competitive nature of most card players.

However, if she ignored the soft smiles Lucas threw her way, along with the subtle winks he gave her after the bidding rounds, she was able to concentrate just fine.

Apparently, it was her Aunt Wanda who was not able to focus this evening, for she just played the final card in the round: a ten of diamonds over her partner’s seven of diamonds, and diamonds were trump. They were already winning the trick and she overplayed her partner.

“Oh dear,” her Aunt Wanda started to exclaim. “I can’t believe I just did that.” Her hand flew to her mouth as she covered a sheepish chuckle.

“Did you want to play a different card, Aunt?” she asked kindly, ignoring any negative feedback that might come from the other two players.

She kept her head down, directed to her aunt, to ensure she avoided Lucas’s eyes.

Unaware of how he might react. Men were especially competitive in games, and despised losing to women.

They were alway polite, but at times could be merciless.

Audra didn’t want to confront any competitiveness at the moment.

Besides, it didn’t matter what he thought of her actions, this was her elderly aunt, and she was going to be gracious with her.

Cards could be competitive, but they were almost meant to be entertaining.

“No dear. A card laid is a card played. We’ll make do.” Her aunt patted her hand and the next trick began.

When she finally did look up, Lucas was looking at her with a new emotion in his eyes. Something she hadn’t seen yet in him. Something he himself seemed to be resisting a little bit, for she only saw a flash of it.

And it could quite possibly be one of the most significant looks a man had ever given her.

The impact of it wiggled through her, making her readjust how she was sitting in her chair.

She only hoped he didn’t notice that slight squirm.

But squirm she had because it was a look that she had never expected from a rake such as him.

That of admiration and respect.