Page 11 of The One With the Wayward Duke (The One With the Wanton Woman #5)

H USBAND? GOOD GRACIOUS, WHAT had she gotten herself into?

What was Tobias doing? And why did his arm latched around her feel so good?

He should be hating her, not protecting her like it was his only calling in life.

First Frank (and the hack), then Herman, then the oddly aggressive man in the tavern (the ogre), then Herman (again!) and now Billy.

This was getting ridiculous. She hadn’t had this much attention since her debut.

She couldn’t bring herself to twist around and look at Tobias’s face.

Then again, she didn’t need to because somehow she already knew what it would look like.

His brown eyes would be darkened like the sediment in the bottom of a river, just waiting to be stirred up.

Asking to be meddled with. And his normally soft, plush lips would be drawn in a tight line, the kind artists strove to perfect.

When she shivered at the thought, he only drew her closer into his body. His firm body. His overheated (or was that just her?) firm body.

“Get off your knees and stop proposing to my wife.”

“Billy,” she strangled out his name, unsure of what to even tell him, “this is—”

“I didn’t realize you got married. It’s nice to meet you face to face, Frank.”

“It’s Tobias, Duke of Vagenale. I can’t say it’s a pleasure.”

Billy stood dumbfounded with his hand in the air, a weak attempt at a cordial handshake which Tobias ignored while muttering something about a growing list and favors he needed to call in. What was this list he kept mentioning? She couldn’t pay it much attention with the pressing matters at hand.

A rushed voice, hardly louder than a whisper came out of Freya, “Billy, this is Tobias. My…husband.”

At the last word, Tobias’s finger dug into her waist almost painfully except the gesture sent a shiver scrambling all over her body, unsure of the final destination for its journey. Ooooh, she squeezed her legs together. That shiver found its destination, and it was a good one.

Of its own volition, her head tilted back searching for his chest, for some reprieve from having to hold itself up. And think? No, that was not within her capabilities in this particular moment.

Possessively, Tobias’s arm was latched around her, his fingers digging into her waist, and his strong chest at her back were overwhelming her senses.

Her body was struggling to comprehend what exactly was going on.

When she had curled up with him in the carriage, he had been her source of comfort; a refuge.

When she had dreamed about him, he had become all things passion-inducing.

Now he was acting like so much more when he had every reason not to.

“If you’ll excuse us, I’m going to secure a room for my wife and I.” His hand didn’t leave her as he guided her to the front bar where the innkeeper would most likely be.

When the innkeeper presented himself, Tobias spoke quickly. “I’ll take one room—”

“Two,” she jumped in ignoring the glare she expected him to throw her way.

“Two, adjoining rooms, for my wife and I.”

Assuming a blank look, the tavern owner busied himself and grabbed some keys before leading them up to the two rooms. After an altogether too brief orientation of the rooms, he left to go back downstairs.

Tobias had followed her into her room before she could close the door.

“You should go.” His eyes flickered at her words. “To your room. I…erm…need my privacy.”

He grumbled, “Fine. But don’t leave this room. And speak to no one. I’ll come check on you shortly.”

Who did this man think he was? “I’m not a child. I don’t need you to check in on me, and if you deign to do so, you’ll find the doors locked.” She crossed her arms over her chest, hoping for a stern look.

But he only stepped closer to her, “I’ll check on you shortly.

And if I don’t find our adjoining door unlocked, I’ll be kicking it down.

So save us both the drama and keep that door,” he pointed to the thin door between their rooms preserving her purity and hopefully her sanity, “unlocked.” He gritted out the last word, as if it pained him to utter it.

She lifted her chin in response, closed her eyes, and shifted her body away from him. But the words that she wanted to say to him were not readily available.

After he left, she looked around for a towel to wash her face.

Seeing none, she moved toward the door, intent on going down to the innkeeper and requesting one.

Her hand stalled on the doorknob. Tobias would not be happy with her if she did that.

He had explicitly told her not to leave the room and not to talk to anyone.

She didn’t particularly want to anger him more than her actions unwittingly already had…

but really, he couldn’t hold her accountable for his ex-fiancée’s actions.

She wanted to heed his warning, she did.

Really. At least, part of her did. But that part of her was the same part that didn’t say no to Frank before they reached the altar.

It was the same part that had allowed herself to think she was in love with Herman.

And it was the same part of her that had allowed Billy to kiss her when they were younger.

All of that was rubbish. Good gracious, she was a grown woman, she needed to stand up for herself.

She needed to stop being swayed by the whims of man and just be herself, fully woman.

Hear the roar. Or perhaps just the gentle squeak of the door opening.

So…instead of listening to him, she went downstairs to find the innkeeper. It was quick and easy work to make the request. She need only wait a minute for the towel and then she could return to her room—

“The rain’s not letting up anytime soon,” a deep voice drawled next to her.

“Yes, that’s true,” she said, looking into deep blue eyes framed by sandy hair and a strong jaw.

“Care for a drink?” He nodded to the tumbler in front of him.

She shouldn’t. She really shouldn’t. The innkeeper was avoiding eye contact, she was sure of that. But the sandy haired man seemed harmless. Besides, they were in a public place. Nothing was going to happen. What was one drink?

She would never know because one drink turned into three.

The man, Clark, was charming. He made her laugh and put her at ease.

In fact, she felt very much at ease with everything.

The crowded room posed no threat. The pounding rain was almost laughable, though she wasn’t sure why.

And life was good. She was going to be fine.

He was motioning for another drink when his hand stilled in the middle of the air.

“Can I help you?” Clark asked.

A throat cleared. More precisely, Tobias’s throat cleared. Damn it.

“Don’t mind him,” Freya didn’t even turn to face him as she reassured Clark. “That’s just,” she giggled, “my husband.”

“Your husband?” She was sure Clark’s eyes widened at the admission, but he composed himself well. He stood, looking in Tobias’s eyes. Freya sighed. Couldn't she just have a moment of peace without her self-proclaimed protector?

No. No, she could not.

“You have a fine—” Clark started to say but was interrupted by…um…yes, that was a growl, directly from Tobias’s lips.

“What is with all the men in this vicinity?” He shouted. Freya turned to see his red face and blazing eyes. Eyes that burned into her, singeing all traces of doubt within her.

Tobias held her gaze for a long second, then prompted her to stand up.

Whipping around, addressing the room, he stood on the small table and bellowed (meanwhile pointing at Freya), “I know you’ve all done it already, but please take your last look at this lovely lady, my wife. She’s with me. She’s mine.”

Then he jumped off the table, swung her up into his arms and then over his shoulder and stomped up to their rooms. His next words made no sense to her, but she was the intended recipient somehow. “This damn list is getting long, Freya. He had better be the last man on it.”

He entered her room first. Looking around, he asked, “Do you have everything you need?”

“I don’t even have anything here.”

“Good,” he grabbed her hand, “then we’re both going to my room. The rain isn’t letting up and there’s no way we’re spending the night apart.”

“I-I’m not sleeping in your room.”

“Oh, yes you are,” he growled in a low voice.

“I can’t.”

“You can and you will.”

“Why?”

“I can’t protect you if we’re not in the same room.”

“I don’t need protecting—”

Tobias huffed loudly, effectively cutting off her sentiment (which even she knew was silly) before he pulled out his fingers and started counting the men he had rescued her from. “And this was all in one day. You do not need a husband, you need full time specialized protection.”

“I don’t need your protection, specialized or otherwise.

I know exactly how to run when I need to.

” She knew the reminder would cut him, and she didn’t really want to hurt him, but she also didn’t understand the call of her heart.

Her heart had done nothing but lie to her.

There was no trusting it now. No matter the pull he had on her.

The magnetism she felt in his presence. The way her body longed to be near him.

She had to physically distance herself from him, hence forcing herself to have drinks with a charming man rather than remain next door to a magnetic man.

“Why did you do it?”

“I just wanted to have a drink. I was fine—”

“Not that. Why did you run?”

His eyes held her gaze, full of vulnerability.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you.”

His shoulders slumped, and he mumbled, “No. You don’t.”

And then he did what she thought she wanted him to do, he turned and walked through the adjoining door to his room. Alone.