Page 43 of The Scarred Duke's Bride

“Fine. Go ahead.”

“All right, so which will it be? Question or dare?”

“I take…question.”

“All right, so what exactly were you thinking when you saw me naked?”

Freya’s face heated, and she looked to the ground. “I don’t want to answer that.”

“You have to. That’s the premise of the game.”

“Fine.” She ran her eyes down from his shoulders to his feet. “I thought that your body is very different from mine…bigger…harder…” She swallowed, hiding her mortified face.

“Is that so?” He sounded quite smug. “That’s interesting.”

She turned to him quickly. "My turn.”

He inclined his head in agreement.

“Question or dare.”

He smirked, taking a sip of his brandy. “Dare.”

Freya’s heart sank. She had been looking forward to turning his question on him. With a huff, she tried to think of something to ask. Then her eyes fell on the table. “I dare you to pour an entire glass of port and drink it in one gulp!” she said triumphantly.

He quirked an eyebrow but immediately got up and went to do as she asked. She watched his throat work as he drank and drank. He slammed the empty glass down and turned to smirk at her. “You forgot that I am a sailor.”

Freya had indeed forgotten. She gestured to him. “Your turn.”

“Question or dare?”

“Qu-..er, dare.”

“Fine. I dare you to kiss me on the lips.”

She almost dropped her glass. “Wha…?”

“You heard me.”

“Hell bells,” she whispered before slowly getting to her feet. He stood perfectly still as she slowly approached, not doing a thing to encourage or discourage her. Finally, she stood in front of him, looking him in the eye. He looked back, his face impassive.

“Are you sure you want me to do this?”

“I asked, didn’t I?”

“You did indeed ask.” She swallowed in trepidation before reaching up on tip-toe to plant her lips softly against his. He made no move to take over the kiss or deepen it. She stood there with her mouth motionless on his and waited before pulling back. She stared up at him, awaiting his reaction.

“Is that it?” he asked.

“What else did you want?”

He just blinked, looking away briefly and then back at her. “Nothing. If that is your idea of a kiss, then that is all.”

Freya frowned with annoyance. “My turn to ask,” she bit out.

He nodded for her to go ahead.

“Question or dare?”