Geek Girls Don't Date Dukes (26 page)

Blessed
hell.
His hands tightened on the reins. What if she were to marry Granville? She’d be a duchess. And

Avery would have to see her every day. He could look

but never touch. When he pictured her lying in the

duke’s bed, hair strewn about her with a lovelorn smile

on her face, Avery inadvertently jerked the reins.

“Steady boy, ssssh,” he said in a low voice to the horse

beneath him. He patted the gelding’s neck. “I’m sorry

there, chap.”

He had to keep his wits about him. Prachett had

many spies, many men who were more than willing

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to exchange information for the promise of coin. With

difficulty, Avery pried his gaze from the pair in the

phaeton and scanned the area. He did not have the

luxury of remaining at her side to protect her at all hours,

so he must be vigilant when he had the opportunity.

The phaeton turned about and headed toward him.

Avery didn’t hide his open sigh of exasperation. The

duke had to be returning her to Lady Chesterfield, and

that meant Avery himself would be expected at Granville

House very soon.

He steered the horse onto a half- hidden side path and

waited. He’d let the pair pass by and then continue on

his way.

The sound of wheels on the gravel pathway warned

him of their coming.

“So that’s what you meant.” Leah was laughing as

she spoke. Avery fought for control. He must not run

after her and pull her atop his horse, riding hell- bent for

Gretna. She was not his and never would be.

“’Tis true, I admit.” The duke’s voice was amused as

well. The bloody bastard.

As the carriage rolled past the pathway, Leah adjusted

her hat and turned toward the duke. Avery’s heart stut-

tered when he caught her gaze. Her blue eyes went wide,

and her mouth formed an
O
, but he shook his head

quickly and turned away.

“Is something the matter?”

“No, nothing at all, Your Grace. Sorry.” She smiled

at the duke and Avery’s rage climbed even higher. He

was nearly shaking with it now, an anger so fierce that it

threatened to burn him from the inside out.

He must breathe. He must retain control.

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Gina Lamm

Though he wanted nothing more than to follow them

and take Leah away from his employer, he stayed there,

atop his horse on the forgotten path. His eyelids slammed

shut and he fought to ease his tension.

She
is
not
yours, lad. She is not yours
.

He had to have her.

For he was quite certain that Leah Ramsey was his

one shot at salvation. Without her, he’d drown in his

anger, guilt, and loneliness for the rest of his days.

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Twenty

He hadn’t meant to come here, but when he real-

ized the route he’d taken, it was too late to change.

Lady Chesterfield’s home loomed just ahead, and the

temptation of seeing Miss Ramsey was much too difficult

to ignore.

Berating himself with every step, he continued toward

the home. He’d simply glance through the windows and

ascertain if she’d returned in good health. Then he’d be

about his business, with her none the wiser.

He dismounted and tied his horse to a nearby lamp-

post. It snorted and tossed its head as if to tell Avery how

foolish he appeared.

“I know, lad,” Avery said in a low voice as he patted

the horse’s neck. “I’ll return in but a moment.”

The afternoon shadows were growing longer, and

Avery moved carefully to avoid being seen. This time

of day was not the most active for the servants of the

household, but there was sure to be someone about.

Each window he peered into revealed nothing more

than empty furniture and the odd maid or footman.

He grew more concerned when he looked through the

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window on the west side of the house. It was apparently

the drawing room, and Lady Chesterfield sat alone,

having tea as she wrote at a small table beside the settee.

Why was Miss Ramsey not there? His tension grew.

Surely she’d returned from her ride with the duke by

now. Had one of Prachett’s men accosted her?

He crept around the back of the house, careful to give

the servant’s entrance a wide berth. A small garden lay

before him, its plantings beginning to burgeon with life.

He’d just risen to look through another window when a

sound caught his ear.

“Pawpaw, what am I supposed to do?”

He whirled without a sound, kneeling behind a holly

bush. He was careful of the leaves this time. Leaning to

the side, he found the source of the voice.

Leah was there, her back to him as she sat on an old

stump. Her attention was focused on something in her lap.

Relief flooded him. She was here, and she was alone.

He’d remain a moment longer until he could verify her

well- being, then he’d take his leave without her knowl-

edge. He hoped.

“Maybe Mrs. Knightsbridge was wrong about all this.”

She sighed, tilting her head skyward. A yellow curl kissed

her cheek as it swayed with her movement. His breath

caught as she was silhouetted in the sun’s dying glow.

Had there ever been a woman so lovely, so perfect?

Without conscious thought, he was suddenly moving

toward her, abandoning his hiding place. The inner

voice that had kept him from seeking out her touch was

silenced as if it had never existed. He only knew that he

had to kiss her, and kiss her now, before she was lost to

him forever.

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The sound of his footsteps on the path grabbed her

attention, and she looked up, surprise on her face. Her

beautiful blue eyes were confused— and then excited.

“Avery,” she said, rising and turning to him. A small

portrait was gripped in her hand, and he caught a glimpse

of an old man with Leah’s eyes standing by a strange

carriage. She must have been speaking to the portrait.

“Leah,” he breathed, and without another thought

he pulled her into his arms. Stiffening with surprise,

she froze at first, but then melted into him, her softness

against his hardness fitting perfectly. Her soft lips parted

on a breath, and he drew her in, deep into his lungs.

His tongue traced the soft edge of her lower lip, and he

groaned deep in his chest at the sweet taste of her.

His body stirred, his hands roaming the planes of her

back, then lower to cup her buttocks. Blood surged to

his groin as she returned his kisses, sucking on his tongue

and tangling her fingers in his hair. He pressed his hips

into hers.

She writhed, as if she couldn’t get close enough. His

hand caressed up the curve of her waist to settle just

beneath one of her breasts, its hardened nipple practically

begging to be touched.

Leah erased any moment of doubt, pressing his hand

against her breast. He released her mouth, but only to let

his kisses trail down the column of her throat. She tilted

her head back in abandon.

“Avery,” she whispered, hitching a leg over his hip.

God, her core pressed against his erection now, so hot it

almost burned. “I want you.”

The words were exactly what he wanted—

no,

needed— to hear.

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He nipped at the tender flesh of her neck, wanting to

mark her, claim her like an animal would. Her mewl of

passion only spurred him on. Dipping his head, he trailed

kisses down the delicate curve of her shoulder, to the

neckline of her lovely blue gown.

The creamy swells of her breasts begged for attention,

and he was loath to deny them.

Cupping one breast, he worshipped the other with

his tongue and teeth, licking and nipping kisses on the

tender skin. She pulled at his hair, ran her hands down to

his hips, brushed the stiffness in his breeches.

God, it was not enough. He needed to see her, all of

her. He needed to sink himself deep into her, feel her as

she welcomed him into her bed and her body.

Into her life.

Forever.

Oh
God, what am I thinking?

His eyes flew open. He staggered backward, drop-

ping all contact with Leah. She swayed, nearly falling

as he fought to regain his senses. He’d been dreaming.

He’d been mad to do that to her. He could not be what

she needed.

“Leah, Miss Ramsey, I…” He had no words. His

manhood throbbed with frustrated lust, but he ignored

it. “My apologies, Miss Ramsey.”

“Don’t stop. Please…” Her hand trembled as she

pressed it to her swollen lips. Her eyes were wide, dazed,

and wanting.

“I should never have forced myself upon you so.”

Avery bowed deeply, cursing himself. “You have my

sincerest apologies. It shall not happen again.”

“Wait just a goddamn minute.” She glared at him.

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“You didn’t force anything on me. Couldn’t you tell

how much I wanted that?”

He glowered at her. “There is no need to prevaricate,

Miss Ramsey. The fault is mine.”

She stomped toward him, mayhem plain in her gaze.

“You’re going to answer some questions for me in a

minute, but first you need to get something through

your thick caveman skull. I wanted that. I want you. You

didn’t trick me into kissing you, so get over yourself.”

His frustration and confusion battled for the upper

hand. “Over…myself?”

She sighed. “Forget it. Did you get into a fight?

Because no offense, but you look like hell.” Her brow

furrowed as her gaze raked over his still- swollen cheek.

He set his jaw. “It is no concern of yours.”

She barked a bitter laugh. “The hell it isn’t!” She lost

some of her vitriol as she pressed a warm palm to his

cheek. “Listen, Avery. I’m not sure what’s between us

right now, but I do know that I care about you. I can’t

help if you keep shutting me out.”

He wanted so badly to turn his face into her palm and

press a kiss there. To lay his head in her lap and tell her

he’d put her in danger. To apologize for jeopardizing her

chance at happiness with the duke.

“Miss?” A young female voice floated into the garden.

“Are you here, miss?”

“Shit, that’s Muriel.” Leah tossed an irritated glance

over her shoulder. “Can you wait here while I get rid

of her?”

“I must go,” he said, disguising his relief at the interrup-

tion. He had to get away from Leah before he lost his head

again. She wreaked havoc on his already tenuous control.

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She looked at him, hurt in her gaze. His heart ached,

but he stayed motionless.

“Okay. See you later, I guess.”

She walked away, leaving him alone by the stump of

the old oak.

He’d bungled that properly.

i

Leah tried like hell to keep from crying as she

walked away from Avery. The tears weren’t so much

from sadness as they were from being frustrated, pissed,

and straight up horny. The man had just left her with

the feminine equivalent of blue balls.
Blue
ovaries?
She sniffed and swallowed her emotions, pinning a pleasant

expression on her face for Muriel.

“Sorry, I needed some fresh air,” Leah said to the

maid. “What’s up?”

“Your new gowns have arrived from the modiste.

Lady Chesterfield bade me fetch you.”

“More new gowns?” Leah pressed a hand to her fore-

head. A monster headache was starting to zoom around

her skull like a
Mario
Kart
party was going on in there.

“But she already bought me a closetful.”

Muriel laughed as she led Leah into the house. “Miss,

Lady Chesterfield would not dare to arrive at a ball in

a previously worn gown, and she would not see her

protégé do so either.”

Leah trailed after Muriel, trying to find some happy.

Damn it, it wasn’t there. She was too riddled with

anxiety to do anything but keep moving forward like

a shuffling zombie. She’d have to do something drastic

to clear these cobwebs, and soon. There were two men

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in her life, two very different men, and even though

she was pretty confident she knew what, and who, she