Page 12 of The Duke’s Lessons in Temptation

Damion's lips pressed and suckled hers. He gently bit her lower lip. Outrage didn’t fill Cora. No, a hungry ache flared in her most feminine area. She flattened her chest against his. The touching of their mouths wasn’t enough. Cora needed more.

His hand slid along her hip and then gripped her bottom, pressing her more firmly along him. She felt his hardness against her body and broke from the kiss to let out a breathless moan.

The needy sound echoed through the room. Damion grasped her waist and moved her back. “No more.”

Yes, he was right. Fear clawed at her chest, wondering if her request had been a mistake. She’d wanted to kiss him out of curiosity, to understand what attraction might look like. Damion preached its importance after all.

“You should want that with any future husband,” he murmured, straightening the sleeves of his jacket. He remained where he was.

Cora frowned at him. Was he unfazed by their kiss? Of course, he was. Damion was a rake, and hadn’t he told her attraction could happen between anyone? She smoothed her hands down her skirts, calming her emotions. Why was she annoyed at how nonchalant he was?

***

Damion walked to the side table and poured himself more brandy. His hands shook as the liquid splashed into the crystal glass. Desire surged in his blood for Cora. It was a foolish idea to kiss her. He’d known it the moment she asked, but the temptation to touch her lips against his overwhelmed him.

Christ, and now his cock was rock hard. He wanted to wrap her legs around him and lose himself in her heat. She wasn’t for him, he told himself. The lady was actually trying to catch another man’s attention. This whole situation was absurd. He should leave.

“Thank you for kissing me. I’ve only shared one rather quick kiss in the past with Lord Bellamy. Now I know what to expect. I’m sure he and I will share more in-depth kisses before any proposals,” she said, her voice calm and steady.

He didn’t turn back and face her but instead closed his eyes, gathering himself. Why did the thought of Bellamy touching Cora fill him with red-hot rage? Finally, Damion faced her. She was stunning in the aftermath of their kiss. Her blonde hair trailed over her shoulders, but it was her lips that captivated him. They were swollen from the touching of their mouths.

She swallowed nervously, and his eyes dipped down to her throat. He imagined running kisses down her body. No, Damion definitely shouldn’t have kissed Cora because now he wanted to do so much more.

He sat on the sofa, and she lowered herself into a wingback chair. She asked, “How do you entice someone to kiss you like that?”

Damion took a large gulp of his brandy, enjoying the burn of it to the pit of his stomach. He didn’t want to fucking teach her how to convince Bellamy to kiss her. Yet, he didn’t refuse her. No, instead, he said, “You ask him just like you asked me. Be yourself, Cora, and I can’t fathom him ever refusing you.”

She smiled shyly at him. “I imagine it was quite a heady experience for your wife to be wooed by you, Damion.”

He knew she meant it as a compliment, but he couldn’t stop himself from flinching. For some reason, allowing Cora to believe he and Lily’s marriage was a grand love match didn’t sit well with him. He wanted her to know the truth, which was shocking. He’d never shared the details with anyone. “My wife was leaving me when she became ill.”

Cora gasped. It was his secret he swore he’d take to his grave. The only other people who knew were his staff, and they were loyal to him. Lilly had been fleeing in a storm and fell ill at an inn. Her lover sent word to Damion, leaving her there. His mouth twisted at the memory. Damion brought her home, where she died calling out for the man who abandoned her.

“I’m sorry, Damion. Everyone talks about how your marriage was a love match.”

He took a sip of brandy and shook his head. “No, childhood friends who married because our families encouraged it. My parents passed away shortly after we wed, so they fortunately didn’t see how it turned out.”

She joined him on the sofa and took his hand. Damion said nothing, too startled by her actions. “I hope you find the perfect lady to be your bride.”

“I’m not searching for that, Cora. I don’t plan to wed again. I have several nephews who would be happy to be my heir. Marriage is not something I did well and don’t plan to give it a go again.”

She touched his face and said, “You should rethink your decision.”

The certainty in her eyes disconcerted Damion. He gripped her hand and almost pulled her to him again but stopped himself. Cora wanted Bellamy, and he wouldn’t contemplate what ifs with another woman who chose someone else. Instead, he gently placed Cora’s hands back on her lap. “Go to bed, my lady. I made my decision long ago.”

Cora frowned at the distance in his voice, but Damion needed to create some type of barrier between them. If not, he was bound to wrap her in his arms. She stood and said, “I do appreciate your help, Damion. I’m sorry if I’ve upset you.”

He shook his head but stayed seated. “You haven’t. Just promise me you will think about whether marriage to Bellamy is all you desire. There are plenty of other men who’d gladly woo you. Perhaps you should consider another Season?”

She stiffened at his suggestion. “No, I’ve made my choice.”

“Good night, Cora.”

She didn’t say anything else and departed. Damion remained in the library, sipping on his brandy. He hadn’t thought about Lily in a long time. Not because he hated his wife or because of what happened in the end, but because it all could have been avoided. They should have been honest with one another.

He hoped it was different for Cora, but worried her potential marriage would be just as empty. Damion took another sip. Cora’s certainty about Bellamy, their kiss, and the debacle of his marriage all lingered in his mind, preventing him from going to bed.

Chapter 6