Daisy and the Duke

Daisy and the Duke - Part 3

Duke Ian Furchess is not a man who likes to be told what to do, but the mantle of responsibility has always lain on his shoulders. For the first time, however, a gorgeous American tourist with her own royal agenda might just tempt him to go too far...

 

Chapter Three

 

 

Bugger the duke. Ian froze, wondering if he had said that last bit out loud.

Lifting his body away from Daisy's slowly, he tried to regulate his breathing and regain the control that was expected of him.

When he could manage it, he got to his feet. There was nothing he could do about the state of his sex. It was too big to hide, and too painfully rigid to simply pretend nothing had happened. He could barely breathe.

Daisy seemed shocked by what she saw. Which made him rather angry, truth be told. Did she seriously not realize how close they had come to carnal relations? A few seconds more, and she would have found her skirt pushed up to her waist and her knickers dragged down to her—

Damnation. He turned his back and bent forward, putting his hands on his knees. After taking several labored gulps of air, he finally managed to regain a modicum of equilibrium.

But still he couldn't face her. He inhaled sharply and spoke with his back still to her. "The duke should be home any moment," he said curtly. "I'll go now and determine whether or not he can meet with you this afternoon."

From behind his shoulder, Daisy spoke, her voice subdued. "That's very kind of you. I'm sorry that I..."

He whirled, cursing his own weakness. He should have sent her on her way immediately. "That you what?"

She stood up as well, and with her arms wrapped around her waist, she was the picture of discomfort. "That I let you think I was willing to...um...fool around."

"Is that what you Americans call it?" He scowled. "How many euphemisms can you invent for having sex?"

Daisy frowned. "I was trying to be polite."

"I don't feel particularly polite at the moment," he growled. Merely looking at her, all disheveled and alluring, was getting him revved up again. "I feel more like finishing what we started."

When she opened her mouth to speak, he put a hand over her lips. "Don't worry," he said roughly. "I'm clear now on your priorities. You want to see the duke."

Daisy grasped his wrist and pulled his hand away, her pretty eyes beseeching him to understand. "You're a lovely man," she whispered. "But I was sent here for a very important reason. I can't allow myself to get sidetracked."

"They must be paying you a lot of money to purchase such devotion."