The manor was incredibly beautiful with baroque designs that made her feel as though she was in a French palace—though she had never been to France. They walked through an archway beyond a grand staircase, then down a hallway with only one door along its length. Jasper opened it and gestured for her to precede him into the room.
The first thing to greet her as she walked into the study was the scent of brandy, leather, and wood. Her senses were luxuriously pleased, and when he entered and closed the door, she knew he was looking at her. The heat from his gaze moved down her body in delicious waves to settle in her core.
“You wish to kiss me, yet you have your back to me,” he murmured, and she realized he was closer than she thought.
Natalie turned around, her heart pounding, and her knees softening. His expression told her he was amused, and it also reminded her that she had not the slightest inkling of what to do. Relying on her instincts, she moved closer to him and placed her hands on his broad shoulders. His mouth curved, and she closed her eyes, rising on the tips of her toes.
Their lips touched, and Jasper cupped her cheek with one hand, while the other circled her waist. He parted his lips for her, sweetly guiding her through it. Slowly, he deepened the kiss and pulled her closer, filling her body with pulses of need. He loosened her cloak, and it fell to the floor. Natalie had not expected to feel such passion from something as simple as a kiss.
This was not merely a kiss, however. It was more, with old and hidden emotions involved. She had once yearned to be in his arms, and he betrayed her. The yearning was still present, but the way he was holding her and gliding his tongue along hers was telling of his own desire, and it made her feel powerful.
She raked her fingers through his hair, and he groaned, pressing her into his hardening body. A moan slipped past her lips when he kissed her neck. “Your Grace,” she breathed.
“Yes?” His mouth moved to the mounds of her breasts, and she sighed, arching her back. Her sex throbbed with want, and her nipples perked beneath her dress.
“Is this…part of the kiss?” she asked.
Jasper hooked a finger into the neckline of her dress and pulled it down slightly, tasking her skin and murmuring, “A kiss could be so much more.”
Natalie wondered how much more, and she wished to discover it, but she began to pull away from him. She had gotten what she came for, and although her body was begging her to ask him for more, she could not. He straightened, and traced the line of her jaw with his forefinger, his eyes on her lips.
“Are you satisfied, Lady Natalie?” he asked, and she hesitated in her response, leading him to add, “I will be happy to let you have another.”
Natalie sucked in her breath to keep herself from agreeing. No matter what, he was still the man who tore her heart into pieces years ago. “Thank you, Your Grace, but one kiss is quite enough.”
“Are you certain?” He quirked a brow, and she nodded, stepping away from him.
“Yes, I am.”
He regarded her for a while longer, and even though she could not interpret the look in his eyes, her skin continued to warm. “Very well,” he said at length. “Would you like some wine?”
“No, thank you. I should leave.”
“Did you come with your carriage?” he asked, retrieving her cloak from the floor and handing it to her.
“No, a hackney brought me.”
“Then allow me to arrange for my carriage to take you home.”
Natalie nodded, and he turned and exited the room. She lowered herself into the chair closest to her and held her cloak up to her chest. He was being kind to her, and she could not understand it as she was torn between appreciation and distrust.
She looked around the study and wondered why he was still unmarried. He should be five-and-thirty, and most Dukes were already married at his age to ensure the continuity of their bloodlines. Perhaps he had no need for a wife. Or was something preventing him?
I am giving this too much thought,she told herself. Besides, she had to think of a way to ruin his reputation. Natalie had a thought, and she rose, approaching the large desk. Everyone had secrets, and if she could find Jasper’s, then all she would have to do was give the information to The Londoner through Hannah.
She glanced behind her to ensure the door was closed. Several correspondences lay on his desk, and as she was reaching for the closest to her, footsteps sounded beyond the door. Her heart skipped, and she ran back to her seat, holding herself stiffly as Jasper returned.
“The carriage has been prepared,” he said.
Natalie stood and wore her cloak before adjusting her gloves and looking up at him. “I thank you, Your Grace.” She curtsied.
“It was my pleasure,” he returned, his eyes glinting with even more interest. “You need not worry about your reputation. I will ensure it is protected.”
“I have no care for my reputation,” Natalie blurted, then sucked in her lips. She truly did not care for her reputation, but she had to be proper because Hannah was on the marriage mart, and a scandal could ruin her chances of making a good match, or any match at all.
Jasper chuckled. “Yet you refused to give the butler your name.”
“Caution will always serve a man,” she retorted.
