“Liar.” His gaze dropped to her mouth for one second before returning to her eyes. “You look flushed. You’re not hiding any lovers in there are you?”
Her stomach flipped. “What do you want, Austin?”
He pushed off the doorframe with lazy grace. “Today will be busy. But I believe we need to do something fun first.”
“Fun?” She repeated the word as though it were spoken in a foreign language.
“Yes.Fun.You know what that word means?” He stepped closer, and she didn’t retreat, though every sensible instinct screamed at her to slam the door in his cocky face. “There’s a charity gala tonight. Some aristocrats are performing theirgenerositywhile quietly judging each other’s gowns, jewels, and moral fiber. Women enjoy that sort of thing, don’t they?”
Deena stared at him, unimpressed. “It’s too soon to go out in public.”
He tilted his head. “We’re married, Dee. The special license was read in the family chapel two days ago. The notice appeared intheGazetteyesterday morning. There is no more ‘public’ to hide from.”
“I mean—” She gestured helplessly. “People will stare. They’ll whisper. What if the articles begin again?—”
“Let them whisper.” His voice dropped, edged with steel. “They’ll whisper whether we stay in this house for a month or walk into the gala tonight arm in arm. The difference is whether we walk in looking afraid… or looking untouchable.”
Deena felt her chest tighten with worry. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”
He smiled devilishly at her. “We are married now, did you forget? I must show off my wife.”
The words landed heavily on her. And it felt good. Deena leaned closer to him and sniffed.
“Are you drunk?” she asked with a raised brow.
He was taken aback. “No, Duchess. I’m just…recovering.” He looked at her with a fake serious expression.
Deena sighed and rolled her eyes at him.
This is what a duchess has to deal with?
She looked down at her left hand, at the plain gold band that now marked her as his. “I have to admit…I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what exactly, and are you going to invite me into your chamber?” Austin slurred.
“No,” she answered him flatly, and he pouted. “And I meant that I don’t know how to be… a wife. In public. Where people are watching. Where they know exactly what was printed about me. About us.” Frustration began to build up inside of her again.
Austin reached out and caught her chin gently, tilting her face up to meet his. “You already know how. You proved it even before marriage. You do it by being exactly who you are: clever, unflinching, and far too good for theton’ssmall-minded games.”
Deena swallowed as she looked up at him. Her eyes fell to his lips for a second, and Austin grinned.
“You noticed all of that?” she mumbled under her breath.
“I notice everything when it comes to you.” He lifted his hand but quickly dropped it to his side. “And I like what I see.”
Heat bloomed in the pit of her stomach as she stepped away from him.
Austin smiled wickedly. “You’re blushing again.”
“I am not.”
“Stop denying it, Dee.” He leaned through the gap of the door. “It starts at your throat, then climbs to your cheeks. It’s my favorite color on you.”
“Yes, Austin, you’ve mentioned this before.” She pretended nonchalance but her heart thudded uncontrollably under his touch and gaze.
“Say my name like that again,” he murmured, “and we won’t make it to the gala.”
Her breath hitched. “You’re the most ridiculous husband in the world. And are you forgetting that we are meant to be friends?”
