He gave a short, humorless laugh. “If there’s one thing I pride myself on, it’s honesty. And—” His mouth curved into a self-mocking smile. “—the fact that women rather like me. Usually that’s enough to loosen tongues.”
Deena felt heat rise in her cheeks. “I’m notmostwomen.”
“No,” he murmured, eyes darkening. “You’re not.”
He stood abruptly, crossing to the mantel. With a restless motion, he loosened his cravat, tugging the knot free until the linen fell open at his throat. The glimpse of tanned skin and the strong column of his neck made her throat suddenly dry.
He turned back to her, gaze intense. “What must I do, Dee? What must I say to get the truth from you?”
The words hung between them, low and rough, laced with something akin to frustration.
She swallowed. “Austin…”
He stepped closer, stopping just short of her chair. “We can still make our arrangement work.”
She looked up at him. “How? I am sure that we both have secrets we are not allowed to share.”
“What if I give you pieces of mine?” His voice dropped lower so that he whispered. “Controlled bits of information. Scandalous enough to satisfy your blackmailer. It will buy you some time.”
“I don’t have time…”
“One week, you said?”
She nodded.
“Then we have seven days.” He crouched in front of her, bringing their faces level. “I’ll feed you stories, all true ones, but completely harmless. Things thetonalready whispers. In return, you keep helping me find a wife. Therightone.”
His nearness was overwhelming. The warmth from his body, the faint scent of his skin, and the way his shirt pulled tight across his shoulders as he balanced on his heels all sent Deena’s thoughts careening wildly.
“And our original deal stands,” he continued softly. “I give you scandals. You shield me from the marriage-minded horde.”
Deena’s pulse raced. “And the blackmail?”
“We handle it together.” His hand rested on the arm of her chair, inches from hers. “But there’s a condition.”
“What?”
“Honesty.” His eyes locked on hers. “We must be honest abouteverything. No lies. No evasions. And I believe that Dominic should know about this.”
She stared at him. “I told you I don’t want to involve my brother!”
“I want to keep you safe,” he said simply. “If that means involving Dominic… then we have to keep him in the loop.”
“Dominic has finally found his happiness, and I’ll be damned before I do anything that might snatch it away from him.” There was a sweet tension between them.
“You have your brother’s stubbornness,” Austin muttered.
His thumb idly traced the edge of her chair as he spoke. The small motion drew Deena’s gaze despite herself. In an instant, memory flooded her of the warmth of his palm at the small ofher back during their waltz, the firm, guiding pressure of his fingers against hers, and the way his hand had spanned her waist with effortless strength. Heat unfurled low in her belly at the vivid recollection. She pressed her thighs together.
Deena tore her eyes away as her cheeks warmed.
No.She would not allow Austin, theVelvet Duke, to unsettle her with a mere gesture. She shook the thought off as briskly as if one might dismiss a persistent fly. Deena straightened her spine and fixed her attention firmly on his face instead of his hands to find him smirking.
“What are you smirking at?”
“I’m starting to doubt that you’d be able to help me find a wife.”
Deena frowned. “And why is that?”
