Only that had the opposite effect, making him want to stay even more. He took a few steps towards her and narrowed his eyes. “Why are you acting strangely? It is not that late in the hour, and I did not interrupt your sleep.”
“I am not acting strangely,” she said defensively.
“You refuse to even look in my direction,” he pointed out dryly.
At his words, her hands tightened around the sheets that she was clutching against her chest— so tightly in fact that her knuckles were turning white from the gesture. Almost as though she was… hiding herself.
Oh.
Understanding dawned, and his expression darkened.
“Rachel.” His voice was low and commanding. All facades of concern had evaporated.
No, his reasoning for visiting her had suddenly shifted.
She swallowed hard. “I—What is it that you need…”
He took another step toward the bed. “Take your hands off the blanket.”
She shook her head quickly. “No.”There was a hint of panic in her voice.
Simon exhaled sharply.Ah,so she wanted to be stubborn.
Fine.
Without warning, he reached down andpulled.
Rachel gasped, her hands scrambling to hold on, but Simon was stronger. The covers slipped from her grasp, pooling around her waist?—
And Simon’s breath caught in his throat.
Bloody hell.
She wasbarelydressed.
A thin chemise clung to her body, the fabric sheer enough to leave little to the imagination. The straps had fallen slightly from her shoulders, the neckline dipping scandalously low, exposing her cleavage in a way that he had not been privy to before.
Heat coiled in Simon’s gut, and his thoughts darkened immediately.
God,she was a beautiful woman.
Rachel sucked in a breath, instinctively reaching to grab the covers again, but he caught her wrist before she could.
“Simon,” she whispered, her cheeks flaming.
His grip on her wrist tightened. “You have broken the rules, Duchess.”
Rachel blinked, trying to gather herself. “What? I was simply in my own room?—”
“Rule number four,” he said simply. He loved it when she played innocent like this.
“Never provoke you,” she repeated.
“Exactly. And this is what you have done just now.”
Rachel’s breath came faster, her pulse hammering against her skin. She hadnotintended for this to happen. She hadnotexpected him to walk in andfind her like this.
But now…
