His voice dropped lower. “Liar.”
Charlotte turned her head sharply toward him. “I am not.”
“I shall show you then.” his voice was thick and low. That was all the warning she received. Victor’s fingers brushed lightly against her wrist first, warm even through her gloves. Then he leaned closer still until she could feel the heat of him beside her.
And then, his lips brushed softly against the curve of her neck.
Charlotte froze entirely.
Good heavens.
For one horrified moment, she forgot where they were altogether. Her eyes flew immediately toward Elizabeth. Still asleep.
Thank God.
Charlotte turned back toward Victor in outrage. “Your Grace…”
But the words failed entirely as he pressed another lingering kiss just beneath her ear.
Heat rushed through her so swiftly she nearly gasped aloud.
“You cannot possibly think this appropriate,” she whispered desperately.
Victor’s mouth brushed her skin again. Charlotte’s grip tightened helplessly against the armrest. They were in public. At the opera.
His grandmother sat scarcely three feet away, sleeping peacefully while the duke behaved like absolute ruin itself.
Charlotte tried to summon outrage properly. Instead, she felt dangerously warm all over.
“You are a rake,” she managed weakly.
Victor finally drew back just enough to look at her. Their faces remained so close she could feel his breath against her lips.
“Indeed,” he murmured.
Charlotte’s heart pounded violently now. She ought to move away. Instead, she remained perfectly still, staring directly into his eyes. Victor’s gaze flickered briefly downward toward her mouth. The gesture sent immediate panic through her.
Is he going to kiss me? Right here. In the opera box?
Charlotte inhaled sharply and leaned back at once. Victor smirked slightly.
Infuriating man.
“You should not ask questions if you dislike the answers,” he said quietly.
“I asked no such thing.”
“You asked what I do to women,” he said.
Charlotte glared at him despite the heat flooding her face. “I did not request a demonstration.”
Victor looked entirely unrepentant. “You seemed curious.”
“I was not curious,” she gasped.
“You sounded curious, then,” he smirked.
“I was insulting you,” she said, annoyed by his constant words.
