Page 30 of The Duke’s Lessons in Temptation

Even though she’d ended any future with Christoper, things felt right between the two of them.

“Do you promise to befriend my future wife?”

Cora laughed. “Of course.”

He stood. “Are you sure there is no way you will change your mind? There are so many reasons we would be good together.”

She rose. “I won’t. All the things that matter aren’t there. I think you know that too.”

He nodded, and she walked him to the drawing room door. Christopher turned to her. “I wish more than friendship existed between us.”

Cora squeezed his arm reassuringly. “Friendship is a lovely thing, too.”

He kissed her on the cheek. “Goodbye, Cora.”

“Goodbye, Christopher.”

She watched as he strode down the foyer and out the front door. Cora feared she might be devastated when she refused him, but she wasn’t. She’d made the right choice. Glancing at the open door further down the corridor, she suspected her brother and mother were waiting to hear what happened.

Cora walked to Jeremy’s study, and both he and her mother feigned surprise when she entered. She rolled her eyes at them and sat in the wingback chair next to her mother. “I declined Christopher’s proposal.”

Jeremy nodded, and her mother smiled sadly. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

“I want something more,” she explained. Cora couldn’t say anything further without revealing her time with Damion.

“You will find it,” her brother assured.

Her mother asked, “Is there anyone who interests you?”

She forced herself to remain smiling even though her heart was breaking. There was someone who caught her interest, but he’d sworn that his heart was closed off forever. “Not yet, but I’m confident I will find the right person.”

Her mother nodded, and Jeremy studied her intently. He’d previously suspected something was amiss, but she hoped he wouldn’t question her further. What could she say? She couldn’t announce that she’d lost her heart to the Duke of Blythe. Jeremy would demand he do the right thing, and that would devastate her. Damion didn’t want to marry, and Cora refused to force another union on him.

Finally, Jeremy said, “I’m confident you will find someone.”

She nodded, but the lingering feeling that she’d already found the man she wanted cast huge doubts that it would ever be possible to find love.

***

Damion sat at Dante’s with Harrington. The man was in great spirits, but none of his jolliness rubbed off on him.

“I wish you hadn’t left with Meredith. We went back to my townhouse and had a grand time. One of the ladies was quite upset you weren’t present.”

He shrugged. “I’ve been preoccupied with other things.”

“You haven’t fallen in love with Meredith, have you? Or someone else? You have a look of sadness about you.” Harrington said in a hushed whisper.

While Damion enjoyed socializing with Harrington, he never shared anything with him. He was a horrid gossiper. “Of course not.”

“Well, I hope you snap out of your wallowing.”

Damion took a large sip of his brandy and studied the group of younger lords walking in. One of them was Bellamy. They looked ready to let loose. His hand tightened on his glass, anger buzzing in him. He scolded himself for his judgmental thoughts. Bellamy was allowed to have drinks with his friends.

He yanked his gaze away, determined not to fixate on the man who would be marrying the woman he wanted. A woman placed another drink in front of Harrington before heading in the direction of Bellamy’s table.

Damion glanced back over at the group of younger men. The beautiful server leaned down, and Bellamy whispered something in her ear. She grinned and winked at him before taking more orders and departing. Another lord smacked Bellamy on the back, causing him to grin even more broadly.

It annoyed the fuck out of Damion that Bellamy was here flirting with a server when Cora was his. What was the damn man doing?