Page 100 of Stolen and Seduced By the Duke

Pierce rose.

Margaret's confidence faltered, but she refused to step backwards. "What are you doing?"

"Attempting," he said quietly, moving around the desk, "to determine whether you came here to argue or simply to remind me that you enjoy doing so."

"I came because you were being rude."

"I see."

"You have a very irritating habit of making everything sound as though it is my fault."

"And you have a remarkable habit of making everything my fault."

They were standing far too close now. Margaret could feel the warmth of him, could smell that familiar masculine scent that had become disastrously easy for her to recognize. She lifted her chin. "If you stopped avoiding me, we would not have this problem."

Pierce's gaze dropped briefly to her lips. "Possibly."

Margaret's breath caught. "Then stop."

He looked into her eyes again, and for one suspended moment neither of them moved. Then Pierce reached for her waist and kissed her.

The anger disappeared almost instantly, replaced by the familiar rush of warmth that made Margaret forget every clever argument she had prepared. His kiss was brief but intense, enough to leave her breathless when he finally pulled away.

Margaret stared at him. "You are infuriating."

"I know."

"And that was completely unnecessary."

"I know that as well."

Before she could recover enough to argue further, Pierce stepped away, his expression once again guarded. "Goodnight, Duchess."

He turned and walked out of the study.

Margaret stood alone in the middle of the room, staring after him in disbelief.

"Goodnight?" she whispered, touching her fingertips to her lips. "He kisses me and then says goodnight?"

She shook her head slowly. "That man is going to drive me mad.”

CHAPTER 24

Iwill not be ignored like some piece of furniture in the house. Today I set my own rules.

Margaret went down to breakfast the following morning with a firm step and a peculiar knot in her stomach. She had spent far too much of the night thinking about Pierce, which was absurd considering how infuriating the man could be.

Still, as she reached the breakfast-room door, she found herself holding her breath before entering, ready to give him the speech she’d practiced.

The room was empty. Margaret's shoulders sagged with disappointment before she could stop herself, and she immediately became annoyed with herself for having hoped otherwise.

She took her usual seat and poured herself a cup of tea, staring at the untouched place opposite her.

"This is ridiculous," she murmured, stirring her tea although she had not added sugar. "I have survived perfectly well without His Grace for most of my life."

She took a sip and frowned at the empty chair. "And I shall certainly survive without him for one breakfast." Unfortunately, the silence offered no argument, which somehow made it worse.

The door opened, and Mrs. Norris entered with a composed expression that did nothing to prepare Margaret for what followed.