Page 9 of My Ruthless Duke
“We are married. By law, you belong to me, Little Flower. Every look, every insult, every breath belongs to me.” His eyes lingered on her eyes, lips, and chest as he spoke before releasing her.
As if he had burned her, she wrenched her pretty face from his grasp.
“Perhaps if you understand my intentions, you will be put more at ease?” He wanted to keep talking, as her attention was finally wholly on him and him alone. “I do not expect an heir, nor do I desire children. But there shall be rules between us. It would behoove you to learn and obey them without deviation.”
Her brow pinched. “Rules?”
He dipped his chin in a nod, never breaking eye contact. “First and foremost, you are never to avoid looking at me again.”
Cordelia pulled her full bottom lip between her teeth.
“Secondly, you will never take a lover,” he finished firmly.
She considered his words for a moment, and Dorian wondered if she was going to attempt to argue that there was another who had her heart again. Clearly, she was not all that devoted to him as she had tried to lie in the first place.
“Questions?”
Cordelia shook her head, her lip popping out from between her teeth. “I suppose that those simple rules are fair enough…”
She started to look away from him, and he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. Cordelia’s gaze snapped back on him, and a deep sense of satisfaction curled in his gut. Perhaps there was hope for this arrangement after all.
“I wish to make a rule of my own then. You have two. I think it is perfectly fair to request the same from you.”
Cute.
“I shall have no issue abiding by your rules,” she continued. “For as long as my rule is also being followed.”
“Very well, what is it?” Dorian asked, leaning back in his seat once more.
“As this is to be an arrangement between us, I want you to promise that there shall be no lying between us.”
She was charming when she was so serious. Of course, she would demand theonething that he would never be able to give her.
Dorian smirked. “Oh, is that all? And what sort of arrangement do you presume that this is?”
“It is a marriage of convenience and nothing more.”
“Ah, you have decided this all on your own, have you?”
She folded her arms across her chest and nodded once.
“I think that it is charming that you feel so emboldened,” Dorian teased, knowing fully well that she would hate to be mocked.
“Do not dare belittle me, Your Grace.” She quirked a brow. “This is how it must be between us.”
Dorian did not answer, but he leaned forward once more, two of his fingers resting on her knee and walking upward slowly. He watched her expression carefully as her breath hitched. He could not help but wonder which part of the statement was more important that she get confirmation on. Was it the no lying? Or was it because she did not think this was truly a matter of business? She was not wrong on that front.
Holding her gaze, he had managed to walk his fingers nearly to her hips before she swatted his hand away like a spider. “Your Grace!”
“I like it when you blush, Little Flower.”
His words made more of that beautiful pink tint flush over her cheeks. She had buttons so easily pressed. He could not help but wonder if she would be equally as responsive to him in other matters as well.
He leaned back, a humorless chuckle on his lips as he interlaced his fingers behind his head. They were going to have great fun together.
Chapter 5
“Oh, my goodness! Is that…?” Cordelia could not help herself. Her words were nearly squealed as the first thing that she saw the moment the carriage had stopped was the largest greenhouse that she had ever seen in her life. She did not wait for the footman to escort her down, nor did she wait for permission to leave before she hurried over the grounds. She gathered her skirts in her hands so that movement was easier as she started to head off of the path, only to be stopped by a hand around her bicep.