He angled his head as his tongue drove into her mouth. She reveled in his passion even as she was shocked by it. She clasped at his neck and shoulders, kissing him back with urgency and fire.
The press of his body was a delicious friction, but she wanted more. Twitching her hips, she arched into him. He was definitely the rigid duke.
Oh God, what was she doing?
Juno tore herself away, breathing harshly as she fought to regain her senses. “I shouldn’t have done that,” she murmured.
He stared at her, his gaze dark and hungry. “I didn’t mind. I told you I wanted to kiss you.”
“That doesn’t mean we should have.” Juno never regretted such things. Her independence gave her the freedom to engage in liaisons with whomever she chose—and she was usually quite selective. The duke had taken her by surprise, however, and if she wasn’t careful, he was going to sweep her away. Just as her husband had done.
She didn’t want a husband. And she certainly didn’t want one like Bernard.
Plucking up the basket, she hurried from the closet without a word.
He followed her. “To the library, then?”
Just continue on their quest as though nothing had happened? She stopped and looked back at him, but the response she’d planned evaporated somewhere between her brain and her mouth. The latter had gone quite dry as she regarded him. No, it was the way he was regarding her—as if he wanted to devour her whole. Need throbbed in her core.
What could they do? It was bad enough that Marina was likely in the library without them. Perhaps the others who’d just left the orangery were there too and were wondering why Juno’s charge was alone.
She groaned. “You are a terrible influence. Have you no redeeming qualities?” Actually, he did. As it happened, he was a very, very good kisser. “Don’t answer that,” she said as much to herself as to him.
Swinging around, she stalked from the orangery and into the house. He kept up with her easily, but was kind enough to walk a bit behind her. At least she thought he was being kind. Perhaps she was giving him too much credit. He had kissed her, after all.
No, she’d kissed him. The man her charge was supposed to wed. Whose match would earn her a bounty.
As they reached the library, she fished the list of items from her pocket and quickly scanned them. Presumably, Marina had already found the book they needed, and they could move on to the next object—an acorn. There had to be an oak tree close to the house.
“She’s not here,” the duke said simply.
Juno looked up from the parchment and still found his gaze unnerving. “What?” She glanced around the library and was dismayed to see they were indeed alone.
“She’s not here,” he repeated. “Do you suppose she continued on the hunt?”
“It’s possible.” Juno had showed her the list. “The next item is an acorn.”
“There’s a spectacular oak near the rose garden.” He walked to the window and pointed. “There.”
Juno joined him and looked outside. “She’s not there either.”
“May I see the list?” he asked politely.
She thrust the paper at him and craned her neck to see more of the exterior.
He handed the list back. “Perhaps she’s in the music room. A piece of music is after the acorn.”
“Do you think she grabbed the book?” Juno looked back at the paper and read the title aloud. “Where would we find this?”
“Over here, I think.” He strode to a bookcase near the corner and perused the shelves. “Not here. She must already have found it.”
Wouldn’t she have come back toward the orangery, then? Or would she have continued on? Juno had a sinking suspicion Marina had abandoned the game entirely.
“Let’s go to the music room,” Juno said, turning toward the door without giving him a chance to deter her. Or kiss her again.
No, you kissed him.
“Did you just growl?” he asked from behind her.
“No,” she lied.
“Here I thought I was the only one who did that.”
“Are you smiling again?” she asked without turning. He’d sounded like he was smiling.
“Perhaps.” Now he sounded like he was grinning.
Oh, this was a disaster.
They arrived at the music room, but Marina wasn’t there either. But the piece of music they needed was.
It seemed likely that Juno’s suspicion was correct. She exhaled. “I think Lady Marina may have quit the hunt. You’ll need to continue on—or not—without us for now. I must go upstairs and see if she’s retreated to our chamber.” She set the list into the basket and handed him the lot.
“I’ll keep on it. How will you find me?”
“I’ve memorized the list. Though, I doubt we’ve any chance of winning.”
One of his impossibly dark, thick brows arched. “Planning the dinner seating was that important to you?”
She nearly giggled. “You’ve a sense of humor.”
“It’s rather dry. Some don’t appreciate it.”
Well, I do. She clamped her lips closed lest she say something she would regret.
Without a word, she swept from the music room and hastened to the chamber she shared with Marina. As expected, the young woman sat in a chair near the hearth, her head bent over a book.
“Is that the book for our list?” Juno asked brightly, hoping Marina had just been distracted.
Marina looked up, her cheeks pink. “Yes, actually. I wanted to read it.”
“You’re sure you didn’t want to avoid continuing?”
The pink deepened. “You know me too well,” she murmured. “I did try to wait for you in the library, but you took so long to come that I thought you and the duke perhaps went somewhere else. It seemed I should retreat, and yes, I wanted to.” She looked down at the book in her lap.
“It’s all right. We were caught in the orangery with other guests.” And with kissing. Guilt tore through Juno.
Marina looked up at Juno, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I just don’t like the duke. It’s not his fault. He was trying to be pleasant even though he didn’t want to be. It’s obvious he doesn’t like me either.”
Juno’s heart twisted as she sat down in the chair opposite Marina’s. “Please don’t feel badly about this. I can’t agree that he doesn’t like you. He was only trying to get to know you. He possesses a gruff nature. Just as yours is tentative. I think you would grow to like one other. Indeed, the duke surprised me with a sense of humor just a short while ago.”
“I can’t see any way that we would suit,” Marina said with a surprising edge of steel. “I know it will disappoint Mama—and you.”
“I could never be disappointed in you.” Juno felt the sting of failure. Lady Wetherby was insistent that her daughter wed the duke. Would she try to force her into it if the duke decided to offer for her? Was the duke even considering it after kissing Juno in the orangery?
What, you think he’d consider marrying you? You don’t even want to get married again.
No, she did not. The sooner she banished the unfortunate encounter in the orangery from her mind, the better. Even so, she knew this marriage wasn’t going to happen—she’d known it before she’d kissed him.