His laughter came from his chest, mixed with a growl, and felt throughout her body. “You can tell yourself that, but I don’t believe it. Not for a second.”
“I don’t care what you believe…” Octavia knew she needed to leave, but she could not bring herself to move. She continued to look at the Duke, their eyes held, and the world caught fire around them.
“Yes, you do.”
“I –”
His hand snatched out and grabbed her chin. “No more talking, Miss Finch. You have won, and that should be enough to sate you for now. However…” His hand around her chin tightened, his eyes flicked to her lips, and she knew what was coming… just as she knew that she couldn’t fight it. Nor did she want to. “I will require something in return.”
“Wh – what?” she asked, knowing the answer. “What do you –”
He moved on her like a lion on a felled deer. Gripping her under the chin, standing over her so that she had nowhere to go, he pulled her face into his, he moved their lips together, and before Octavia knew what was happening, she and the Duke were locked in a passionate kiss.
It was as if he tried to devour her. Their lips met, their tongues lashed, and he kissed her with such intensity and hunger that she felt his desire erupt across her entire body.
A small part of Octavia thought to fight him off. That was the smart thing to do. But the longer that the kiss went on, the more she coveted it, and the more she gave herself in so that she belonged to him completely.
They kissed for seconds… minutes… hours… she had no idea. Time stopped. The room vanished. All that mattered was the Duke’s tongue, his lips, and how much he wanted her.
Octavia’s body melted, she stepped into him, her hands went to his face, and started to run through his hair as if she was trying to pull him closer and take him with her. She never wanted to let go.
Stop, Octavia… push him away… do not let him… Oh, God…
A soft whimper escaped her lips, and that was enough to break the moment.
The Duke pulled away suddenly. He dropped her face. For a moment, she saw surprise and shame reflected in his eyes, but he covered those emotions quickly.
“There,” he said. “Much better.”
“Wh… wh… wh…” She could not speak.
“You are dismissed, Miss Finch,” he said to her coldly. “Hopefully, you will consider the consequences next time you decide to break one of my rules.”
“What?”
“We are done.” He turned his back on her.
For once, Octavia knew better than to argue. Her body was on fire, her lips just as much, but she did not think for a second to demand answers or to stick around. Heart racing, breathing heavy, she turned, and she fled the room as if it had caught fire.
Only once she was alone in the hallway did she stop and consider what had just happened… and how she felt about it.
It was easy to try to dismiss that kiss as if it meant nothing. He had caught her by surprise. He had forced her. Octavia did not want to kiss the Duke, and if he tried again… she almost laughed at the notion.
No, Octavia knew her true feelings, just as she knew how powerless she was. She might have won a small battle here today, but that kiss had done enough to remind Octavia of how the scales of power were truly balanced in this household.
That just left one more question, a question that burned hot so that Octavia had no idea of its answer.
Did the Duke kiss her because he wanted to? Or was it so that he could pry a victory out of today and put her back in her place?
Just when she thought that she was starting to understand her employer, Octavia’s world shattered, and she admitted with resounding defeat that she did not know him at all.
Just as she did not know herself…
Chapter Eleven
“Is there something wrong with your food?” Octavia asked Henry. She watched him closely, and with worry.
“No…” He said without looking at her. “I’m just not hungry.”