Read Under A Duke's Hand for Free Online Page B

him, and let him have her? His
muscular physique frightened her, and that daunting shaft between
his legs... She was no prude, or idiot. She had lots of brothers
and she knew how things worked.
    And he was far too big for anything to
work.
    He had ordered her to come to him—twice—and
while she didn’t want to obey, she was afraid of what he would do
if she dug in her heels and stayed where she was. Instead, she
walked a little closer to the window. Coward. No, not a
coward. Just someone who needed some time and space.
    “I don’t know you,” she said, shying back
against the glass. “I’m not comfortable going to bed with you.”
    He studied her a moment. “It’s what generally
happens on a wedding night.”
    “Even so, I don’t want to do it.”
    He moved toward her. She tensed, fearful of
his size and virility. Would he shout at her? Slap her? Drag her?
She backed away as he met her at the window, and flinched when he
raised his hand, but he didn’t hit her. He merely tipped up her
chin and peered into her eyes. His gaze wasn’t angry, only very
intent.
    “Let’s have a discussion, shall we?” he said
in his polite and cultured voice. “We’re married now. You’re the
Duchess of Arlington. My wife. Do you dispute this?”
    “No, but—”
    “ No, but is not an acceptable response
in this conversation. You may answer No, Sir or even No,
Your Grace , provided you don’t say it in that invective
tone.”
    He wasn’t shouting, but she felt as if she’d
been shouted at. She moved her face to see if he’d tighten his
grip. He did.
    “No, Your Grace,” she said with a careful
lack of inflection. “I don’t dispute that we’re married.”
    “I am therefore your husband, your master,
and your superior by law.”
    She moistened her lips, which had gone very
dry. “I don’t know that you’re my superior, exactly.”
    “Then let me set you straight on the matter.
I am. Now that we’ve married, I own your wealth, I own your
property, I own the children you have yet to bear, I own this
pretty little shift you’re wearing.” His fingers left her chin to
pluck at the tie which held the neckline closed. “I don’t want to
be unpleasant about it, but your body is also mine now to do with
as I please.”
    “I...I...” She stammered and hated herself
for it. Why couldn’t she be brave? “I...d-don’t want
you...to...”
    His fingers parted her shift’s placket and
trailed warm against her skin. “Listen to me, please, darling.
You’re not listening, and what I’m saying is very important. From
this day forward, what I want will take precedence over what you
want. All these years, you’ve concerned yourself with Guinevere’s
whims and Guinevere’s wishes, haven’t you? But that time is at an
end. I’m your husband and I require your obedience and gracious
cooperation. If I ask you to join me in bed, you will put aside
whatever impedes you and join me in bed. Do you understand?”
    She stared at him, frozen by the icy
authority in his words. She was so rattled she couldn’t speak. The
life he described was awful, terrifying and dangerous to her soul.
“I can’t have whims and wishes anymore?” she finally managed to
whisper. “I never knew marriage entailed such sacrifice.”
    “When you marry a duke, it does. Someone
ought to have explained it to you.”
    He leaned his head closer. She had the
strangest idea he was going to kiss her, but he only pressed his
forehead to hers. A sob escaped as his fingers slid along her
neck.
    “I don’t want things to be unpleasant between
us,” he said. “I know you don’t either.”
    “No. But I also don’t want to give up my
whims and wishes.”
    The fingers traced from her neck into her
hair, combing through it and teasing a section down over her
shoulder. He was so close to her, so strong, so naked. Golden blond
fur covered the sculpted muscles of his chest, and ran down toward
the lower part of him she couldn’t bear to think