At the Spanish Duke's Command Read Online Free PDF

Georgiana watched silently as he paid. Then, before she had time to regroup, he grabbed her arm and marched her firmly out of the café.
    â€œJuan—I—what happened?”
    â€œSomething that never should have.” He stopped abruptly, placed his hands on her shoulders and stood her away from him. “Stay out of my way, Georgiana. For your own good.”
    â€œBut, what—?”
    â€œDon’t. It was my fault. I should never have done that. I’m sorry.” Then without another word he walked to the car, opened the door for her punctiliously, then, once she was inside, closed it.
    They drove home in heavy silence.
    Juan seethed inwardly, furious at himself for giving way to temptation. He had no business kissing this girl. He was about to become engaged to Leticia. This girl was staying in his house—under his protection. It was unthinkable.
    When they finally reached the building, and parked in the garage, Georgiana stepped shakily out of the car. Then they boarded the elevator and rode it in complete silence. On the top-floor landing Juan unlocked the apartment door carefully. No one was about.
    â€œGo to your room quickly,” he whispered.
    â€œJuan, can’t we talk about what happened?” Georgiana whispered back.
    â€œThere is nothing to talk about. I made a mistake. I’m sorry. Forget it. Now, go to bed and get some sleep,” he commanded.
    Reluctantly Georgiana slipped down the wide corridor and carefully opened the door to her room. Inside, she flopped on the bed and sighed, still trying to assimilate all that occurred during the course of the evening. But all that stuck was the lasting sensation of Juan’s lips on hers.
    Finally closing her eyes and pulling the covers over her, Georgiana crawled into bed and allowed sleep to overtake her. But even as she dreamed a new awareness took hold. Something deep within her had changed.
    And she liked it.
    Â 
    Juan entered the study and poured himself a stiff whisky. Por Dios, where was his head at? How could he have beenso irresponsible? He’d actually kissed Georgiana. At the thought of the kiss he dropped into the worn leather armchair that had belonged to his late father and let out a groan. He leaned back, closed his eyes and sighed. It was years since he’d felt anything like it—years since he’d experienced that unique coiling sensation of delight as his lips touched a woman’s.
    And there had been many women.
    But until tonight there had been none to replace Leonora, the lovely young girl he’d once loved and who’d been wrenched from him so suddenly in a terrible boat crash one summer, when she was holidaying with her family in Ibiza. Taking a gulp of whisky, he drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. Just thinking of Leonora still had the power to hurt him, even though the accident had occurred twelve years ago. And tonight Georgiana’s soft, compliant lips, resistant at first, then melting so deliciously, and the tender, spontaneous gesture of her fingers threading his hair had left him undone.
    Sitting up, Juan pulled himself together.
    It was absurd. Ridiculous.
    He was reacting like a teenager, not a man of thirty. Perhaps he should call Leticia tomorrow and suggest they bring forward the wedding. The sooner he got married and settled the better. He shook his head and let out a harsh, disparaging laugh at himself. How could he—a veteran, a man who’d had his share of experience, who knew women like the back of his hand—be caught unawares by a simple kiss?
    Closing his eyes once more, Juan groaned as the memory of Georgiana’s nipples hardening against his chest caused another flame of heat to flash straight to his groin. Dios , this was unbearable.
    Then abruptly he rose and, turning out the lights, headedto his room. Tomorrow he would take measures to curtail this absurd business. But all that would help his present state, he reflected wryly,