The Ice Duchess: Scandalous Regency Widows, Book 2 Read Online Free PDF Page B

was expertly steering her about the floor. The man literally made her blood boil. “You really have no manners or morals whatsoever.”
    Lord Markham grinned down at her. “Oh, how I love your tongue lashings, Your Grace.”
    A vivid memory of how his tongue had stroked and wound around hers not a half hour ago burst into her mind, and her blush spread downward, staining her décolletage as well. She must look like a beet.
    Markham spun her in a particularly complex turn and she had to focus on her feet for a moment. She wouldn’t focus on the fact that he’d also gathered her closer and one of his muscular legs had pushed indecently between hers.
    “For someone who professes not to like dancing, you are exceptionally graceful,” he said in a low voice. “Why won’t you look at me?”
    Because I’m afraid of men like you... Georgie quickly buried the brutally honest thought and at last met his gaze, determined not to show how perturbed she really was. “Because you’re insufferably arrogant and you irk me no end,” she said instead with false sweetness as if bestowing a compliment rather than a blatant insult.
    Markham’s grin broadened, and he tightened his hold at the small of her back. “You didn’t seem irked when I kissed you earlier. Perhaps we should go out to the terrace again.”

    * * *
    G eorgie’s eyes flashed with blue fire. “You’re baiting me on purpose, aren’t you?”
    Rafe smiled. Yes, he was. And he really should stop torturing her. “I can’t help it, Your Grace,” he teased. “You look so delightful when you’re ruffled.”
    To his surprise, Georgie’s tight-lipped smile curved into a dazzling grin of triumph. “Aha, so I was right. That was your stratagem during cards—employing deliberate flirtation to put me off.”
    Rafe couldn’t resist pulling her closer into him so their hips gently collided as he took a deeper than necessary step in another turn. “You mistake my motives for flirting,” he murmured against her shell-like ear. “And besides, we’re not playing cards anymore, are we?” The blackguard within him was gratified to feel her shiver in his arms.
    “Well you can put the thought of playing at anything else, right out of your head, Lord Markham,” she grated out, her smile now more of a forced grimace. “I’m tired of your games.”
    “What about my kisses?”
    She turned her head away and looked down the room. “Ugh. You’re impossible.”
    He couldn’t help but chuckle. “I won’t disagree.”
    They danced in silence for a while longer. Indeed, Georgie remained aloof and stiff in his arms as they made another whole circuit of the ballroom floor. Markham knew she was seething beneath her apparently calm exterior. Perhaps he had miscalculated and had pushed her too far. He realized, with an entirely unexpected pang, that he didn’t want her to go.
    He needed to come up with another tactic to keep her engaged.
    The music came to an end with a flourish and Georgie immediately began to pull away. Rafe tightened his hold. “Play cards with me again, Your Grace,” he said with grave sincerity. “On my honor, I won’t flirt.”
    She arched an eyebrow, her expression imperious. “I don’t think so. Two bouts of piquet and a waltz in one evening? I really don’t want to become the main topic of tomorrow’s scandal sheets.” She took a decisive step away.
    Markham reached for her arm and tucked it into his to escort her from the floor. “Coward.”
    She sucked in a shocked breath. “I beg your pardon?”
    “I said you are a coward, Your Grace.”
    Her glare was scorching. “How dare you—”
    “I didn’t think you’d be the type to swoon at the prospect of a little gossip. You’re just afraid that I’ll beat you again.” He began to steer her toward the end of the ballroom where the card room awaited, trusting his bait would have the desired effect.
    “No. I’m not,” she all but hissed. “Now that I’ve worked you out, I’m immune