Rufus Drake: Duke of Wickedness Read online

  Could he not see, could none of them see, how lucky they were just to be men? To have the freedom to do what they wanted, and go where they wanted, whenever they wanted?

  “I am still waiting, Anna.”

  She cast off the feelings of melancholy, raising her chin determinedly, even as she inwardly asked for forgiveness for the untruths she was about to tell. “As I have said, I was strolling through the woods—”

  “Trespassing.”

  Anna ignored the jibe as she continued with her tale. “When I heard a poor little kitten meowing for help from up in a tree—”

  “This very tree?”

  “And being a good Samaritan,” Anna continued doggedly, despite his mockery, “I, of course, had no choice but to climb the tree and offer my help.”

  “Would you not have climbed the tree more comfortably if you had continued to wear your boots?” her tormentor taunted as he leaned comfortably against the trunk and looked up at her, his arms folded across his chest, his eyes almost on a level with her bared limbs.

  Anna tried again to pull her gown down—to no avail; it really was stuck fast on the branch slightly above and behind her. “I had to take off my boots so that I might remove my stockings. They are both expensive, you see, and I did not wish to damage them.”

  “Very commendable of you,” he drawled.

  “Unfortunately,” she continued determinedly, “once I had climbed up here, the kitten decided it did not need my help after all and it jumped nimbly to the ground before running off.”

  “Very ungrateful of it,” her tormentor nodded with a gravity that was completely nullified by the humour she could see glittering in his mocking eyes.

  “Whereas I,” Anna stated firmly, “appear to have caught my gown on a branch and am now stuck fast.”

  Rufus could see that, and he could recognise the blush of guilt colouring her creamy cheeks for exactly what it was. He had been a major in the king’s army, and in charge of dozens of mostly reluctant soldiers, and as such he was certainly capable of identifying a lie when he was told one. “Tell me, Anna,” he drawled as he straightened, “was there even one word of truth in that pretty story?”

  That guilty flush deepened in her cheeks. “Are you calling me a liar, sir?”

  “Oh yes,” Rufus confirmed without hesitation. “As I said, it was a pretty tale, and very well narrated, but all a lie, nonetheless.”

  Blue eyes warred with his unwavering green ones for several long seconds before she lowered her lashes and gave a defeated sigh. “I really was strolling through the woods initially,” she murmured softly.

  “And latterly?”

  She grimaced. “It has been so hot these past few days, and the pool looked so inviting.” She gave another sigh. “But then I heard your horse approaching through the trees, causing me to leave the water wearing only my chemise. I gathered up my things, and hoped by climbing the tree you would not see me as you rode past.”

  Rufus glanced across to where his horse, Caesar, was unconcernedly cropping grass, and inwardly cursed the black stallion for having made so much noise on their approach. Seeing this beautiful and outspoken young woman dressed only in her wet undergarments would no doubt have been extremely pleasurable.

  Almost as pleasurable as when she had looked her fill of his bare chest.

  “Except I did not ride past,” he stated the obvious.

  “No,” she accepted heavily.

  He nodded. “Your gown is stuck fast, you said?”

  “Yes.” She gave another ineffectual tug on the offending garment.

  “Perhaps you might behave the gentleman and help me to become unstuck?” She added with what was no doubt intended to be a charming flutter of her long and silky eyelashes.

  It was an affectation that had quite the opposite effect on Rufus as he was sure it was intended to have. He could no longer hold back his humour at the situation, as he first began to chuckle and then to laugh outright.

  Anna did not see anything in the least amusing about her current dilemma, doubly offended as the gentleman rested his hands on his muscled thighs to bend over at the waist, completely overcome with laughter.

  At her expense.

  Which was not at all flattering when her intention had been to charm.

  “I am glad you find this situation amusing, sir,” she finally snapped frostily.

  He continued to chuckle for several more moments before finally straightening. “I find you entertaining, Anna,” he corrected gruffly. “Tell me, does the helpless fluttering of your eyelashes usually work on unsuspecting gentlemen?”

  Anna gave a disgruntled frown as she admitted, “Always.”

  “Utter fools, all of them!” He gave a bemused shake of his head. “And what makes you think I might be a gentleman?”

  Anna swallowed warily as she saw there was now a predatory edge to his gaze as he looked up at her in challenge, again making her aware of the depth of the danger she had placed herself in with her impulsiveness.

  After all, she knew nothing about this man, other than he was obviously wealthy and that his name was Rufus. And that she was currently vulnerable to his every whim.

  Anna moistened the dryness of her lips with the tip of her tongue.

  “One must have faith in human nature, sir.”

  “Must one?” Rufus murmured as he watched the movements of that little pink tongue and imagined how its soft heat would feel running the length of him. Imagery which instantly sent his libido up another notch.

  “Yes, of course one must,” she answered him firmly. “As such, I would very much appreciate your assistance in disentangling me from this branch.”

  Rufus ran his tongue across his lips. “How much?”

  She gave him a startled glance. “Pardon me?”

  “How much would you appreciate my assistance in untangling you?” Rufus prompted huskily.

  She blinked her long lashes, not with the intention of flirting this time, but out of nervousness. “I do not understand,” she finally murmured uncertainly.

  Rufus could see the truth of that in her gaze, and was reminded that this young woman was at least ten years his junior, and possibly also the innocent daughter of his new estate manager at Banbury Hall.

  But no one could ever accuse Rufus of behaving sensibly.

  At least, they had never accused Mr Rufus Drake of behaving sensibly.

  Nor, Rufus decided impatiently, did he intend for the Duke of Northamptonshire to become so inured in that role he allowed himself to become staid and stuffy.

  “It is quite simple, Miss Anna,” he drawled mockingly. “What will you give me if I help to unhook your gown from the branch above you?”

  Her slender throat moved as she gave another swallow. “I— As you can see only too well, I have nothing on my person I might give you.”

  “Except for yourself.”

  Her eyes widened in alarm. “I— How dare you!” she gasped in outrage. “I have not— I do not— I am not that type of woman.”

  Rufus could see by her indignation that she certainly had not. “I am only requesting a kiss, Anna, not marriage,” he assured dryly, having discovered since inheriting the Drake title that a duke was a far more marriageable commodity than a mere mister, even one as independently wealthy as he was.

  As such, the marriage-minded mamas of the ton had done nothing but thrust their daughters at him this past month whenever the Duke of Northamptonshire had appeared in public, to such a degree that Rufus had quickly learned not to appear in public. Even the sophisticated widows of the ton, with whom he had associated so congenially with before inheriting the title, now seemed to look upon him with avaricious eyes rather than come-hither ones.

  Consequently Rufus had soon started to avoid those ladies too, resulting in there being a distinct lack of physical dalliance or relief these past few weeks.

  Indeed, since inheriting the title Rufus had formed a new respect for his cousin Zachary and the other Dangerous Dukes, for h
aving managed to avoid the parson’s mousetrap for as long as they had.

  Although that was no longer true, since his cousin and two of his close friends had all married in recent months.

  Rufus had always relished his freedom too much to have even the vaguest intention of joining their number. He enjoyed too much being able to bed whomever he chose, whenever, to even think of marriage to one single woman.

  But, as he had already stated, his thoughts were not of marriage. “A kiss is not too much to ask for rescuing you, is it, Anna?” he now cajoled temptingly.

  Despite her feelings of restlessness, those wistful hopes and dreams she had of a different, more exciting life, Anna had necessarily led something of a sheltered existence up till now. But not so sheltered that she had not suffered the occasional kiss on the cheek—or on one distasteful occasion, clumsily on the lips—from the young men in the area who had thought they might be allowed to court her.

  The difference being, of course, that the man she knew only as Rufus was not a young beau interested in courting her, but a rakish gentleman who wished only to claim a kiss. He was also, Anna recalled with a quiver of delicious anticipation, a man who boldly claimed she should not assume he was a gentleman.

  Here, standing before her, was the adventure, the illicit excitement she had so longed for.

  And, really, how terrible could it be, to allow herself to be kissed by a man as handsome and assured as this one? A man Anna was sure would know exactly how to kiss a woman, so that she also enjoyed the experience?

  “Are you visiting with people in the area?” she questioned warily. The last thing she wanted was to later discover that she had allowed herself to be kissed by a gentleman who was staying in Northamptonshire with friends or relatives she might also know.

  His jaw tightened. “I am not.”

  “Then you are merely travelling through?” she prompted just to be certain.

  He gave a wicked rake of a smile. “Merely travelling through the woods, yes,” he nodded.

  Anna gave a relieved sigh. “Very well, one kiss.” She gave a haughty inclination of her head. “If you will help untangle my gown and assist me down from this tree.”

  “That would appear to be two kisses.”

  Her eyes widened. “I beg your pardon?”

  “The price of the original kiss was for untangling your gown,” her tormentor drawled. “The second is for helping you down from the tree.”

  Anna glared at him. “You, sir, are an opportunist.”

  “Yes,” he confirmed unapologetically.

  Anna was sure she had never met a man more infuriating, more audacious, more outrageous, more intriguingly, meltingly roguish as this one.

  Chapter Three

  “Should you not put on your pantaloons first?” Anna prompted in alarm as Rufus began to climb the tree with the dexterity of one of the primates she had once seen pictured in a book in her father’s study.

  He paused briefly, the warmth of his breath currently fanning across her exposed knees. “They are expensive and I would not wish to damage them,” he mockingly returned her own earlier comment in regard to her lack of stockings and boots.

  Anna’s trepidation grew as she realised just how vulnerable she was to whatever this man might wish to take from her.

  Or, more worryingly, what she might wish to give.

  Heat suffused the whole of her body as he continued to climb the tree, and she realised as he did so just how big he was. Everywhere. His tanned shoulders really were impossibly wide, and the bareness of his chest, with that down of silky black hair, was far too warm and immediate as he reached up past her to grasp on to the branch above, so that he might release the back of her gown, before then twisting his body round to sit on the branch beside her.

  A warmth and immediacy that caused Anna to tremble as he sat far too close to her, the bare skin of his shoulder warm against her own, and allowing her to smell citrus and spice on his body, his cologne, along with a musky, totally male smell that she found equally as enticing.

  “One,” he murmured pointedly.

  Anna could make no pretence of not knowing what he was referring to, and her heart gave a leap in her chest as her gaze lowered to his chiselled lips just inches away from her own.

  Sculptured lips. Wickedly sensual lips that surely did know exactly how to kiss a woman.

  Her eyes widened as he slowly licked his bottom lip, before drawing it enticingly into his mouth with his teeth.

  Rufus recognised Anna’s flush of arousal for what it was, and he realised too that he was enjoying himself, more than he could remember doing in a very long time. Years, perhaps. If ever?

  He had taken bachelor apartments in London after finishing with Oxford, and the past ten years had seen his fortunes change dramatically. He had no interest in cards or a life of idleness, but had instead concentrated on his investments, doubling his money within months, before investing further.

  Until one day Rufus realised he had so much money he could easily buy himself a house in one of the most fashionable areas in London, along with the servants needed to run such a residence, whilst he quietly continued to amass even more wealth.

  He had enjoyed the company of ladies during those years too, of course. Very much so. He had stayed well clear of married ladies, however, nor had he wished to become entrapped into a marriage with one of the simpering young debutantes of the Season.

  The young debutantes and their families were desperate to make a match to one of the richest men in England. His family connection to the prestigious Dukes of Hawksmere and Northamptonshire were not to be dismissed, either.

  Cynical perhaps, but Rufus had no illusions in regard to London Society and how those loveless marriages were decided upon. And he wanted no part of it—not the suitable marriage, nor the demure miss, who would no doubt have been advised by her mother to lie passive and unmoving in the marriage bed while her husband impregnated her. After which she could banish him from her bed until her lying in was over. When the whole miserable cycle would begin all over again.

  An heir was now necessary, of course, but Rufus had every intention of choosing his own wife when the time came.

  The young woman seated on the branch beside him was not of the ton, nor was she a married lady or a simpering debutante. Nor did the circumstance of their meeting—she was currently as unclothed by choice as he was!—lend itself to any outraged cries of ruination on her part, if he should steal a kiss. Or two.

  Which Rufus had every intention of doing.

  Sitting as close as they now were, Rufus could appreciate just how delectably kissable Anna’s slightly moistened lips were. They were naturally rosy in colour, and there was an endearing dip in the centre of the fuller lower lip.

  Her unfastened gown was still gaping down slightly at the front, allowing him a tantalising glimpse of her wet chemise as it clung damply to the fullness of her breasts, tipped with pert nipples the same rosy-red colour as her lips.

  To kiss or touch those would be going too far, but that did not mean Rufus could not be aroused by the sight of them.

  He raised a hand to cup her cheeks, her skin feeling as soft and smooth as silk as he turned her face gently towards him.

  Her eyes widened in alarm as Rufus held that gaze to slowly lower his head towards hers.

  She gasped softly. “Perhaps we should not do this.”

  And perhaps, if Anna’s breath had not been so soft and fragrantly warm against his lips, if she had attempted to avoid his kiss by turning away, then he might have been able to resist.

  As it was, Anna did none of those things, but instead remained as still as a statue as Rufus placed his lips gently against hers

  He pulled back only slightly. “Open,” he encouraged gently.

  “Open?” she asked, breathing softly.

  Rufus ran the tip of his finger lightly across her lips, parting them slightly before once again claiming them with his own.

  She tasted deliciou
s. A combination of honey and mint, the latter a freshness that made his lips tingle, followed by that tempting sweetness. The enticing dip in her bottom lip begged to be tasted by his tongue before he slid fully into the heat of her mouth.

  Rufus continued to kiss her, to taste her, as he pressed back against the trunk of the tree, his arm about the slenderness of her waist as he pulled her in tight against him, the softness of her breasts pressed against the hardness of his bare chest.

  He groaned low in his throat as he felt the shy, tentative stroke of Anna’s tongue against his own. Then she became bolder still, sucking his tongue deeper into her mouth, slowly at first, and then more demandingly as her confidence grew.

  Anna came to her senses with a gasp, wrenching her mouth from Rufus’s the moment she felt a firm and hot hand cupping her breast, his knowing fingertips caressing the swollen and sensitised tip.

  She used her free hand to push against his chest as he seemed reluctant to release her, her eyes wide, cheeks flushed, her breasts—the breasts he had touched so intimately!—rising and falling as she breathed quickly.

  She had never experienced such a kiss, such searing intimacy, in all of her life before today.

  She had meant the kiss to be merely a meeting of lips, in order to satisfy her side of the bargain, but the way that Rufus had kissed her—and she had kissed him—was nothing, absolutely nothing, like any other kisses Anna had suffered through in the past.

  Instead she had felt claimed by him, by having his tongue in her mouth. Had felt as if she claimed him when she had felt drawn to return his passion.

  His firm and chiselled lips had initially been surprisingly soft against her own, causing excitement to flutter wildly beneath her breasts. And her breasts had seemed to swell beneath the dampness of her chemise as the kiss continued, the rosy tips becoming an aching tingle, with an unaccustomed warmth spreading through the whole of her body before it had centred as a pleasant ache between her thighs.

  It was an excitement that Anna had thoroughly enjoyed, until she had felt that hand cup her breast, and realised she had put a stop to these unexpected intimacies. Before it was too late.