Lily and the Duke (Sex and the Season #1)(36)
“I don’t deserve this,” he said softly.
“Nor do I,” she said, her voice filled with compassion. “But we may as well enjoy it while we can.” She turned to face him and kissed him warmly, granting him grace without condition.
He had never felt so whole.
Chapter 8
Daniel and Lily dressed slowly, the tense air between them gradually returning to normal. They crept stealthily down to the second floor to Lily’s chamber. The hallway appeared deserted, and Daniel pulled Lily to him and kissed her.
Lily returned the kiss and moaned softly. Daniel was enigma to her. She had found a chink in his armor this morning, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. She broke away. “I do need to go to my chamber.”
“I know.” He led her to her door. “I’ll see you this afternoon.” He kissed her temple.
Suddenly the door to her chamber swung open, and Rose stood before them in her nightgown, her blond hair in a tumbling mass around her shoulders. “Lily, where in the devil have you—” Her gaze moved to Daniel standing behind Lily. “Your Grace, what in the world? Get out of here before someone sees you!” She grabbed Lily’s arm and yanked her into the chamber, shutting the door quickly and quietly. “You have some explaining to do.”
“I guess I do.” Lily sat down on her bed. “I’m sorry if I worried you.”
“You did. When you didn’t come back to the terrace last night, I had to make excuses to Mummy and Papa.”
“What did you tell them?”
“I told them you went to bed because you were feeling poorly, due to your…monthlies.”
Lily giggled. “That was smart.”
“Yes, I thought so. Neither Papa nor Thomas mentioned you again all evening. I kept Mummy at bay by pretending to check on you from time to time.”
“Thank you, Rose. I’m sorry I put you in that position.”
“Yes, you owe me. And I’ll start collecting right now. What the hell have you been doing?”
Rose’s curse shocked Lily. Her sister never spoke like that.
“And I want the whole sordid truth.”
“I’m not sure where to start.”
“At the beginning.” Rose sat down beside Lily. “If you expect my cooperation for the remainder of this house party, you owe me that much.”
“Yes, you’re absolutely right.” Lily told her sister everything, happy to finally confide in someone. She began with the kiss on the side of the mansion and ended with her return to the chamber a few moments earlier, although she left out the details of their lovemaking. That was between Daniel and her, and she didn’t want to share it.
“Oh, Lily, I admit that it sounds absolutely enchanting,” Rose breathed, closing her eyes, but then she opened them quickly. “But you’ve been compromised. You’re ruined. What are you going to do?”
“We’ve been discreet, Rose. No one will know. And you know that I don’t give two figs about finding a husband anyway.”
“I’m not sure you’ve been all that discreet,” Rose said. “The duke’s attention to you at dinner last evening was apparent to everyone, I’m afraid. And this morning, what was he thinking? He brought you back here in broad daylight.” Rose paused, her brow furrowed. “It’s almost as though he wanted to get caught.”
“That’s ridiculous, Rose. He wants discretion as much as I do. If we were caught, Papa might force him to marry me, and believe me, that is the farthest thing from Dan…er, the duke’s mind.”
“Are you certain about that?”
“Yes, of course. I’m not such a complete ninny that I’ve forgotten what kind of a man he is.”
“What about you? Do you having feelings for him?”
Heat rose to Lily’s cheeks. “I…I believe I care for him.” Her voice cracked, and she steadied it. “I can’t help it. But that doesn’t change who he is. I know he’s been an utter scoundrel. But I enjoy his company, and he seems to enjoy mine. We have some common interests. I’m having fun, that’s all.”
Rose’s gaze turned sorrowful. “Lily, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I won’t. Believe me, I know what I’m doing. I have no intention of marrying any time soon.” Lily stood and turned. “Unfasten me, will you? I want to put on a morning dress and continue with my painting from yesterday. What are you going to do this morning?”
“I’m going to work on my Beethoven for a bit, I think. Are you going to be able to come along with Lord Evan and me on our ride this afternoon?” Rose finished unbuttoning Lily’s gown and untied her corset strings.
“Yes, absolutely. In fact, Daniel asked me to go riding, and he suggested we all go together. Isn’t that a perfect solution? We’ll have built in chaperones.”
“Daniel? And I suppose he’s using your Christian name as well?”
“Yes, he asked me to, and I saw no reason not to allow it.”
“And he’s taking you riding.”
“Yes, of course. He asked me yesterday.”
“Dear Lord,” Rose said. “I’m afraid he may be more serious about you than you think.”