to his well-polished walnut desk, where he struck a match and lit his cheroot. A shake of his hand extinguished the flame and he puffed circles of rich-scented smoke into the air.
This was outside of enough. “Your Grace,” she snapped. “Are you considering my proposal or have you drifted off into a drunken stupor?”
She could see his profile—admittedly remarkable. His cheekbones were sculpted ridges, his forehead broad and noble. He possessed a perfect, straight nose. The lashes framing his unusual silver-green eyes made her want to grind her molars in envy.
Remember, Lucy, you know better than to let a gentleman’s appearance turn you into a giddy, careless girl. She knew the most gorgeous man could prove to be the most dangerous. A man could look like an angel, but be willing to kill you. Even after he’d said he loved you.
Her courage quavered.
From where she stood, she saw His Grace’s lips twitch. Then lift in a smile.
He turned, crossing his arms over his broad chest. White teeth dazzled her. As well as rugged lines framing his mouth and the wink of dimples.
His golden brows lifted superciliously. “This, my dear, is your idea of a seduction? Snapping at me for my answer? You are asking me how much I’m willing to pay to debauch you. You should feel flattered that I am taking some time about this. It is a matter that requires a great deal of consideration.”
“Flattered?” Lucy gaped at him. “Are you saying I am not worth my brother’s vowels?” She had expected she would be fighting now for the courage to do what she had proposed: go to bed with him so he would forgive her brother’s massive gaming debt.
His gaze raked over her, blatantly assessing. His smile vanished and she almost expected him to stride to her and run his hand over her legs, the way gentlemen did with horses they planned to purchase. “Lady Lucy, your brother’s debts are a small price for your virginity. I wonder that you would sell yourself so cheap.”
She flamed in humiliation. It was a wonder the scorching blush on her cheeks didn’t set her hair on fire. “You have left me no choice, Your Grace. It might not be very much money to you, but it means devastation for my family.”
“You don’t like me, do you, Lady Lucy? Some men would find that appealing in a bed partner. Some men enjoy rogering an angry woman. I don’t. I like my ladies to admire me.”
Oh dear God. This was what he needed to agree? Well, she would have to fake it. She gave a simpering smile. “Of course I admire you.”
“Good God, is that hideous look on your face supposed to be a smile? I preferred your expression of extreme distaste.” He stubbed out the cheroot into a crystal dish. Three long strides brought him right in front of her. She expected he would stop a respectful distance away. But he didn’t. He moved so close, she had to retreat. For his every step forward, she took one back. Until something firm and velvety pressed against her back. A chair.
She could retreat no further. Smiling, the duke took one more step so his broad chest brushed her breasts. Her stays lifted them and the low scoop of her tight bodice let them almost spill over. She had hoped to look enticing. But now having her bare flesh brush against his satin waistcoat had her trembling with nerves.
She had to look up to meet his eyes. Foolishly, she tried to hold her breath—if she drew a deep one, it would push her breasts against his chest.
The duke literally had a wicked glint in his eye. His large green eyes sparkled at her as though reflecting the light. It fascinated her so, she suddenly realized she was gawking at his handsome face.
“If I’m going to ravish you, Lady Lucy,” he rumbled, in a lazy, drawling baritone, “I intend to take my time. It won’t take me one night to properly debauch you. I’d need at least a week.”
“What are you talking about? How could it require a week?”
“Give me seven days as my lover and I will show you.”
Seven days? She’d thought she would have this business done within just a few hours. “I cannot do that! How could I return here night after night? Someone might see me. Someone might suspect ... my reputation would be ruined.”
He stepped back, as though giving her space to breathe. Greystone ran his hand over his jaw, his expression thoughtful. “Given you proposed to trade your quim for your brother’s vowels, I assumed you had already accepted ruination, love.”
Quim. The word left her lips flapping in mute shock.
“You do understand what you are offering me, don’t you?” he asked.
“Yes.” Somehow, she found her voice. “But I thought it would happen tonight. I thought it would be one night. Then I could sneak home and no one would have to know.”
“I will accept your proposition, Lady Lucy, but not on those terms.”
Panic turned her voice to a high-pitched squeak. “What do you mean?”
“There are my conditions, my dear. I will tear up your brother’s vowels, forgive his debt to me of thirty thousand pounds—”
“Thirty thousand,” she cried. “He told me it was five!”
An expression of sympathy tugged at the duke’s handsome mouth. “It was thirty. And I will forgive every penny of it if you spend a fortnight with me, here, in my house, as my partner in carnal pleasure.”
Lucy had never fainted. Not once. Not even the time when her life had been in danger. But the room seemed to take flight around her now. Her brother owed this peer an absolute fortune. She took deep breaths. She put her hand behind her and gripped the chair to steady her. Her hand curled hard enough that her fingers punctured the velvet. Unfortunately, there were times she could not quite control her unusual, remarkable strength. She must restrain it now. She could not let the duke know she was not a normal lady, at all. That she, like the rest of her family, could change her shape and transform into a dragon.
She fought to regain control while one thought whirled in her head. The duke was willing to forgo thirty thousand pounds to take her to bed.
It was a fortune. And he was willing to trade it for sex with her. Sex for a—
A fortnight. Had he truly said a fortnight? “I—I think two weeks is a bit unnecessary, Your Grace.”
Slowly, he stripped off his right glove without a word. She was so struck with shock, she couldn’t help but gape at the slide of black leather over his hand. He revealed tanned skin and long, elegant fingers.
“Nonsense,” he said, as he removed his left glove. He laid both of them on the arm of a chair. “I don’t doubt, at the end of two weeks, my concern will be convincing you to leave.” He gave a careless gentlemanly shrug. “If you want to save your family, you will contact whoever is now the head of your household. You will inform them you will be away for a fortnight. Have them send any clothing or ... feminine things that you will require.”
“You want me to stay here? For two weeks? You mean night and day? Constantly? Every minute?”
With one deft motion, he pulled off his cravat. This he also dropped on the arm of the chair. “Exactly. For what I intend to do to you, I need time, my dear. Besides,
