The Duchess Deal (Girl Meets Duke, #1)

by Tessa Dare

“Good morning.” His gaze roamed her face and body. Why yes, I do wake up this beautiful every morning. When you leave me at night, you should know this is what you’re missing. He scratched behind his ear like a flea-bitten dog and yawned loudly before reaching for his boot. “I’m dying for a piss.” Emma blew out her breath. Fine. Sleeping Beauty and her prince they were not. In that case, she would stop pretending. “That was the worst night imaginable.” He shoved one foot into its boot. “If that’s the worst you can imagine, your imagination is lacking.” “It’s hyperbole,” she said. “You know what I mean. It was terrible.” “Perhaps. But we survived it, didn’t we.” He rose to his feet and offered her his hand. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet. “You’re right.” She tried to smooth the wrinkles from her skirt. “I’ve been through worse in the past, and I know you have, too. At least we had each other.” His gaze changed, the way it did in rare moments. Their icy blue melted to pools of deep, unspoken emotion. Compelling and dangerous. She was drawn to them. She could drown in them. “Emma, you—” He broke off and began again. “Just don’t get used to it. That’s all.” “The thought never crossed my mind,” she lied. “Good.” Emma had no logical reason to feel hurt by his words, but she did. The rumble of carriage wheels coming down the drive rescued them from the charged silence. He tugged on his waistcoat. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some eviscerating to do.”