The Duke's Willful Wife by Elizabeth Lennox Read Free Book Online Page A

idea made his comment all the more meaningful. 
    He swirled the wine in his glass as he contemplated the picture on the easel, looking at it as he tilted his head and considered the various nuances.  “Your use of color is impressive.  And I like the fluid lines.”
    He ’d tapped into the one subject she wasn’t able to ignore.  Discussing art and the various techniques put her at ease and she relaxed slightl y, talking about the different styles she’d tried and her preferences , asking him about his own particular interests in both art and other areas of life .  The fact that he appreciated art so deeply also gave her a stronger connection to the man sitting across the table from her.  A connection she really didn’t need because the previous one was already a bit stronger than she was comfortable with . 
    She stuck with one glass of wine, not wanting to lose her head for a third time tonight.  But as the evening turned into night, she started to relax and enjoy his company.  He was well versed in so many topics and she loved arguing with him, laughing with him.
    By two o’clock that morning, he stood up and Sasha was amazed that she didn’t want him to go.  She’d been so adamant that he leave earlier in the night but now, faced with the loss of his dynamic presence, she felt almost bereft.  Lonely and he was still standing in front of her. 
    “Let me take you to dinner tomorrow night,” he said, his voice low and husky as he stood by her door, Sasha a foot away from him with her hands behind her back. 
    She looked up at him and her mind told her to reject his offer.  This was not a man to play with and she didn’t think he would be a long term thing.  He had fling written all over him and she would be hurt in the end. 
    But instead of the gentle ‘no’ she knew she should say, Sasha found herself smiling and nodding her head.  “I won’t forget tomorrow night.”
    He chuckled and twisted the knob on her door.  “I didn’t mind you forgetting tonight,” he said, and laughed softly again when she blushed and looked down. 
    He bent and kissed her cheek and Sasha held her breath as he pulled away. 
    He ran a finger down her cheek, the tender caress making her shiver and want more.  “Don’t look at me like that, mia bella.  Or I won’t leave you tonight.”
    Sasha bit her lower lip and glanced away, but it was hard.  A very strong part of her mind wanted to tell him to stay, to make love to her until they couldn’t see straight but in the end, she was strong and took a deep breath before saying, “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
    With that, he left and Sasha could barely sleep as she went over in her mind the entire night, wishing she’d had the courage to tell him to stay. 
    From that night forward, she couldn’t stop thinking about him and wondering who he really was .  His influence appeared in her painting with stronger colors, lines that weren’t as fluid.  The paintings were much more confident and bold. 
    S he also worked harder to finish her goals so she could be with him in the evenings.  And inevitably, no matter how many times she promised herself that she wouldn’t fall into bed with him, the moment they touched, her resolutions flew away with the wind.  This man had a hold over her that she didn’t completely understand, but it made her feel good, and free and wonderful.  Dante made her feel beautiful like no one else had ever done. 
    One month after their first night together, they were married.  Sasha was deliriously happy and couldn’t believe how much in love she was.  She didn’t even want a large wedding, happy to have a civil ceremony where she wore a  mid-calf length dress and carried a bouquet of white rose buds.  It was perfect even though neither Dana nor Jenna had the chance to stand in attendance for her.  S he thought the whole world was a great big fairy tale as they traveled back to Italy so she could meet his family. 
    And