The Duke was standing in the middle of the room, his hands in his pockets, his head tilted to one side. It was a relaxed, casual pose, and yet the way he looked at her was anything but casual. The deep midnight of his eyes burned and he radiated a subtle, sensual energy that made the air around him crackle. 

He looked like a man who’d never heard the word ‘no’ in all his life. Unluckily for him, ‘no’ was the only word she had.

“There's no reason why I should stay,” Anna clasped her shaking hands together in an effort to still them. “I’m not marrying you.”

His gaze flickered, his mouth curving slightly, and she had the disturbing thought that far from putting him off, her insistence was only inciting him further.
“But you haven’t heard my proposal yet,” he said mildly. “Isn’t that why you’re here?”

“I don’t need to hear it. I already know that my answer will be no.”

“Of course. But you can hardly tell your father that you heard me out when you haven’t, in fact, heard me out…. Anna.” 



A LADY FOR A DUKE

“Normally, yes, but given she shouldn't be driving so that's out of the question. She needs to be resting, not driving a car along winding mountain roads, and if something goes wrong help isn't easily at hand.” 


“Fair enough.” Cedric nodded. “Don't worry, Doctor, I'll soon talk her around.” 


“You will not!” Anna blurted out again. 


Remembering, finally, that Anna was actually the patient, the doctor turned to address her. “I'm going to go through your antenatal history, but in the meantime I want you to lie there and relax, and perhaps your husband might be able to talk some sense into 


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