Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"Since you want me to be romantic, could anything be better than a kiss in the rain?"  and before she could reject or take a step away, his lips had already captured hers.

His hands held her tightly at her place afraid that she would run away. It was not like the kiss Evan had given him but a deep kiss when his tongue entered hers and started exploring her mouth again.

Taking her into his embrace, he started to take liberties with her dress too.

Since they were still standing on the road, Evan had thought that he was not serious since he had been a reserved man since the start.

She could feel the eyes of many people on her. But his actions were so intense and strong that she was not able to concentrate on what they were saying.

Soon her vision started to blur and her senses started to give up. Only his kiss and touch remained.

As if they were the only two in this whole world. Her hands wrapped around his shoulders for support as the heavy rain continued to fall on them.

Her face had turned so red when he finally let her go. She could not dare to raise her head with all those intense stares on her. It looked like her face could drip blood any moment.

"What.. what did you do?`` She could not believe that he had kissed her in front of so many people.

Just when she was about to ask him to leave.

"Is that Evangeline? Is it her husband with her?" She heard someone calling her name and her heartbeat accelerated.

Without thinking about it, she held his hands and then ran away while dragging him with her.

She only stopped when they crossed the whole dark alley and when she ran out of breath.

Holding her knees she took deep breaths, her chest started to heave up and down in a rhythmic motion when she felt him boring holes on his back.

She turned to notice that his face had darkened. He was looking so gloomy even after kissing her? Could it be that he was still thinking about the old times?

"Why did you run from there?"

"......" was he really asking that? Did he want to meet their acquaintances after kissing her in front of them?

"Do you not want me to meet your friends and family. Am I that unpresentable?" she gulped as she realised what her actions meant to him.

Now that she thinks about it, they were already married and had no need to run from her family.

"That.. It was because of the rain. I swear…" her hands already reached to pinch her neck as she blinked her eyes innocently. "It was too cold in the rain there. I just wanted to cover myself up."

He knew that she was lying, the sly look in her eyes was telling that but looking at the way she was blinking her eyes innocent and trying to act that she did it for him. He did not have the heart to speak the truth.

"Where were you going to take me then?" Though the frost of his eyes had dissipated a little, she could still feel the cold emitting from him.

If she did not find a proper place for him to rest, then the iceberg would only freeze her till they reached home.

"There, see there is so much crowd at the entrance. I am sure that they would be serving a good and warm meal." his eyes narrowed on the name and grew cold but when he looked at her bunny figure that was hopping with an attempt to calm her, he nodded his head.

If worse comes to worse, he would make sure that the building would close down. Or there might be a chance that she would be interested in making money. After all, that was how he had pursued her.

"Alright, we will go there and do not worry even if we get short of money, i have other sources to ask for it?" huh! She looked at him with confusion but when she noticed that his smile had come back on his face, she didn't mind it much.

As long as he was not fuming. And he might have had no money to pay for the meal. That was why he was telling her to not think before ordering.

She shook her head as she felt how concerned he was about her food. He must know that she liked food the most.

With a smile they both entered the building that was covered with men like swarming bees. They have blocked the entrance and even inside, there was hardly any space for others to sit and enjoy.

"It must be due to rain. Rain!" she rubbed his arm so that he did not run out of the room.

"I think it is like that all the time, since it is a popular one." popular? She never knew that dark alleys like this could have a popular hotel. She had always thought that they were only in the market and plaza where many visit.

But just as she took a step further and blinked. Her steps halted as she finally realized what he was talking about.

There was a crowd surrounding a table where they were betting on the numbers that the dice would have. Once stopped a few of them lost the bets while others won it.

They all were looking too excited about the whole process.

"It is a gambling house." he whispered the obvious in her ears as he held her and brought her in.

"My lord, would you like an ordinary or a private table. The minimum bet for the private table will start with 10 gold coins." a man clad in a uniform greeted them gently.

Since they were clad in commoner clothes, they decided to stay low key, "we will stay here and look first."