Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

Evangeline did not know how to react, her mind was not able to respond when he was standing so close to her. She wanted to glare and shout but her voice was feeble to her own ears. Was it his strong presence? Because she had always snapped on the boys who had tried to come closer to her in the town. She had been a strict person since the start.

"What.. what do you mean?" she asked, trying to cover her uneasiness when the man smirked in front of her.

"Didn't you promise that you would agree on any condition?" his smirk filled face was no less than a devil. She nodded, then she shook her head. By anything, she meant any kind of act! But before she could say that, his hands wrapped around her waist and he brought her closer to his body.,

Her eyes widened and her heart stopped beating for a second and then started running like crazies under her chest.

"What are you doing?" she asked again when he raised a brow.

"Do you know only one line?" There was sarcasm in his voice, completely opposite to his soft and silky voice. His hands were warm and gentle, completely opposite to his cold and rude attitude.

His grip tightened and another hand moved towards his thighs. And before she could react, she was already secured in his arms. Though he had held her once before , she was so panicked that she did not have the luxury to feel the touch or scrutinize his face.

He was another wonder of the world! His face was so perfect. From his thick eyebrows to his pale ruby lips, everything was carved so well. God has definitely spent a good time in making him.

"There is a drool on your left side of face." he replied with a straight face when he finally put her down again.

She blinked and her hands instantly moved to her lips and then chin but there was nothing to clean. She realized that she had been tricked and glared at the man.

"Do you know how to climb it?" not even noticing her glare, he patted the horse standing in front of them. Only then did she realize that they were already a few metres away from the clock tower and she was standing in front of a horse. And all that time she was busy staring at his face.

Her face turned red with embarrassment and she cussed herself in her heart but kept a straight face when he finally tilted his head and looked at her.

She furrowed her brows and only then remembered that he was asking her about climbing the horse. Wait for the horse!

She snapped back towards the horse.

Evan has seen horses only in the local carriages. She had never seen a horse from this proximity. It was as beautiful as she had imagined it would look in real life. The horse was white as snow and his fur was shining in the moonlight. Her thrill to explore the night increased by tenfold when she realized that she was going to ride a house! A real horse! All her friends would have died by jealousy if they could see her riding the horse.

Her eyes twinkled and her face bloomed like kids. Her giggles could be heard from afar. She was so happy that she forgot the presence and the fear she felt from the man beside him. She moved closer to examine more. It had an athletic frame, deep sloping shoulders, powerful muscling over the hips and thighs and long clean legs with pronounced tendons. It seemed to be well bred as it waited there patiently, looking majestic and proud, with its silky mane dancing softly in the breeze.

She was sure if the prince came to take Cinderella on the horse then it must be this one only! And she was going to ride it like a Cinderella too. She giggled again at that thought.

"Would you let me ride you, my friend?" she asked as I roamed a hand on his neck and patted him. And then she looked at it with expectant eyes as if it would reply to her any second. She even held her breath when she looked at it expectantly. As if understanding her desire, the horse neighed looking into her eyes and she jumped from her place with glee.

"I think he likes me." she exclaimed as she continued to run her hands on its mane.

"Then climb on it, what are you waiting for?" Truth hits hard and the same happened with Evangeline. Her dreams shattered when she realized she did not know how to climb on it, much less riding. She knew if she would try, she was bound to fall. So, she shook head dishearteningly.

He raised a brow at that? Isn't she happy and dancing like kids when she sees the horse? He even thought that she was laughing like crazy. Yet when it comes to riding it, she was denying. Though she was trying to control, he was sure she could cry any moment. Three deep lines formed on his forehead and his frown only increased.

"Why?" he asked uncertainly, no matter how much he thought, he could not think of a valid reason for that!

"I do not know how to climb on a horse!" she replied in a low voice like the kid had been caught doing something he was not supposed to do and he shook his head. Was this even a matter to worry about?

He held her waist once again and raised her above.. She panicked when her feet left the ground but soon it turned into excitement and glee when she realized he was helping her in fulfilling her dream and soon she was on it! She was sitting on the world's best horse and it was a majestic feeling to climb on it that she could not even describe in words. She was so ecstatic that she did not notice the movements behind her until her back hit the strong wall!