Lady Delilah Dares A Duke By Sofie Darling -

"The wager is settled," he murmured, his thumb grazing the inside of her wrist where her pulse hammered. "But the dare... the dare is only just beginning. I expect a dance at the fair, Lady Delilah. And I won't let you win that quite so easily."

"I dare you," she whispered, her eyes flashing. "A wager. One game of piquet tonight. If I win, the fair proceeds in the Hollow. If you win... I shall stop petitioning you for the land entirely."

The final hand came down to a single card. Delilah felt the prickle of sweat against her silk bodice. She played her Ace of Hearts. Lady Delilah Dares a Duke by Sofie Darling

Arthur looked at the card, then at her. He held a King in his hand—the winning card—but he paused. For the first time, Delilah saw a flicker of something human in his gaze—a longing that went far beyond land disputes.

"It is a simple request, Your Grace," Delilah said, snapping her lace fan shut as they stood on the edges of a crowded London ballroom. "I wish to host the Midsummer Fair in the Hollow. It has been a tradition for decades, one your father never contested." "The wager is settled," he murmured, his thumb

The following is an original story inspired by the title and style of Sofie Darling's Regency romances, focusing on the tension between a spirited lady and a formidable duke.

Delilah took a step closer, ignoring the scandalous proximity. "You are a dull man, Arthur. A marble statue in a cravat. I bet you haven’t felt a moment of genuine excitement since the Regency began." One of Arthur’s dark eyebrows arched. "Is that so?" I expect a dance at the fair, Lady Delilah

He tossed his hand onto the table, face down. "It seems," he lied smoothly, "that the luck of the Vanes holds true. The fair is yours, Delilah."