into his trousers and search on the floor for his shirt. She also sat up, drawing her tangled nightgown over herself and retying her robe.
“It didn’t feel wrong to me,” he said as he buttoned his shirt. His eyes never left her. “It felt as good as being with you the first time did.”
She bit back a sigh at those words. At his steamy look. This was not a man who regretted anything. Since arriving here, she’d heard enough about him from his family to know that was true. He had that luxury, given the family he came from and the money he’d made with his various ventures. She had more to consider when it came to the potential of a scandal.
And yet she shut her eyes and nodded. “Yes, it did,” she admitted softly.
She felt his fingertip on her chin, tilting her face up, and opened her eyes. He was leaning over her, his face dangerously close to hers.
“Then why stop?” he asked, every word seeming to take an eternity.
She pondered the question. She had so many reasons to stop. That he had so much more control than she did was one reason. That she didn’t trust him. That this was too wild, too dangerous. That she feared what would happen when he tired of her at last. That she feared what would happen if she never tired of him.
But those things, as powerful as they were, did not rise too loudly to the forefront of her mind. Instead, she thought of Celia and the promise she’d made to her sister. And in truth, Rosalinde thought of her own pleasure. Being with Gray would bring her more of it. So much more.
“I don’t want to stop,” she croaked out. “I may be a fool of the greatest kind, I may be a wicked wanton with no sense of right, but when I look at you, all I want is for you to put your hands on me like you did tonight.”
His eyes widened like he was surprised at the candor of her response. She supposed she was surprised by it, too.
“I’m glad of it, Rosalinde. During our dance tonight, I was afraid you would refuse me, calling on honor and propriety to shield you. That you want me as much, that you are willing to trust me with your body, means a great deal to me.”
She shrugged. “I know I shouldn’t trust you,” she whispered. “But all I could think about after you left me with my grandfather tonight was what would happen if I said yes to your offer. And what would happen if I turned away. I couldn’t sleep with such thoughts pounding in my head. It’s how I ended up here, searching for something to quiet my mind and let me rest.”
“You found me instead,” he drawled, sliding his thumb along her jawline until her body felt hot and shaky.
“Technically, you found me,” she whispered. “And without a word, you made me see exactly what my decision had to be. No question, no doubt, I had to be with you. I’m certain you judge me for that.”
He shook his head. “I don’t. I felt the same way. There was something about you, from the moment I met you, that made me forget everything I had ever promised and vowed. It made me a slave to animal hungers I once foolishly told myself that I could control. With you, I cannot.”
“Is that true?” she asked in wonder. “Could you really want me so much?”
“How could you not be certain after what we just shared?” he said with a short laugh. “Certainly you have been wanted before.”
She turned her face, thinking of her husband and his attentions. Yes, he’d been gentle at first, but once he realized his fortunes wouldn’t be increased by their marriage as he had hoped…well, her pleasure had gone by the wayside. He hadn’t wanted her, not really. He’d only wanted what she could provide. When that was gone, everything had been broken.
“Never like this,” she whispered, just barely keeping her voice from cracking in pain.
He hesitated, searching her face like he was seeking some kind of truth. She bent her head so he wouldn’t see it. Trust him with her body? Oh yes, she would do that. Trust him further? It
“It didn’t feel wrong to me,” he said as he buttoned his shirt. His eyes never left her. “It felt as good as being with you the first time did.”
She bit back a sigh at those words. At his steamy look. This was not a man who regretted anything. Since arriving here, she’d heard enough about him from his family to know that was true. He had that luxury, given the family he came from and the money he’d made with his various ventures. She had more to consider when it came to the potential of a scandal.
And yet she shut her eyes and nodded. “Yes, it did,” she admitted softly.
She felt his fingertip on her chin, tilting her face up, and opened her eyes. He was leaning over her, his face dangerously close to hers.
“Then why stop?” he asked, every word seeming to take an eternity.
She pondered the question. She had so many reasons to stop. That he had so much more control than she did was one reason. That she didn’t trust him. That this was too wild, too dangerous. That she feared what would happen when he tired of her at last. That she feared what would happen if she never tired of him.
But those things, as powerful as they were, did not rise too loudly to the forefront of her mind. Instead, she thought of Celia and the promise she’d made to her sister. And in truth, Rosalinde thought of her own pleasure. Being with Gray would bring her more of it. So much more.
“I don’t want to stop,” she croaked out. “I may be a fool of the greatest kind, I may be a wicked wanton with no sense of right, but when I look at you, all I want is for you to put your hands on me like you did tonight.”
His eyes widened like he was surprised at the candor of her response. She supposed she was surprised by it, too.
“I’m glad of it, Rosalinde. During our dance tonight, I was afraid you would refuse me, calling on honor and propriety to shield you. That you want me as much, that you are willing to trust me with your body, means a great deal to me.”
She shrugged. “I know I shouldn’t trust you,” she whispered. “But all I could think about after you left me with my grandfather tonight was what would happen if I said yes to your offer. And what would happen if I turned away. I couldn’t sleep with such thoughts pounding in my head. It’s how I ended up here, searching for something to quiet my mind and let me rest.”
“You found me instead,” he drawled, sliding his thumb along her jawline until her body felt hot and shaky.
“Technically, you found me,” she whispered. “And without a word, you made me see exactly what my decision had to be. No question, no doubt, I had to be with you. I’m certain you judge me for that.”
He shook his head. “I don’t. I felt the same way. There was something about you, from the moment I met you, that made me forget everything I had ever promised and vowed. It made me a slave to animal hungers I once foolishly told myself that I could control. With you, I cannot.”
“Is that true?” she asked in wonder. “Could you really want me so much?”
“How could you not be certain after what we just shared?” he said with a short laugh. “Certainly you have been wanted before.”
She turned her face, thinking of her husband and his attentions. Yes, he’d been gentle at first, but once he realized his fortunes wouldn’t be increased by their marriage as he had hoped…well, her pleasure had gone by the wayside. He hadn’t wanted her, not really. He’d only wanted what she could provide. When that was gone, everything had been broken.
“Never like this,” she whispered, just barely keeping her voice from cracking in pain.
He hesitated, searching her face like he was seeking some kind of truth. She bent her head so he wouldn’t see it. Trust him with her body? Oh yes, she would do that. Trust him further? It
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