Deeper in Sin by Sharon Page

gotten at the logic—why would a man who had been through hell not want to fall into the loving arms of a woman? After being deprived of freedom, wouldn’t any normal man be eager for passion and pleasure?
    â€œI was chained up, starved, beaten. Tortured. And I cannot put it aside. When you wanted to have sex with me, I felt a swift rush of arousal, but getting that near to pleasure brings forth all my bad memories. I don’t know why. Maybe I don’t feel worthy.”
    â€œHow could you feel that?” she asked. “You are wonderful.”
    â€œYou don’t know that.”
    â€œI do! You rescued me from three footpads without even a thought for your own safety. But if you can’t have sex because of your painful memories, why were you at a Cyprian ball?”
    â€œTo see if I could heal myself. If I could change. I’m a duke. Expected to marry. To produce an heir.” He sighed. “Now it is time for you to go off to bed, Sophie. It’s close to dawn. I will ensure you aren’t disturbed until late.”
    â€œThen what?” she asked.
    â€œWe will discuss that in the morning. I’m too tired to think right now.”
    â€œCould I sleep with you?”
    â€œThat is not a good idea.”
    â€œBut I’m worried about you!”
    â€œI don’t think I will develop a fever now. I think we’ve proven I’m still fairly strong.”
    Yet she looked so heartbroken, he felt his resolve yield. “Sophie, I admit it would be nice to share my bed. It’s been a vast, lonely place for years now. But you have to promise you won’t try to ravish me in my sleep.”
    She giggled. “Normally, that is what the woman fears. But you have my solemn promise: I won’t be naughty.”
    It had been years since he had fallen asleep with a woman in his bed—back when his father was alive and Cary had his own bachelor rooms.
    Sophie stood, and he caught his breath as she pushed her gown down and stepped out of it.
    She sat again so he could unlace her corset. Then she said, “Your majordomo has been checking on you. To ensure you haven’t developed a fever. He last looked in on you when I first came in.”
    â€œHe didn’t see you?”
    â€œI hid behind the bed.”
    â€œI doubt he will return. Not until morning. But lock the door. I’d rather Penders didn’t have the shock of finding us together in my bed. There is no point in savaging your reputation when it’s my plan to send you home.”
    â€œI’ve already accepted that my reputation is something that must be sacrificed to protect my family.”
    â€œSleep now. We’ll worry about that later.”
    â€œAll right,” she mumbled.
    He shifted over, making room for her in his bed. “Go to sleep, love.”
    Â 
    Cary got out of bed.
    He felt damned guilty. He’d intended to save her, send her home—not try to have sex with her.
    He poured himself a tumbler of brandy and walked over to the grouping of chairs by the fireplace. He sat on a stool, grimacing as he settled down, and he watched Sophie. She looked so small and sweet in his huge bed—a bed used by four generations of Dukes of Caradon.
    He’d learned a stark damning truth tonight: He couldn’t get past the hell of his memories.
    It was more than what had happened to him as a prisoner of war in Ceylon. All that had done was release the secrets he’d kept hidden for so long.
    When he was five years old, he had been kidnapped for ransom. He had been chained up in a decaying house. And his perverted captor had done things to him. . . .
    He had almost prayed for death, since he had been forced to do sinful things. Then the day had come where the man had wanted more, wanted to completely rip apart his innocence and virginity. Cary had been young, but he’d understood that the man had intended to penetrate him.
    For that, the man had unchained him,