Well…that was not what he was expecting to hear. There was a plethora of options his ears had been attuned to hear in answer to what she wanted: You. A kiss. Pleasure. To bed you.
Any combination or variation of the above was expected. Writing a book? Wouldn’t have even made the top fifty.
But he could see in her eyes that this meant something, and he wanted to know what it was.
“What kind of book?”
“A…a novel about a woman’s…experiences.”
Knowing this had everything to do with him, he swallowed the lump in his throat, and asked the question anyway, “What does that have to do with me?”
She stepped toward him and lowered her voice. “You can give me…experiences.” Her hand lifted, as if she were going to touch him again—where he was longing for it, which really, was anywhere on his body—but then she dropped it. “Without any commitment, of course. Neither of us wants anything beyond this.”
And that’s when it hit him. Really, it should have slammed into him much earlier if only he hadn’t been thinking with his cock.
“You’re a virgin.”
“Yes.” She was neither affronted nor shy about it. “I am. But I’d like to change that.”
“I can’t.” He stepped back, putting some much needed space between them. He certainly had experience, but he was not the kind of man to deflower a virgin. It was a line he wouldn’t cross.
“Why?”
And all the reasons he had ever given to himself flew from his mind and hid under the bed. Apropos.
“I can’t. You don’t know what you’re asking.”
Fire flared up in her eyes. “I don’t know what I’m asking?” she repeated back to him.
“No.” He stepped back again, but this time his legs hit the bed, under which all reason was hiding.
“I don’t know what I’m asking?” She repeated again—mockingly—moving even closer. This time, she unbuttoned her frock so that the side opened up.
Dear God in Heaven, what had he gotten himself into?
He couldn’t. He shouldn’t. He would never—
The frock dropped to the floor.
“I’m twenty-nine years old, Damien. I think I know my own mind.”
Her chemise sunk into the pile of sin.
“Mirabelle, will hear us.”
“I’ll be quiet.”
“See? That’s how little you know—”
“I said—” she covered his mouth with her hand “—I’ll be quiet.” And she was.
Until she wasn’t.
Chapter 6
“Lucy,” he pleaded with her, thinking this was to his advantage. It wasn’t. “Do you know how tempting you are?” With a mind of their own, his hands anchored themselves on her hips as she stood between his legs fully exposed to him. “Do you know how beautiful you are?” His eyes lifted to meet hers, and that’s when he saw what broke him.
Complete and utter openness.
