Page 17 of Always the Lyon Tamer

“John, take off your coat, waistcoat, and shirt.”

It was a little early in the proceedings to think about making love, that was true, but John did not even consider disobeying. His fingers moved to his jacket, and it was lying on the floor before he had a chance to take a breath.

John swallowed as he allowed his shirt to fall to the floor. It was not cold in the private room, but there was something electric in the air between them now. The game was now afoot.

He was half-naked. There was a blindfold in her hands and a smile on her lips.

What in God’s name could happen next?

“And are you going to tell me what happens next in this game?”

He had spoken as disinterestedly as possible, but there was certain breathiness that betrayed his excitement.

Titania had not looked away as he had undressed.

John did not shy away from her inspection. He was not arrogant, at least not knowingly so, and he knew he was a well-featured man—but it was a little strange to have a beautiful woman staring at him as she commanded him to undress.

Titania stepped forward.

“What are you—”

He could feel her warmth. He was captivated by her presence, by her scent, which he knew from somewhere but could not place. Lightness, lavender, a little rosemary oil. It was intoxicating.

Where had he smelled that before?

“Remember, this is a guessing game,” came Titania’s voice softly in his ear. John shivered and almost moaned as he felt her step away. “And this is how to play.”

There was a scraping wooden sound—she had opened up another one of the drawers.What was she about to remove from it?

“I am going to touch you with items,” came the Lyon Tamer’s voice, soft and sweet. “And then you have to guess what they are.”

John waited for her to continue and then found in the silence that she had finished.

“’Tis that simple?”

There was a laugh. It was followed by the sound of gentle footsteps—she was moving, and John turned his head wildly, utterly blind. Yet he followed her like a sunflower, dazzled by her brilliance.

By God, if only he could see her—but then, would he be driven this wild by desperate longing if he could?

“What happens if I guess correctly?”

“You win a point.”

John shivered.Christ alive, he wanted her.He wanted her more than he had ever wanted anyone—more, and he felt a flicker of guilt at the thought than Miss Darby, and he had fallen head over heels in love with her.

“And…and if I guess wrong?” he croaked.

There was more laughter, but this time it came from a few feet away to his left.

“Well, then I win a point.”

This was madness. Gentlemen did not just arrive at the Lyon’s Den to be given a wife!

The rumors resurfaced in his mind. Certainly, it had happened—and by all accounts, they were happy marriages.Why not?It was no stranger when one thought about it than being introduced to a chit of a thing at a ball, barely speaking to her, and then offering for her hand.

Besides, he was no prisoner. He was not tied to the chair, the door was not locked, and if he wished to, he could remove the blindfold and simply step out of the room.

He could leave anytime he wanted, and yet he never would. Titania had bewitched him, tamed him with her voice, her elegance, her teasing smile.