She breathed, ‘Yes.’
‘But not until you want it as much as I do.’ He bent to kiss her breast.
Chapter 12
She was so attuned to his pleasure, so generous in the giving of herself, so responsive to his touch, that he forgot it was her first time, and allowed his passion free rein. When she cried out in pain, he paused, but she said, ‘Don’t stop. It’s all right.’
Argyle saw her head thrown back, her eyes shut, and knew he had felt no greater ecstasy in his life. He buried his face in her neck, scraping her white skin with the late-night stubble on his jaw, and she pulled him closer, her fingers tangled in his hair.
Afterwards, lying next to him on the sofa, Marguerite asked him, ‘If I had been unwilling, would you have forced me?’
‘Of course not.’ He was shocked. ‘I have never forced a woman in my life—why would I have needed to? I wanted to see if you would call my bluff.’
‘You did lock the door.’
‘I was daring you.’
‘How arrogant. I still find youdétéstable.’ But her hand caressed his chest. ‘You are always asserting your position and power.’
‘Not my fatal charm?’ He smiled at her, his face close to hers.
‘Well, perhaps a little.’
‘So, will you marry me now?’
She hesitated. ‘Non.I still don’t think so.’
He could not believe how stubborn she could be. ‘You have to marry me. I have ruined you.’
‘Only if you tell everyone about this—and I think you won’t.’
‘Why do you say that? How can you know?’
‘Because at heart I know you are honourable—even though you do not like to admit it.’
He rolled on top of her, then grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head. ‘Iwilltell everyone if you do not marry me. I will tell your parents first.’
But she only laughed. He silenced her with his mouth, then lay by her side again and asked her: ‘But if you do not want to marry me, why did you do this?’
She thought about it. ‘I cannot resist you. But marriage is for life, Your Grace—and I am not sure I want to spend my whole life with you being obnoxious and overbearing and selfish. Charles is sweet, and cheerful,et il m’adore.’
He wanted to say he adored her, too, but couldn’t—he still felt the need to take control. ‘Has Charles kissed you yet?’
She laughed. ‘Yes. Like this.’ She raised herself on an elbow and pecked at his cheek with closed lips.
A stab of jealousy pierced him. ‘You will be tired of him in months. And then what?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. What is this obsession you have with marriage suddenly? I thought you had been avoiding getting shackled.’
His voice was harsh. ‘You must be insane if you think I would take you as my mistress.’
‘What? Of course I did not mean that! But women have been lining up for you, should you care to have any of them.’
‘I don’t want any of them—I want you. I want to have you naked in my bed every night, damn you.’ His hand was on her stomach.
‘And then you will get tired of it—of me—in a few months. Then what?’
Again, he didn’t say,I won’t—because I love you.She was so unlike any woman he had ever known that he did not know how to deal with her. He only said, ‘So, tell me, did you like it?’
