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“Bound to you,” she rasped.

His growl sounded like approval. He continued the exploration of her sex with his hand as he moved his mouth up her body until he reached her neck.

He pulled back. “Show me you want me.”

She couldn’t touch him, so she arched her back. Devour me. Love me. Hold me.

He claimed her lips. She was beyond modesty, beyond care. She squirmed, whimpered, moaned. And still he continued his onslaught.

Perspiration dotted his temples, his chest heaved, and a deep flush stained his neck.

Then, she couldn’t see him at all because pleasure exploded in her body, ending in sparks behind her eyes.

Her release had been even better than she remembered. This time, she knew she held his heart.

Gradually, she became aware of him again. She opened her lids to find him studying her as if he had not taken his fill just minutes before.

“What do you want?” His voice was hoarse.

She half smiled. “Your cudgel.”

“Utterly unromantic, and yet...” He glanced down. “I harden.”

He shook his head before drawing back and undoing his falls. He most certainly had hardened.

“Are you going to undo the bow?”

“Wriggle out any time, if you wish. I should think you’d prefer the focus.”

She left the bow as tied.

As he positioned himself, she felt his hot breath against her neck. He braced on his elbows. Every sense tuned to him as he thrust inside her body.

She watched in fascination as naked bliss broke over his features. As he moved, he covered her mouth with his own, making her feel as if there wasn’t a part of her he didn’t desire.

She was so luscious, so wet, and so greedy, that beautiful ache built inside her once again.

“It’s happening again,” she panted. “Could it happen again?”

He did not answer. He might not have even heard, but she felt his muscles flex against her stomach, his hips knock against her thighs.

She was utterly full and yet she clenched him closer and dropped her bound arms around his neck. His feral groan echoed inside her body.

She loved him. She embraced him with her legs. She loved him. She fully opened her heart. He buried himself full length inside her and stilled at just the right angle. She loved him. The light behind her eyelids went white.

His body went rigid, and he roared out his release.

By the stars, she loved him.

***

Afterwards, Asquith carefully unbound Lenora’s wrists and then cuddled her close. His own audacity left him lightheaded. But he wasn’t sorry about a thing.

How could he be?

He had everything he’d never known he needed.

“I can’t believe I’m naked,” she said, “while you are still wearing most of your clothes.”