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“Is—Is that the part where I’m meant to hate you?”

“I believe so?” He raised a brow. “You ... do understand what I’m telling you? Your gold-hunting husband spent his youth as a whore. It’s not precisely the tale of noble heartbreak and woe most girls dream of. I should know—”

“I didn’t have the luxury to dream of fairy tales, Nicholas.” She set aside the wine and took his hand. “What do you think would have become of me if I’d not found a match this Season? Or run off with someone he could bribe into abandoning me? You kept me from walking the very same path you’ve been on.”

“Perhaps that’s why you caught my attention.” He brought her hand up, kissing her wrist. He still waited for a beat to feel her tense or pull away. She didn’t. “My surviving angel.”

Nicholas captured her lips. He managed to stay gentle until his tongue swept into her mouth, taking control of the kiss until the need for her made him draw back—but only enough to see her eyes, his hand still buried in her hair. Her soft eyes watched him, dark and soft and oh, so willing. “You know you’re going to be very, very well taken care of, don’t you? Even if I have to sell this place board by board. We’ll figure something out, Mia.”

“We will,” she said confidently, her gentle hand touching his jaw. “You’ve shielded me when nobody else would. Or could. I will be by your side no matter what it takes.”

“It’s going to take quite a lot.” He grabbed her waist to drag her up against his body and swept a cautious hand along the side of her breast, testing her reaction. “Tell me you’re too exhausted, Mia. Before I lose my senses and fuck you.”

Amy’s eyes fluttered closed. “If only I believed you could be gentle...”

“I can always be gentle,” he admitted, laughing. “But that would require more trappings than you may be ready to face.”

“Mm. I wouldn’t be opposed to pleasuring you,” Amy said with a husky catch in her voice.

“I am pleased to hear that.” He rubbed an idle thumb across the tightening bud of her right nipple, just visible beneath her gown.

She whimpered, her hand catching his wrist but not stopping him until Nicholas drew back and helped her up from the bed.

“Let’s get you out of those clothes. Before I put that mouth to better use.” Slowly, she stood in front of him, her fingers combing through his hair, her nails lightly scraping his scalp.

“What did you mean about more trappings?”

“Ropes.” He met her gaze while he reached around her, unfastening the tie of her high-waisted evening dress, and beginning to loosen the back laces of her stays. “Let me bind those pretty little wrists and give yourself up as my captive.” He ran a proprietorial hand down her back, squeezing her hip, while his left hand urged the dress off her shoulders. “Ropes and collars, and all sorts of amusing kit would be in play. Such things tend to unnerve the innocent.” He didn’t expect her smile.

“A ... collar?”

“Mm. For the games where you’re surrendering entirely.”

Her cheeks reddened. “I dare say I have already.” She shook her hips from one side to the other, letting the dress fall to her feet before holding her hands in front of him, ready to be bound. “I’m yours.”

“Let’s test your resolve.” He knew he shouldn’t.

She’d been a virgin days ago and had all the guile of a puppy. But the urge to pin her down and savage her quieted when he imagined her already held down. Already captive. Nicholas rose, conscious of how small she was in contrast to him as he unwound his cravat. Being five feet of convenient silk, it would hold her slim wrists without hurting her. He took her right wrist and wrapped it twice, then repeated it with her left and tied them together. He didn’t pull the fabric tight but tested to be sure it would hold.

“Worried yet?” he asked, turning her so he could finish unfastening her stays.

“No.”

He almost believed she was shivering from cold. “Brave girl.”

The stays loosened, he untied their shoulder pieces and pulled them from her, leaving only a shift between him and her skin. The fine linen provided filmy concealment, and he ran his hand over her stomach, then delivered a light slap to her ass. Her cheeks clenched, and a gasp escaped her.

“If you want it gentle, you’ll have to be very good and do as you’re told.”

“Yes, my lord,” she replied obediently. Her head tilted back, her shoulders relaxing as she let out a long breath.

“Get on the bed.” Nicholas didn’t just order her. He held her elbow to keep her balanced as she climbed up onto the ancient furniture and helped position her as he preferred- where her bound arms could be raised over her head and tied to a half-hidden rod that held up the headboard from beneath. With the amount of slack left, he could push Mia down into the center, splayed out like a virgin offering, her shift bright against the worn scarlet coverlet.

Nicholas abandoned her to mount the bed from the foot, where he could reach her legs and pull off her stockings. He used the first one to secure her leg to the bottom bedpost and repeated the exercise with the other, waiting for Mia to object. She panted and tugged on her restraints, but her eyes remained on him. Bright and hungry. Her fingers flitted along the silk binding when he fastened the stocking around her final ankle. “Does this mean we will not be putting my mouth to better use?”

“Not at all. Only that it’ll be a new variation on the theme.”

He traced a sinuous line up her inner leg, then retreated to free himself of his waistcoat, boots, and breeches. He took his time, ignoring as she tested the bonds again. She didn’t question his actions, but when he climbed into the bed, he saw the concern welling in her eyes. The vulnerable expression and the helpless pose made his cock throb.