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There was no place to hide, nowhere to run

"This will be the last time," she vowed

She was stunned that she had allowed him this close, a man whose beauty and charm had aleakened her Then he lowered hisher hips possessively, Marcus held her still as he withdrew and then thrust again, shuddering as she did at the exquisiteness of it

Elizabeth shifted restlessly, awed that her body had stretched to acco to hold hi, his hardness inside her, filling her co of connection so deep she couldn’t breathe

"Elizabeth" His voice was deeply sexual as he wrapped his arainst hiainst her throat "Only when I’m sated will you be rid of an to lide of his body upon and within her own

"Oh!" she cried, startled as the sensations built higher with every slide She’d meant to withhold her pleasure from him, meant to lie there and deny him what he wanted But it was ilance To fuck him, as he so crudely called it, was an act she was helpless to resist

She tried to increase the pace, wrapping her legs around his hips, her hands grasping his buttocks and pulling hi and too deterasped, trying to regain the feeling of control by stealing soroaned as she writhed beneath him His voice came, slurred with pleasure "I kneould be this ith you …"

In response, Elizabeth dug her nails into the flesh of his back She loved feeling his da a little in his control, he slammed into her, hard and impossibly deep Her toes curled

Liquid heat traversed her veins, pooled in her core, and then convulsed in cli out his na body as the only anchor in a swirl of incredible sensation

And Marcus held on, drenched in sweat, heat radiating frorowled her name as he spilled into her and the brand of possession burned deep

Closing her eyes, she cried

Elizabeth felt as if her lihted with lead It took all the effort she had to turn her head and look at Marcus sleeping next to her His long, black lashes cast peaceful shadows upon his cheeks, the austere beauty of his features soft in repose

She ed to roll onto her side, which was no easy task with his heavy ar onto one elbow, she studied hieous she could hardly breathe

Slowly, she traced her finger along the generous curve of his th of his jaw She squealed in surprise as his ar her body over his

"What do you think you are doing,off hi for the nonchalance she was certain she should display "Is this not when lovers part ways?" She needed to think and she couldn’t do that with hi naked beside her

"There is no need for you to go" Leaning back against a pillow, Marcus patted the space next to him "Come back to bed"

"No" She slid off the athered up her clothes "I am sore and tired"

As she ca her closer "Elizabeth We can take a nap and have tea later Then you can go"

"That’s not possible," she o horinned playfully "You can have a bath here I’ll attend you , Elizabeth hastily pulled on her stockings She struggled with the tapes of her skirts, having difficulty tightening them Marcus rose from the bed, heedless of his nakedness and crossed the rooers aside

She turned away quickly, her face flushed Lord, he was handsome! Every part of hiolden skin Recently sated, she still felt the renewed stirrings of desire

He arters, and securing her tapes Jealous at his obvious experience, she stood stiffly until he turned her to face hiainst his bare chest "You are so deteret close to you"

She rested her head against his chest for athe smell of him now mixed with her own scent Then she pushed hiave you what you wanted," she replied, irritably

"I want more"

Her stohed "Now that I’ve shown you pleasure, you’ll crave it, crave ht, you will remember my touch and the feel of my cock in you, and you will ache for ht her wrist "I will be craving you as well What happened today is singular You won’t find the same elsewhere, and you will need it"

She lifted her chin, hating the idea that, deep inside, she suspected he was right "I ahtened painfully "No You are not" He tugged her hand down to his rampant erection "When you need this, you will come to me Don’t doubt that I would kill any man who touches you"

"Does such forced fidelity work both ways?" She held her breath

"Of course"

Marcus stood for aaway to retrieve his discarded breeches

Expelling the air froh of relief, Elizabeth took a seat in front of the mirror and attee that stared back at her Cheeks flushed, lips swollen, eyes bright--she looked nothing like the woht Marcus’s reflection She watched hi her foolishness He was evenher

When she was ready, she stood quickly, a little too quickly for legs still shaky from the afternoon’s events She stumbled, but Marcus was there, his ar her as well

"Are you all right?" he asked gruffly "Did I hurt you?"

She waved him aith her hand "No, no, I’m fine"

He stepped back "Elizabeth, a discussion is in order"

"Why?" She fluffed her skirts nervously

"Bloody hell You and I Just estured with an impatient thrust of his chin "And the chair And the floor in ame"

"Wein her stolance was scathing and she flinched "Play your games and bury your head in the sand if you ardless"

"It was not ames, Marcus" She sed hard and moved toward the door He made no move to stop her so she was startled when she turned and found hihtened about what happened in the park today," he ain all charm and honeyed drawl "I will protect you froht of leaving held less appeal "I know you will"

"Where will you be this evening?"

"The Dunsmore musicale"

"I shall hed and opened her eyes His detered persistence warned her that he would not allow the matter between them to rest

He brushed hishis arm Wary at what she perceived to be his far too easy capitulation, she took it and allowed him to lead her to the main floor