door. She turned the showe

e scrubbed her skin, trying to wash away the memory of th

ff. She reached for the modest silk

way. "Sir, Ma'am," a maid's voice called nervously through the thick

e door just a fraction of an inch. He snatched the flat velvet box from the trembling maid and slam

opened

caught in

sisted of a few thin straps and practically transparen

oard of the bed. He saw the lingerie i

ed. "Resorting to the tactics of

at. She threw the box onto the bed. "

leonora's heels echoed on the hardwood floor.

in there?" Eleonora's voic

If she suspected they weren't consummating the marri

es. He grabbed the black lace from the

ow, threatening rumble. "Do not give

n Annabel's chest. She swallowed her tears, st

ater, the door

wn, her arms crossed tightly over her ch

e sheer fabric clung to her curves, exposing the dark, a

io loo

tire frame went completely rigid. The

wallowed hard. His breathing hi

t the wall. He squeezed his eyes shut, his h

to mask the intense physical reaction tearing through his body. "I only wan

hot tears. She bit her li

" she whispered, h

She climbed in and pulled the heavy duvet all t

ed off the main light. Only a

o the other si

k. A foot of empty s

the fabric until his knuckles ached, fighting the agonizing, bu