want and you’re still not content.“

„Because you were a virgin, dammit.“ He grated the words

out through set teeth. „You weren’t supposed to be a virgin.

The reports I received said you were lying with one of those

damn circus performers. The knife thrower, I think.“

„Sebastien? He is my friend; all the people of the circus are

my friends. Except Monteith, the man who owns the circus. I

would not have him for a friend.“

„I don’t give a damn about your friends at the moment. I

want to know about your lovers. The Randall Investigative

Agency told me – “

„They are obviously fools.“ She shrugged. „You should

have hired Pinkerton.“

„I agree. For some reason they wouldn’t accept my

retainer.“

„If you told them you wanted to find Dominic, it’s not

surprising. Dominic pays them very well to protect Elspeth.

They would not have wanted to lose his business.“

„Protect Elspeth?“ He sat back on his heels. „Why – “ He

stopped and drew a deep breath. „Later. I’m not interested in

anything right now but why the Delaneys allow you to

frequent brothels and run around unprotected when you are – “

he stopped to change the word – „ were as untouched as any of

those schoolgirls at Mrs. Alford’s nunnery. They should have

guarded you from – “

„Men like you?“ she finished calmly.

His dark eyes flashed. „I’m no thief. I don’t rob virtuous

women of their purity. How was I to know you were

untouched? You talk of whorehouses and bare your body with

a boldness I’ve seldom seen from any woman.“

„You did not rob me. Why are you so upset?“

He stared at her in frustration. „Damnation, because you’re

not!“

She threw back her head and laughed. „You wish me to

weep and wail? Why should I? I enjoyed what you did to me.“

„I know you did,“ he muttered. „I’ve never known a

woman so responsive. You were…“ A firebird soaring,

passionate, beautiful. „Why didn’t you fight me? A woman’s

life can be ruined by letting herself be seduced.“

„You didn’t seduce me.“ She gazed at him with a touch of

impatience. „Why do you keep saying that? It was my choice

to lie with you tonight, and I will be the one who walks away.“

„Walk away?“ His eyes widened in shock. „What in hell

are you talking about?“

„Men fornicate with women and leave them with no more

thought than if they were flowers they had picked by the

roadside. Why should women not do the same?“

„Because that’s not the way of the world. Because women

don’t – “ he broke off. Womenkind in general might not, but

Silver was capable of anything. A sudden searing jealousy tore

through him. „I find I don’t like the idea of being discarded so

summarily, and I most certainly won’t permit you to go about

picking other ‘flowers’ by the wayside.“

„I didn’t say I wished to fornicate with other men,“ Silver

said. „You’re the first man I’ve desired in that way. Perhaps I

will not find another who pleases me.“

„I don’t believe I’ll risk the chance of your discovering

one.“ My God, the woman was talking about leaving him!

Possessiveness, jealousy, outrage, and an odd hurt invaded

him. „Now that I’ve shown you how much you enjoy it. I’m

sure you’ll want to indulge your appetite to the fullest. You’re

the most passionate woman I’ve ever had, and I have no

intention of letting you permit any other man to satisfy you.“

„Permit?“ Silver asked with dangerous softness.

„You’ll return with me to St. Petersburg. I’ll take very good

care of you. I’ll buy you a fine house and jewels fit for an

empress.“ He paused. „But you’ll belong to no man but me.“

„Or?“ she asked curiously. „What if I took a lover?“

He smiled. „I would take great pleasure in emasculating

him and then quite probably I would kill him.“

He meant it, Silver realized, gazing at him in bewilderment.

There was no question that he would eliminate any man she

permitted in her bed. Yes, Nicholas would be as possessive of

his mistress as he would his wife. Fierce pain, as intense as it

was unexpected, seared her. Why should she feel like this,

when she had known there was no question of Nicholas

offering her more than this arrangement? Men did not offer

half-breeds marriage. „I don’t want your fine house or your

jewels. I won’t be your mistress, Nicholas.“

„Oh, but you will.“ His smile deepened. „You may not

want a house and jewels, but I can give you something you do

want very much.“ He began to unbutton the shirt he had so

recently fastened. „Something you like better than woodsmoke

or honeysuckle.“ He pushed aside the edges of the shirt to

gaze at her. „Or even raspberries.“

Silver felt a flood of heat wash over her, igniting a tingling

between her thighs. His eyes were caressing her, moving over

her with possessiveness and desire, lingering on her breasts

and then moving down to the soft hair guarding her

womanhood. The muscles of her stomach clenched and she

suddenly couldn’t breathe.

His gaze didn’t lift as he continued softly, „You have a

splendid appetite, Silver, and I’ll keep you well fed and

purring. You want me right now, don’t you?“

Silver moistened her lips with her tongue. „Yes.“

„Then come here and let me pleasure you.“

She moved the few inches to where he sat, her gaze on the

magnificent rigidity of his manhood. Beautiful. Everything

about him was beautiful, his face, his body, and most of all the

radiantly sensual expression lighting his face.

His hand slowly began petting her. A shiver of excitement

went through her as she felt the warm hardness of his palm.

„There are many ways I can please your body. Do you like

this?“

She nodded jerkily.

His fingers moved down and found what he sought. His

thumb began a circular, pressing movement.

Her eyes widened. „Nicholas!“ She arched toward him, her

muscles contracting in agonizing pleasure. „It’s – “

„You like it?“

Hot shudders were shaking her body and she gazed up at

him almost blindly. „Yes. Oh, yes. So much.“

„I can see you do.“ His gaze was narrowed on her flushed

face. „It’s such a little thing and so easy to do. I could do it in

the carriage on the way to a ball or behind the bushes in a

garden. All you would have to do is lift your skirts and part

your legs and say ‘Nicholas, pleasure me.’ “

She was panting, her head thrown back, her throat arched

as waves of pleasure cascaded over her.

„I would never say no,“ he whispered. „Because I love to

see your face like this. Do you know how beautiful you are?“

She didn’t answer; she couldn’t answer.

„Of course, it might be dangerous to do it in too public a

place because I’m quite sure this would follow.“ He suddenly

lifted her onto his lap, sheathing his manhood within her in

one swift plunge. Arranging her legs around his hips, he gazed

into her face. „And you would let me. You couldn’t help

yourself.“ He flexed slowly, pressing her so close she could

feel the gentle prickle of his hair against her womanhood.

„Any more than I could stop myself from doing it.“ His hands

cupped her buttocks and squeezed gently. His head bent and

she felt his tongue on her nipples.

„Move, please!“

„Soon.“ He held her firmly against him, nibbling at her

engorged breasts. „I’m trying to make you understand

something, Silver.“ He bit gently. One hand reached between

them and his thumb touched, pressed, rotated while his fingers