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She felt him stiffen above her. And then he growled.

“Why the hell would you?”

And that broke whatever glorious, incandescent spell had been cast over them.

CHAPTER NINE

Why the hell should she want all of that?

He had meant to scare her. Meant to let her peek into his darkest desires so that she would never dare tease him again.

Yet, Lady Scarlett had looked and decided that shewantedall of it.

She was mad. She was insane.

And he could not have possibly desired her more.

“Hudson?”

Need rose inside him once more as her sweet voice breathlessly called out to him. He had never thought his name could sound so seductive on someone else’s lips.

“You should not want the same things I do,” he told her harshly.

If she knew the depths of his depravity, she would go running as far and as quickly from him as possible.

He stood up. “The rain has nearly stopped. Get dressed and meet me outside. We are heading back to the manor.”

Confusion marred her beautiful features. Followed by a huff of feminine indignation. Possibly frustration from unfulfilled lust, as well.

He would know all about frustration. His cock was still straining against his breeches, and it wantedher. He wanted to tear those blankets off her sweet body and sink himself into her wet heat. Wanted to hear her moan, and then scream, his name until she was hoarse.

And even then, he doubted it would ever be enough.

Instead, he stood up before he could find out just how far his debauchery went. For her sake, it was best they never did.

“Fine,” she seethed, scrambling away from him in a tangle of limbs and woolen blankets. “You can stand outside while I get dressed.”

She spoke with the imperiousness of a queen who found great dissatisfaction with her subject. A regal finger pointed to thedoor. At her feet, the damned puppy had begun to wake up and now regarded him with a suspicious stare and a low growl.

Hudson had just had his hands all over her. Had felt her responding so sweetly to his touch and his words alone.

If he was not battling intense lust, he would have found it most amusing.

But there was nothing amusing about their situation. So, he turned on his heel and strode out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Outside, the rain had slowed down to a drizzle. Hardly enough to douse the raging heat that surged through him just earlier. Moments later, Scarlett stomped out the door fully dressed, covered in a cloak. Underneath the voluminous folds, a snowy white head peeked out.

“The cloak?—”

“I found it in one of the cabinets inside,” she snapped.

She did not even deign to look at him. When Snowdrop whimpered, her tone swiftly became affectionate as she cradled the puppy to her chest.

Lucky bastard. The words slipped into Hudson’s mind without him even noticing.

“Well?” she demanded. “Should we not get going?”

He glowered at her once more. The cloak was much too large for her. It must have been made for a man.