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“Why?” she asked, exasperated. “I never asked you to.”

“You didn’t need to. You don’t understand.”

She stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his cheek. Her sweet rose scent wrapped around him like a cocoon.

“Then make me.”

He groaned, grabbing her face in his hands and kissing her like he had wanted to since he had seen her descending the stairs in that dress.

She moaned into his mouth, and he knew right then that there was no way he was going to stop himself. He had punished himself for long enough by denying himself the pleasures her body offered.

“Take me to your chambers, wife.”

Chapter Twenty

“Take me to your chambers, wife.”

Percival’s whispered command had her jumping away from him. Had she heard him correctly?

“Have I stunned you into silence, wife?” he asked, nipping her lip and pulling her closer to him. So close that she could feel the evidence of his arousal against her belly. “You have been trying to get my attention for days. Now that you have it, I do not intend to let you escape me again. Now, lead me to your chambers.”

Louisa nodded and turned to leave, but he pulled her back against him, taking her lips in a kiss that she could only describe as drugging. Slow, languorous, and savoring. His tongue slid into her mouth, and he groaned, his hands kneading her through her dress.

She knew Anne would be upset when she saw the rumpled garment, which brought a smile to her face despite herself.

Percival pulled back with a confused look on his face that made her laugh.

“I’m sorry.” She giggled. “I will try to stop.”

“I’m almost offended that you find something amusing when I’m burning with lust for you.”

“I imagined how angry Anne would be with me when she sees my rumpled dress.”

He stepped closer to her with a naughty smile on his face, which she knew posed only problems for her. He pulled her close again, running his nose down the side of her face, and breathed her in.

“I am sorely tempted to punish you for thinking about something as trivial as a dress when I’m touching you,” he breathed in her ear, which made liquid heat pool between her legs. “Nothing kills a man’s ego worse than what you just did.”

She smiled up at him through hooded eyes as Isabella had told her to. “Does that mean you don’t want to come up to my chambers?” she teased.

He growled, attempting to kiss her but she pulled away from him, laughing as she ran from him and he chased her down the hallway. It would have been embarrassing had there beenservants about, aside from a startled Tobias. But since there were not, they were perfectly free to play as they wished.

Percival caught up to her outside her chambers and pinned her against the wall.

“You are a very naughty woman,” he groaned against her.

“Yet, my appeal hasn’t faded?”

“Not one bit.”

He took her by the hand and led her into her chambers, and suddenly, her large room felt too small. Louisa would have wrapped her arms around herself had he not trapped one of her hands in his.

The reality of what was about to happen between them made her feel embarrassed and nervous about being so intimate with him again. His eyes took in her room, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he found the changes she made to it odd.

When his eyes flicked back to her, the heat in them was still as vivid, which had her blushing. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth to quell the nervous energy welling up inside her.

She didn’t know what to do or say for fear of pushing him away again, so she stood there, unable to meet his gaze.

“Why are you looking away from me?” he asked suddenly, startling her.