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She reached for his shirt, pulling it from his waistband, and he hastened to help, casting the garment away before she could blink. Then she couldn’t because her gaze was transfixed on his bare chest. She splayed her hands over his flesh, her fingertips pressing into him. “A new map,” she murmured.

He cupped her head and kissed her, claiming her mouth and her utter surrender. He had that and more—everything she could offer.

She fell back, pulling her chemise up until he took over and tore the garment over her head, flinging it away. Before he could kiss her again, she touched his cheek. “I love you too, Tobias.”

“Oh, thank God.” His mouth met hers once more as he caressed her body, trailing his hands across her shoulders, down and around her breasts, pulling at her nipples until she whimpered into his mouth.

Then his hand was between her legs, stroking across her sex, gently at first before becoming more insistent, his thumb and fingers finding those sweet spots that made pleasure unfurl inside her.

Desire pulsed within her, centered in her sex where he worked her flesh, driving her toward that unfathomable ecstasy.

“More,” she urged him, clutching at his shoulder and his waist. She ran her hands over his bare back, glorying in the muscular terrain and anticipating more time when she could explore every peak and valley.

He settled himself between her legs, forcing them wider. His cock, hard beneath his clothing, pressed against her sex. A jolt of pleasure shot through her, the promise of what was to come.

Fiona slipped her hand between them, trying to find his buttons. He rose up and unfastened his fall. “Take them off,” she ordered. “Completely.”

“You’re still wearing your stockings.”

“Then take those off too. I’ll wait. But not long. If you dally, I’ll pleasure myself.”

“Bloody hell, Fiona. You know how to do that?”

“I’m not as accomplished as you.” She put her hand on her sex. “But I think I’ve learned a thing or two.” She rotated her fingertips over her clitoris.

“God, stop, please. I’m going to embarrass myself.” He worked to remove his breeches and smallclothes as quickly as possible. When he settled back between her legs, he put his hand over hers and pressed her finger inside her, making her gasp. “To hell with your stockings.”

He thrust her finger into her twice, three times before lifting her hand and lowering his head simultaneously so he could suck her digit into his mouth. She felt the vibration of his groan along with another pulse of need.

“Please, Tobias.” She reached between them and found his cock, closing her hand around the warm flesh.

He closed his eyes briefly. “Move your hand. Just for a moment. Please.”

She slid her palm up and down, reveling in the hard yet silken feel of him. “Like this?”

“Yes. Just like that. Faster. No, don’t. I won’t last.” His hand covered hers as he opened his eyes. “Ready?” He put the tip of his shaft to her sex.

She looked up at him, losing herself in the piercing pewter of his eyes. “Now.”

He pushed inside her, his flesh stretching hers. It was so much more than his fingers, and it took her a moment to grow accustomed to him. He kissed her temple and her cheek before whispering, “Just breathe. We’ll go slow for a bit.”

He waited, quietly filling her and holding still until she began to relax.

“Ready,” she said.

“Wrap your legs around me, love.” He withdrew, but not completely, then slowly drove forward again. Again and again, he removed and returned until she began to move with him.

“Yes, that’s right,” he urged. “Now we’ll go a bit faster.” He picked up speed and the friction was delicious.

She gasped, arching as he filled her. “I like faster. I think I want harder or deeper. I don’t know. I want more .”

“Hold onto me.” He leaned down and kissed her, his mouth tantalizing hers as he built a new momentum.

She gripped him with hands and legs and tried to move with him, her body becoming frenzied as she careened toward her release.

Digging her fingers into his back, she cried out as she came apart, her muscles tightening as a torrent of pleasure washed over her.

Tobias moved even faster, his body snapping into hers with a blissful precision. She closed her eyes and cast her head back, surrendering herself to the soul-deep rapture.

Just as she began to float back to earth, he cried out, a low, guttural sound that she felt in her bones. He thrust deep, and a smaller second burst of pleasure sparked. She held him tightly between her legs as she stroked his back and kissed his neck, his shoulder, his chest.

When he was spent, he fell to the side, his chest heaving.

Fiona rolled to face him. Skimming her hand along his abdomen, she felt the ripple of his muscles from his chest to his belly.

“What an unusual terrain. What would this be, I wonder?” she murmured to herself somewhat nonsensically. “Perhaps this is the Overton Steppe.”

“Are you referring to the hair on my chest? There isn’t that much. Isn’t a steppe grassy?”

“Not necessarily.” She giggled. “If not a steppe, then a plain, I suppose, but it’s not flat.” Inspiration struck. “It moves like water, particularly if you laugh.” That made him laugh, proving her point. “The Sea of Overton.”

“You astonish me, Fiona.”

She rose up over him and a lock of her hair fell free, grazing his chest. “Oh dear, I worry my hair is a mess.”

“I think it’s best if we don’t return to the ball. I’ll say you became ill and I saw you home.”

“Won’t that still spark disapproval?”

“But I’m your guardian!” His eyes widened in mock horror.

“I was rather hoping you would be my husband instead.”

He bolted up, forcing her to sit too. “I was trying so hard not to be an ass anymore, and I completely forgot to propose to you again.” He wiped his hand over his face and gave her a sheepish look. “Miss Wingate, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“I think I must at this juncture.” She giggled again, then forced herself to be serious. “Yes, I’ll marry you, and not because I must. Actually, it is because I must, for to not marry you is no longer conceivable.”

Grinning, he leaned forward and kissed her, drawing a deep sigh from her chest at how right everything felt, from that beautiful waltz to this enchanting moment.

She ripped her mouth from his and gasped. “The waltz! I’m supposed to be waltzing with Lord Gregory!”

“Shit!” Tobias leapt from the bed and dashed nude to the mantel where a lantern burned.

There was also a small clock, which he surveyed.

“I have no bloody idea when that waltz is, but we can’t have been gone that long.

” He faced her, his hands on his hips. “Still, we should go home. Better yet, I should send you home. Because you’re ill. ”

“I can’t leave without speaking to Lord Gregory.” Fiona climbed from the bed and found her chemise, quickly drawing it over her head. “I must explain to him that I cannot proceed with a courtship.”

Tobias, who’d started putting on his clothing, stopped. His breeches were on, but the fall hung open. His chest was still bare, the lantern light casting alluring shadows over the hard planes. Fiona averted her gaze lest she become irreversibly distracted.

“I feel bad about Lord Gregory. I know people noticed your…interest in each other.”

“It makes you think of your experience with Lady Bentley.” Fiona went to him and caressed his cheek. “This is different. I am not Lady Bentley.”

He smiled, then turned his head to kiss her palm. “Thank goodness for that. You’ll be kind and considerate.”

“And I love you. Lord Gregory will understand.”

Clasping her waist, he looked into her eyes. “How did I get so fortunate to find you?”

“I believe you have our fathers to thank. I wonder what they would say if they could see that their offspring would unite their families.”

“I think they would be very glad. And while it pains me to please my father in any way, I am glad too.” He bent his head to kiss her as the door crashed open.

“What in the devil is going on here?”