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He didn’t stop her from moving even closer, pressing her face against his chest, settling every unbound curve of her body against his as her arms came around his waist. There was something unsettled inside her, a tension and a terror that he knew he couldn’t shake.

Her nightmare was understandable considering her past, but it was hardly a premonition.

He understood that perfectly well. So why was a sense of foreboding wrapping itself around his heart tendril by tendril like an ominous fragrance.

Harrison came to mind, his hate filled eyes and contemptible sneer. His murderous capability.

He pressed his lips to her hair line breathing it in. “Tell me, love.”

“I need you to take me now,”

His hands clenched convulsively in her nightgown. “Rajani.”

“What if something happens to you and I end up having to go to him anyway?”

“It won’t, darling.”

“You don’t know that. I can’t bear the thought of anyone else’s hands on me. I don’t want anyone else to touch me. I need to know that it will only ever be you.”

“It will be me, it is me,” he said sliding his hands over her bare arms, down to her waist.

“I can’t bear waiting. It would only be this one time. I just need to know that I am yours, that no matter what happens you are the first and the only. I’ll wait the two months if you give me this one thing.”

“That is one hell of a bargain Regina,”

“Please Leo. Just this once so I can sleep without those nightmares. I promise I won’t ask it again.”

The plea in her eyes was breaking him. The desire to give in and remove that desperate look from her face, to see her smile again.

As requests went, it was hardly an extraordinary one.

Making love to her to ease her concerns and sate his desire would be no hardship.

She would be eager and sweet under him, warm and wet around him, lush and sensual.

But he couldn’t let go of the fact that everything in his upbringing railed against her request.

As a gentleman it was his duty to safeguard her honor instead of using her vulnerability to indulge himself.

Even if they did make love tonight it wouldn’t actually fix what she was afraid of unless she told everyone the truth.

What if someone saw them come here? How on earth would he explain himself to her father?

How could he persuade her parents to trust him again if he ravished her in their garden the first night he stayed at their house?

But how could he walk away from her when she had that look in her eyes?

He knew what it was to always have to choose the smart thing, the safe, sure thing.

The correct thing. To give into her would barely be one of those.

If word leaked out the whispers would begin of the base born baron and his hot-blooded wife, both undeserving of their title.

Neither capable of carrying out their office.

Giving in would make them all correct. Did it matter?

Perhaps he should speak to her parents about dissolving the contract and striking a new one that didn’t tie her to the barony.

He could persuade her mother to have a modest wedding in three weeks.

Somehow he imagined that none of those things would dissolve her nightmares or remove the fear in her eyes.

Explaining would only make her feel more alone than she already did, that he wasn’t on her side.

Her fingers curled into his shirt and the appeal in her eyes gave way to shame before she looked away from him.

Her hands pulled away from him and she wrung her fingers together leaving his stomach rapidly cooling from the absence of her touch.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I shouldn’t have asked. You are correct, I will wait.” She started to walk away but he gripped her arms, unable to allow her to leave.

He could let her go. She would go back to her room, and he would at the very least be able to look her father in the eyes tomorrow.

He would make it up to her later and reassure her in other ways.

But his throat was tight with regret, and he couldn’t help but feel that he was failing her.

She had turned to him, confided in him and made one request and he’d turned her away.

How many times had she allowed herself to ask for help?

How many times had she allowed herself to lean on someone else and seek comfort?

Marrying him should have given her more protection, more freedom than any other man of his station. Already the expectations of nameless masses who cared nothing for her and her dread were winning against her and he was helping them. Was that how their marriage would be between them from now on?

She stole a timid glance up at him. “Leo?” He hated her uncertainty, hated that it was his doing.

He was her husband, and he didn’t even have the courage for this.

Already this stupid title had begun to change him, had forced him to consider gossip over her well-being.

She tried to pull away and his grip tightened.

No, more. His Regina was here, and she needed him.

His hands would have trembled if they weren’t holding on to her.

There would be no going back once he kissed her.

The moment his mouth touched hers he wouldn’t be able to stop until she got what she wanted, until they were both satisfied.

He shifted one hand to her tear-stained cheek and the other to her waist drawing her closer.

Her midnight eyes widened as she realized his intent.

Then, with his heart pounding in his chest, he lowered his head and caught her full mouth with his.

She sucked in a sharp breath and then melted into him her fingers curling into his shirt over his arms. His hand moved from her cheek as her mouth opened eagerly under his and sank into the dark silken curls of her hair.

There would be so many times in their life and their marriage when they would have to defer to societal expectations.

Even if it would make facing her parents awkward in the morning Leo was dead certain about one thing: he would regret turning her away in this moment far more than making love to her.

Whatever came before or would come in the morning, she would come first now .