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She gazed up at him for a long moment, a silent battle waging behind her eyes until she let go, trusting him as he had asked, and lord, but the moment was sweet.

Triumph and joy suffused him as she gasped and sighed, her body convulsing with pleasure as she held onto him, not letting go even after she subsided, boneless and sated beneath him.

The earl stared down at her, his eyes warm and a definite hint of smugness in his expression.

Well may he look pleased with himself, Regina thought desperately.

For she’d had no idea, no clue, that such sensations could be found with a man, and he hadn’t even…

well, he hadn’t even done what she assumed all men did with their mistresses.

She was not a complete innocent and had worked the secret out many years ago.

It was not so difficult after so long living in the countryside.

But he had taken no pleasure of his own, which surprised her.

Looking at him now, she realised he had found as much satisfaction in giving to her, which made sense, for she was just as eager to return the favour.

The idea of offering him such indescribable joy, of having him shake with the force of his own release as she held him in her arms, as he had just done for her, made her feel at once powerful and humbled by the privilege if he would allow her the chance.

It was just so shockingly intimate, and the thought that he had shared such experiences with many women before her, and likely would with many more after, made her sad.

It seemed such a profound experience one ought not to cheapen it so, but men and women considered such matters differently, and she did not wish to spoil the perfection of this moment with such thoughts.

Thinking would make her contemplate the future, it would make her consider the danger and recklessness of her behaviour, and she did not wish to dwell upon that either.

There would be time enough for regret and recriminations.

They had likely just ruined everything between them, but if it was already ruined, then she would wring every ounce of pleasure from the ruining that she could.

“Beautiful,” he murmured, pressing his mouth against the tender skin beneath her ear. Regina shivered, even as an objection rose to her lips.

“I am not beautiful,” she protested. “And there’s no need to shower me with Spanish coin.”

The earl lifted his head and gazed down at her. “Why must you challenge me at every turn? You are beautiful, you frustrating creature, and I want you so badly I think I shall run mad. These wicked buttons are not helping matters,” he added, touching a finger to the one directly beneath her chin.

Still overwhelmed by the idea that he could want her so desperately, Regina looked down at the row of little buttons with a sceptical expression. “They’re just buttons,” she replied.

Ashburton shook his head. “Whoever made that dress was diabolical and put all those buttons there with the sole intention of driving me out of my mind. You cannot know how desperately I long to undo them.”

Regina blinked up at him, taken aback by the idea her buttons had provoked him so. She looked at the earl, a naughty smile curving her lips. “Well, I’m not stopping you.”

Heat and desire flashed in his eyes, and Regina swallowed a little shout of triumph. Such power there was in this feeling, in seeing how he wanted her. The place where he had touched her throbbed unbearably, a hollowed out sensation growing inside her, and she longed for him to do what he desired .

“You ought not say such things,” he said, his voice husky. “I have already taken the most appalling liberties.”

“No, you haven’t,” Regina countered, for she was nothing if not fair-minded.

“You were moving away. I was the one who held on and kissed you like my life depended on it. Indeed, I believe I was rather forthright and clear in my actions,” she added, feeling as amused as she was shocked by her own daring.

The earl’s mouth kicked up at the corners and Regina’s breath caught at the sight of one his rare smiles.

A proper smile, one that reached his eyes, the kind he reserved for his daughter and his family.

Never had she seen such an uninhibited smile directed at her before.

She had lingered at the edges of it, and it had felt like turning her face to the sun when he had greeted her in company with Tilly, but she had never fooled herself into thinking it had been directed at her.

There was no doubt now, however. Her heart turned over in her chest and Regina acknowledged everything she had known was dangerous about allowing herself to get close to this man.

She was so far out of her depth that, if she sank, she would never touch the bottom.

“So you were,” he admitted, his eyes slanting back to the buttons which tormented him so.

Inspired by the desperate quality of that look, Regina sat up in the chair, adopting a stern expression, even though her skirts were all awry, and held his gaze. Slowly, she lifted her hands to the very top button and slid it undone.

A sudden flush of colour crested his high cheekbones, his usually austere face suffused with longing.

Biting back a triumphant smile, Regina carried on, her hands dropping with agonising deliberation to the next button. She undid it, watching his face with fascination.

His breath hitched.

Though the urge to crow with delight was nigh on irresistible, Regina held her tongue, her fingers dropping to the next button.

“Damn you, you’ll drive me to Bedlam,” he growled, and pushed her hands away, falling upon the buttons with a wild glint in his eyes that delighted her.

His clever fingers were ruthless, and she refused to consider how much practise he’d had to become so well acquainted with a lady’s apparel.

Still, she was shocked when he sat back to regard his handiwork with a worshipful expression, and she discovered not only her buttons had come undone, but her breasts were exposed to his hungry gaze.

Before she had time to gasp and come over all maidenly and shy—and she thought it was a little late for such behaviour in any case—he had put his hands on her.

So instead of blushing and trying to cover herself, which would have been a foolish thing to do, Regina moaned with abandon, arching up into his touch and crying out as he covered her breast with his mouth.

Her mind whited out, any coherent thoughts scattering.

There was only this man, this moment, and the need she felt to have him become a part of her in the only way that could satisfy her longing.

Her incoherent desire was obvious to the earl, she did not doubt, and she never questioned him as he drew her down to the floor, covering her body with his own.

She did not hesitate, but helped him as he pushed her skirts and petticoats out of the way, and she never said a word as he pushed that most masculine part of himself inside her.

She cried out, pain and pleasure coalescing, but the sound was indistinguishable from a cry of desire, and he was too lost to notice anything amiss, something for which she was blessedly grateful.

If he had stopped now, halted by the realisation she was not the experienced woman he assumed her to be, all would be lost. He would know she had lied, and she would not only lose her position, but this sparkling, unforgettable experience.

No, she would not allow that, so she held on jealously to the moment, to him, and felt relief when she discovered the pain was short-lived, and that what came next was the pinnacle of any joy to be found on earth.

Time hung suspended for the longest time as he loved her and Regina lost herself in the feel of him, the play of his muscled body beneath her palms as she explored him.

If only they had more time, she would have given everything she owned to have him naked in her arms so she could see and touch and kiss every glorious inch of him.

She could not have that, though. There was this night, this one forbidden and incandescent flare of joy for them both and she would not waste a second of it.

Though she moved with instinct alone, she matched his passion with her own, clutching at him and trying to draw him in deeper, to hold on to him tighter, as if she could make this experience last forever if she only clung to him hard enough.

Beauty of such magnitude could only ever be fleeting, however, and as the world narrowed to the place where their bodies met, her entire being exploded with a starburst of delight.

She cried out, shameless, abandoned to desire and wanting and him, and felt as much as heard his moan of agony as he pulled himself free, his powerful body bowed over hers, shuddering as he spilled himself over her belly.

The room was quiet save for the crackling of the fire in the grate, and the harsh rasp of their breath and Regina waited, knowing he would regret what he had done.

Any moment now, he would look down at her with pity and guilt shining in his eyes, and her heart would break into a million pieces.

She told herself she was ready, that she was strong enough to lose everything and start over again, but still, she trembled.