And Ariel knew she was ruined for all other lovers, had she been wont to take one in the future. No other man would make her feel as Charles did. With him, she felt desired and strong.
For his part, Charles experienced the sobering realization that he would never want another woman as he did Ariel. This wild, uninhibited, intelligent woman drove him mad with need.
∞∞∞
When he regained feeling in his legs once more, Charles set them to rights and guided Ariel to the nearby sofa. She collapsedinto a heap of skirts and satisfaction, smelling intoxicatingly of jasmine and sex. He chuckled before sitting beside her and nestling her curves against his side. He was both unnerved and comforted by the fact that she fit so well there beneath his arm, her head leaning against the side of his chest, her hand resting casually on his abdomen. He was not a small man and so many women he’d met over the years appeared breakable or too fragile in both body and spirit. That was most certainly not Ariel…
“Does this mean you forgive me?” he asked with more quiet confi- dence than he felt. There had been such genuine pain and anger in her eyes—rightly earned, of course—and a part of him was concerned that she would never accept what he had done. He hadn’t been lying before; it had been wrong and selfish…but he regretted nothing. And he never would.
His heart froze and then redoubled when she looked up at him. The apples of her cheeks were tinged pink, her full lips were puffy from his kisses. And she was beautiful.
“I don’t know if I’ve reached forgiveness, but I certainly have more understanding of what you did,” she admitted softly. He couldn’t resist running his thumb along the curve of her jaw and the soft roundness of her cheek.
“I never meant you any harm, Ariel.”
She nibbled on her lower lip for a moment before responding. “I think I believe that.”
“You believe, or you know?” he asked, raising a brow at her and loving the way her lips split into a grin. “One implies a level of certainty I would hope you’d have by now.”
“We have only met two times, sir.” His heart throbbed when she met his banter. “I don’t believe I know you well enough for anything of certainty.”
“And yet…” His eyes raked her body from head to toe and back before lowering his tone to a much more suggestive register. “I feel as if I know a few things about you with some certainty.”
She flushed and swatted at him, earning another chuckle. My, but it felt good to let his guard down, especially with her. Had he ever jested so easily with a lover before? With anyone? Charles cleared his throat and decided he needed to move toward safer grounds.
“This is interesting,” he said, touching the broach she wore pinned to the slightly crooked neckline of her gown. It began as an excuse to touch her, but the glint of the owl’s emerald eyes caught his gaze.
“A birthday present,” she replied gently.
“An admirer?” The question was posed in a light tone, but there was an undeniable pang of jealousy in his gut at the thought.
She responded with a small laugh through her nose. “If it had, then I wouldn’t have had to…well…” She shrugged halfheartedly and glanced up at him from beneath her lashes.
If she’d had an admirer, then she needn’t have hired a male prosti- tute for the evening…and they never would have met.“I purchased it for myself.”
He cleared his throat, embarrassed at the unfortunateness of his query. “So, are you a budding ornithologist or do you simply have an unnatural affection for owls?”
“Neither,” she replied, tracing the delicately wrought feathers on the golden wings. “The owl is one of the symbols of the Greek goddess Athena. I’ve loved Greek myths and legends ever since I was a little girl; she is my favorite.”
“The goddess of wisdom. How appropriate.” He thoroughly enjoyed the shy smile with which she rewarded him. “And what fascinates you about these ancient gods?”
“The grand stories, the way their existences and experiences tie in with life and nature. I find it comforting, the surety the ancient Greeks had in knowing the sun would rise with Heliosand his chariot; that Spring would come with the return of Persephone, no matter how bleak the winter.”
“And what of Athena? What drew you to her?” Charles hooked his finger in the neckline of her gown just behind the owl, his fingertip nestling in the warm crevice between her breasts. He gave a tiny tug while he filled his lungs with her scent and held it within his chest.
“She sprang from her father’s head fully formed after Zeus suffered a horrible headache,” she answered with a giggle. “My father always said I did the same to him with my incessant questions—he said it with love, of course. She gave humans the sciences and crafts. Athena was brave and wise and needed no man to make her whole.” Her eyes darted to his eyes and then his mouth before looking away.
“All admirable traits,” Charles mused. “But just because a woman does not need a man does not mean she cannot want him.” Ariel’s arresting eyes met his once more. “And it does not mean she cannot take what she wants and remain an independent woman.”
“Rather radical notions.”
He lifted a shoulder dismissively. “What can I say? America is more progressive without a monarchy.” This earned him a musical laugh.
“Somehow I doubt even your upstart country isthatprogressive.” They both laughed until Charles tugged her closer to press a sweet, lingering kiss upon her lips.
Her eyes fluttered open and he found the next words spilling from his lips before he could overthink them. “I leave for Boston in nine days and I would like to spend a great portion of my remaining time here with you, Ariel. Is that amenable?”
Her jaw dropped open in shock and it was all he could do not to lean forward and kiss her again. He settled for tucking anerrant curl back into her coiffeur. “If it’s that abhorrent an idea then you need only—”
