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The moment her palm closed around him, he cursed against her mouth. She started to pull her hand away, and he shook his head. ‘Don’t stop, Charlotte. You may touch me however you wish.’

She explored his shaft beneath the water, caressing his hard length. When she dared to go lower, cupping his balls, his hands gripped the edge of the tub. ‘Gently,’ he murmured.

She softened her touch and then slid her hand against him. Once again, he guided her fingers around him, and he showed her how to move her hand up and down.

Strangely, his pleasure was affecting her just as much. She remembered the feeling of his body inside hers and the elusive pleasure that had brought her to the edge, maddening though it was. Charlotte thought about the courtesan’s memoirs that she’d read earlier, and an intriguing idea came to her. She’d never imagined doing such a thing, but she recalled how good it had felt when he’d tasted her intimately. Would it be the same for him?

She gently squeezed him, and he let out a growl. Immediately, she released him, but then he stood up in the tub. She watched the water sliding down his body, and she imagined tasting a droplet as it rolled lower.

‘Pass me that towel,’ he said. His voice was deep, almost commanding. But the urge came over her to try the courtesan’s suggestion. She rested her hands on his hips and leaned closer. His erection was heavy, bobbing slightly, and she leaned in to kiss the rounded crown.

Another curse broke free from him. ‘Charlotte, I—’

His words cut off when she took him into her mouth. His hand cupped her head, his fingers gentle in her hair. She suckled him gently, moving her tongue over him, just as she’d read about.

He started murmuring compliments beneath his breath about how she was making him feel, how beautiful she was. His breathing grew unsteady as she explored him further with her mouth. When she began taking him deeper, sucking him harder, a groan escaped him. He slid his hands over her hair and took her chin, gently guiding her upwards.

‘Not that I don’t love what you just did, but I want you in my bed. Now.’

So the book had been right about how to seduce her husband.

Charlotte handed him the linen towel, and he hurriedly dried himself off. When she was about to walk towards the bed, he caught her by the waist and pulled her body to his, letting her feel the delicious length of him.

He untied the sheer gown and let it fall away until she was naked. His body was still damp, but she was just as eager to have him.

From the way he was staring at her, it felt like a silent triumph. This man belonged to her and no one else. And after tonight, she wanted to remove all traces of anyone else.

‘I was reading my book earlier,’ she confided as she moved her hands down his spine.

His expression turned wicked. ‘Were you?’

She nodded. ‘It’s where I got the idea to…kiss you here.’ Her hand moved around to his erection, and he guided her hand to stroke him again.

‘Maybe we’ll read that book together later,’ he said huskily as he encouraged her to lie back on the bed. ‘We can try anything you want to.’

She drew her legs apart, but he surprised her when he raised her knees up. ‘But first, I want to try this again.’

A moment later, his mouth descended, and she saw stars as his tongue tasted her cleft. His mouth exerted a gentle pressure, kissing her intimately, and her back arched of its own accord.

A moment later, every thought left her brain. Instead of stopping as he had last time, Alaric drew her legs over his shoulders, his tongue finding every secret crevice, and she couldn’t bear it.

‘Please,’ she begged. ‘Alaric, I—I can’t—’

But then her words broke off as waves of pleasure shattered her body, making her press against his mouth, her breath seizing up.

‘I didn’t know—’ she shuddered ‘—that it could be like that. I mean, I did read the book. But I had no idea.’

He positioned himself at her entrance, and she whispered, ‘I think we need another rule.’

‘And what is that?’ He penetrated her deeply in one stroke, and she cried out at the delicious friction, squeezing him deeply as he pressed her knees back.

‘I want you like this every night,’ she said. ‘Inside me.’

He slowed his pace, pulling out nearly all the way until he sank deep. ‘At seven o’clock? Or is there another time that would suit you better?’ His voice was teasing, as if to imply that it would be the only hour they spent together.

‘Alaric, don’t stop,’ she pleaded as he paused at her entrance.

Then he turned serious. ‘I intend to spend far more than an hour each day with you, Charlotte. I want to know your body better than I know my own.’