Elizabeth instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, trying to hold him inside her. Robert cupped her breast, gently squeezing it as his thumb ran over her hard nipple. Moans, crackles of the fire, and the sounds of bodies gently slapping against each other echoed throughout the dimly lit orangery.

Robert could feel her body tighten like a vice around him. He groaned as he moved harder and faster, making her cry out in pleasure. Her fingernails dug into his back, but he didn’t care. He opened his eyes and watched as her world exploded. He needed her to find her release before he could pull out. He was determined to make this good for her.

Her body began squeezing ruthlessly around his. As good as it felt to have her grip his c**k like this, it felt even better knowing that he’d been the one to give her this pleasure. Hell, he wanted to laugh and scream for joy that this beautiful minx found her moment with him. His minx .

The reality of the moment hit him hard. She was still squeezing him and moaning. Her mouth found his neck and kissed it greedily, sucking and licking and driving him out of his goddamn mind. He couldn’t hold back. He desperately needed to pull out. It was getting too close. Just one more thrust he told himself, just one more.

As his release rushed up on him, he gasped, trying to find the strength to pull out of her. Just as he somehow found the willpower to pull out she began squeezing him again, completely shattering his resistance. His head dropped back and he bit back a roar of pleasure as he found his own release. It was the most intense moment of his life. He continued to move until he was sure that she was done. When he felt her walls squeeze gently around him one last time, he fell on her, lazily kissing her neck, chin and mouth. Still neither spoke.

Robert was too weak to speak. It was the oddest way to take a woman’s virginity, without any spoken words of promise or explanation. He’d always been a gentle lover, taking a woman slowly to prolong his release. He'd never even taxed himself before. Right now his body was exhausted and soaked. This was the most intense sexual experience of his life and he didn’t even know her name.

Not that he ever made love to an innocent before, but surely something should have been said. Names should have been exchanged at the very least. It was without question the most passionate night of his life. He’d never been so moved by lust or need before to make him this desperate to make love to a woman.

He pulled back to look at her, expecting her to cry, scream or hit him. He’d been a cad taking her innocence. But instead of doing what he’d expected, what he deserved, she smiled sweetly up at him and pressed a tender kiss to his mouth. Robert turned the kiss into a slow, deep display of appreciation, passion and need. He was still inside of her and surprised to discover that he was hardening again. He wanted her once more, desperately, but he couldn’t do that to her.

He took a steadying breath and slowly began to pull out, however, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist and trapped him. He raised an eyebrow in question. Then she spoke for the first time since they’d started. “Can we do it again?” she asked shyly.

Chapter 8

Robert could only chuckle. He leaned down and kissed her. “Yes, minx, we can do it again.” He punctuated every word with a slow thrust of his hardening shaft.

He took her slowly this time, enjoying every single thrust inside her body. She was passionate, very passionate. She wasn’t content with lying there while he bedded her. She kissed his mouth, chin, and neck greedily while her hands ran through his hair, down his back, and finally cupped his ass. He could swear that she moaned with pleasure just from touching him.

He broke the kiss and pulled back just far enough away so that he could watch her face. She smiled shyly up at him. She was so damn beautiful. He slowed his rhythm and made his thrusts shallower, stressing each movement. She licked her lips hungrily.

“You like that, don’t you, minx?”

“Y-yes, please don’t stop.”

He shook his head. “Never.”

He gently took her hands and held them above her head, entwining their fingers as he made love to her. The gesture made what they were doing feel more intense. Soon she was throwing her head back and whimpering.

Robert took her mouth, kissing her deeply as he quickened his thrusts inside her. She gripped his hands tightly. He felt her body tighten around him once again. There was no point in pulling out now. The damage was already done. They exploded in the same moment. He didn’t bother trying to hide his pleasure this time. They were too far away from the loud ballroom for anyone to hear them. Even if they weren’t there was no way to stop him now.

“ Oh God !” he roared.

He collapsed on top of her, sweaty and sated. He didn’t know many women who appreciated a sweaty man on top of them, so he moved to roll off her when her small warm arms wrapped around his shoulders.

His minx pressed a soft kiss to his mouth. She pulled him closer while she ran her hands over his damp back in a soothing motion. He kissed her cheek and was surprised when she sighed with pleasure. He couldn’t help but wonder how women could be so completely different.

Elizabeth moved her head back so that she could look into his eyes. “Thank you for tonight. I’ll always remember it.” She looked and sounded so grateful. He couldn’t imagine what he'd done for her besides take her innocence without asking. He shouldn’t be thanked. He should be shot.

He sighed, shaking his head. “Minx,-”

“Shhh,” she pressed a finger to his mouth. “I don’t want you to feel guilty about this. It was perfect. This will always be the most passionate night of my life and I will always treasure it. Please don’t be mad. I’m not.”

“Minx,” he began again, “you should be mad…what we did….what I did was inexcusable. I-“

“No, no words, no apologies. Just let it remain this perfect moment between two strangers who found comfort with each other.”

Comfort? It was a hell of lot more than comfort. It was intense, indescribable, and possibly the stupidest thing he’d ever done. He’d just got himself leg shackled to this beautiful stranger.

With real regret, he pulled away from her arms and started dressing. “Listen, we need to talk.”

“About what?” she asked, pulling on her stockings. He forced himself to think about their situation and ignore those very beautiful legs of hers.

He shook himself. “Minx, I just took your innocence. We need to marry now. I think at least proper introductions are in order. My name is-“

Her small hand quickly covered his mouth. “Please, don’t. I need you to understand. I have no plans on marrying.” When he pulled back to protest she cut him off again. “I have no wish to marry you. What you did for me tonight was a special gift. I will always be grateful for it. Please allow me to keep this beautiful memory.”

After a long pause, he reluctantly nodded. There was no sense in arguing with her. He would never force a woman to do anything that she didn’t want to do. He certainly wasn’t about to thank this woman for the most wonderful night of his life by robbing her of her freedom without justification.

“If that's what you wish, but I should give you my name in case,” his gaze dropped to her stomach, “you and I made a child tonight,” he finished quietly.

She gasped softly. She hadn’t thought about that. A baby? She wanted children, desperately. Not that it would ever happen. Her mother told her that it was impossible to become pregnant the first time. It was unheard of. So there was nothing to fear.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” she said as she finished her hair, trying to reassure him.

Her only hope was that she looked presentable. Not that it mattered. As soon as she returned to the ball, she was leaving with a headache. After such a wonderful time with him she didn’t want to ruin the memory with the insipid men she knew waited for her.

He finished dressing as well. “There’s nothing to worry about? Minx, if you’re carrying my child I will certainly worry about it. I will never stand by while any of my children are raised without me. I’m not that sort of man.”

No, she somehow knew that he wasn’t.

“Here,” he said suddenly as he searched his pockets. He pulled out a small pencil stub and a small piece of parchment from his jacket pocket and wrote his name on it, knowing that he’d probably be out of the country by then.