"Good night then, my lord."

"Good night," he murmured as Roberts closed the door behind him.

Nicholas stretched his leg out toward the fire. The pain was moderate this evening, and he knew the warmth of the fire would be enough to soothe his leg. Quickly finding his place in his book, Nicholas forced himself to block out all thoughts of Victoria. More than an hour later, he closed the book with a vicious snap and dropped it carelessly onto the small, half-moon table next to his chair. Reading had barely begun to provide a brief respite. Thoughts of Victoria kept interrupting his ability to concentrate.

Bed. Surely, he'd find freedom from his thoughts of her in sleep. Nicholas was halfway to his bed when a soft knock echoed through his chamber. A second later, Victoria stepped through the door.

Instantly, his body tensed and hardened at the sight of her. Her robe clung to her curves, and he wondered if her nightgown was equally snug. On the heels of that thought came the memory that she seemed to prefer sleeping in the nude. Was the only thing against her skin that bloody robe? His mouth went dry at the thought. Nicholas cleared his throat, clasped his hands behind his back, and strove to control the rising tide of desire flooding his body. Concern quickly stemmed the tide as he saw how pale she was. Victoria met his gaze then bowed her head as if ashamed.

"I...I had another nightmare...they don't normally bother me, but I was afraid to go back to sleep." Color invaded her pale cheeks as she looked at him then averted her gaze once more. "Could I stay with you for a little while? I feel safe with you. It would just be for a little bit."

"Of course," he said softly.

The fear on her face made Nicholas quickly close the distance between them to take her hand. Shock rippled through him at how icy it was against his. Gently, he guided her to the fireside chair. When she was seated he stoked the flames in the hearth to raise the temperature in the room. Satisfied with the level of heat coming from the fire, Nicholas turned to face her and debated whether to ask her about the dream. He quickly dismissed the idea. She was clearly frightened, and he had no desire to exacerbate her fear. A lustrous lock of her beautiful auburn hair brushed her cheek, and she raised a trembling hand to tuck it behind her ear. The despondency on her face as she stared into the flames aroused a primal need to protect her from anything that might harm her or make her unhappy. The intensity of the feeling shocked him. A tear rolled down her cheek as she closed her eyes.

"I think I might be crazy after all," she said in a raw, hoarse voice.

Nicholas uttered a soft oath under his breath and step forward to scoop her up out of the chair and into his arms. With her cradled against him, he sank down into the chair ignoring the twinge of pain in his leg. She didn't make a sound as he bent his head to brush another tear off her cheek with his fingers.

"You're not going insane, Victoria," he muttered fiercely. "You've suffered a rather nasty blow to the head. You need to give it, and your mind, time to heal."

She didn't answer, but simply nestled her head against his shoulder. An odd sense of completeness sailed through him as he held her in his arms. There was no rhyme or reason for the emotions this woman aroused in him. She was definitely not the woman he'd married, and it was impossible not to feel the connection he had with her. It was as if they were bound together with invisible strands of thread that would never break no matter how far the distance between them. If he were a man who believed in destiny, he would say it was almost a spiritual connection. Victoria stirred against him and sat upright.

"I feel better now and should go," she said softly. "You need-"

"Stay," he rasped. Nicholas wasn't sure which of them was surprised the most by his request. Sapphire eyes wide with astonishment, her breathing suddenly became rapid, and her lovely pink lips parted as if silently begging him to kiss her. His fingertips brushed against the small hollow of her throat.

"What strange magic are you weaving throughout my house, sweet witch?" he whispered. "Is there no one who hasn't succumb to your charms?"

"Jamieson?" she laughed. The soft sound held an uneven rhythm of agitation to it, and he smiled.

"Oh, I think with a bit more effort my butler will be at your feet like the rest of the staff."

"And you? Will you be at my feet too?" Mischief sparkled in her eyes, but it was the desire he saw shimmering in her gaze that hardened his cock. With a slow shake of his head, he leaned forward and kissed the base of her throat. He knew it was madness, but she was too intoxicating to his senses to resist tasting her.

"I think I shall make you submit to me, sweet witch," he murmured as he nibbled at the spot where her shoulder met her neck. The small breath she inhaled sent his blood pounding through his body.

"And if I refuse?" The breathy challenge in her voice made him chuckle against the side of her neck as his teeth nipped at her skin. A moan slipped past her lips at his action, and it excited him. Nicholas inhaled the citrus scent of her. It was a fresh, tart scent that was headier than the finest cognac. His fingers traced the edge of her robe where the material met just above her breasts. He slowly parted the garment and sucked in a harsh breath of desire. He'd been right. She was naked beneath the garment. The shudder that rocked through her hammered its way into him. Slowly, his hand exposed one beautiful breast. He cupped her, and rubbed her stiff nipple with his thumb.

"Oh, God, Nicholas. Suck on me." Her plea heated his blood even more.

Needing no further encouragement, he captured the tip of her in his mouth. A low, throaty moan poured out of her. The sound made his cock ache as it expanded and hardened even more. Christ Almighty, he wanted to thrust into her with hard strokes until he heard her cry out his name then shatter in his arms.

In a surprising move, she slipped out of his arms to kneel at his feet. Her robe was parted to the waist, and he stared at her full breasts. Eager to touch her again, he leaned forward and lightly rubbed his thumb over a rigid nipple. She trembled at his touch, and he experienced triumph at the desire he saw darkening her blue eyes. God, he loved how she responded to him. She came up on her knees and kissed him. Soft and teasing, her lips had the sweet flavor of honey.

One hand wrapped around the nape of her neck, his tongue swept into her mouth to taste more of her sweetness. Hard and fast, his tongue stroked and teased hers as his need for a more intimate act consumed him. She broke free of the kiss and pushed him back into his chair. A split second later, her mouth blazed a trail of heat across his chest. Nicholas's head fell backward as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy the pleasure of her touch. She tugged gently at his belt and pushed his robe wide open. A soft gasp floated upward, and he realized she'd seen his leg. His head jerked up to look down at her. To his amazement, she wasn't looking at his leg, she was studying his cock.

"You're beautiful," she whispered almost reverently.

The unexpected complement astonished him, but it also sent a rush of pleasure barreling through him. Nick reached out to cup her cheek in his hand, but his fingertips barely brushed her skin before she lowered her head. A warm breeze caressed his erection just before her tongue swirled around the tip of him.

"Sweet Jesus," he exclaimed hoarsely.

"Should I stop?" There was a hint of amusement in her voice as she looked up at him. Their eyes met, and in the firelight her eyes sparkled with a desire he knew matched his own. Unable to choke out an answer, he shook his head then groaned as she lowered her head again to take him into her mouth.

The hot, moist heat surrounding his cock made it stretch to a point that bordered on the edge of painful. Slowly, she drew him deeper into her mouth, while her tongue stroked and swirled around his length. The sudden touch of her cupping his balls in her hand before her fingers gently played with his sacs made Nicholas jerk in surprise. His hands gripped the arms of the chair as he reveled in the way she was fucking him with her mouth, while massaging his balls. A moment later, she squeezed his balls gently, and he nearly jumped out of his chair.

"God almighty," he rasped. At his low cry she began to slide him in and out of her mouth at a faster pace. The pleasure thundering through his body beat a primitive rhythm of lust into every inch of him. His cock pulsed with a fiery need, and when she released him he almost howled with frustration. Still blind with pleasure, he could barely open his eyes as his body shouted impatiently for the release she'd denied him. Through half-hooded eyes, his muscles tensed as she rose to her feet. Her robe slid off her shoulders and fell to the floor.

He'd thought her beautiful when he'd seen her emerge from her bath. Now, standing in front of him with the firelight giving definition to her curves, he realized how exquisite she truly was. He went rigid as she closed her eyes, and trailed her hands over her lovely skin just below her breasts. Slowly, her hands slid upward and over her full, sweetly-rounded breasts. Lips parted in a silent moan, her tongue flicked out to wet her lips as her fingers played with her nipples. It was the most erotic thing he'd ever witnessed in his life, and a growl of intense hunger rumbled in his chest.

Coherent thought escaped him as she stepped forward. Roughly, he grabbed her waist and dragged her toward him. She came willingly, and a second later she sank down over him. Hot and slick, she sheathed him in the incendiary heat of her core. Unable to contain it, a low groan rolled out of him. The instant her body clinched tightly around him, he dragged in a sharp breath of pleasure. Slowly, then faster and faster, she moved her body up and down his cock, until she was riding him in furious strokes. His hands gripping her hips, he thrust up into her with each of her down strokes.

Pleasure, lust, and need charged through his limbs as his hands cupped her breasts, and he rolled his thumbs over her nipples before tweaking them. The fiery sweetness of her as she rode his cock only increased his craving for her that much more. This one moment in time with her wouldn't be enough. It would take a thousand nights like this one to even begin to assuage his desire for her. A low moan escaped her, and her head fell forward as she sought his mouth in a hot kiss. As their tongues mated in a passionate dance, she rode him even harder. Suddenly she jerked against him.

Her body squeezed his cock like a silky hot vise. Hard and fast her core convulsed and tightened around him with one spasm after another. His hands urged her to keep pumping him as her body shuddered against his. On the edge of an explosive release, a warning bell went off in the back of his mind as he realized he wasn't wearing a French letter. Primal need and lust drowned out the alarm as with a loud cry he thrust upward and throbbed hard inside her. She arched backward, and he braced her with his arms as he savored her final contractions around his cock. Slowly, she fell forward to rest her forehead against his.

"Oh, my God," she whispered. "That was amazing."

Slowly, the realization of what he'd done penetrated his consciousness. Stunned, he froze against her. How could he have been such an imbecile? He should have ended this before it had started. No, he should have simply carried her to his bed and used the protection Roberts always made available in the table drawer next to his bed.

"Nicholas? What's wrong?"

He abruptly lifted her off him and closed his robe as Victoria picked up her robe and clutched it to her body. The look of confused embarrassment on her face made him capture her hand in his and carry it to his lips. It hadn't been his intent to make her feel uncomfortable about what had happened between them. What had just happened had been much more than pleasurable for him, but he refused to explore the depth of its meaning.

"I'm merely annoyed with myself that I failed to use a French letter."

"A what?" Genuine bewilderment furrowed her brow, as she stared at him in complete confusion.

"Protection to ensure I don't make you with child."

"Oh, a condom," she said as understanding flashed in her sapphire eyes, and a guilty expression furrowed her brow. "I can't believe I didn't think about that either."

"I should have," he bit out with fierce self-remorse.

"So does that mean you regret...regret what happened?"

"No, I have no regrets at all," he murmured as he pulled her into his arms. "I found it even more pleasurable than I'd imagined."

"Imagined?" She breathed as color flooded her cheeks.

"From the moment you returned, I've found myself struggling not to think about all the things I could to your body. Things that would make you weep with need and beg for more."

"Oh, Lord," she whispered. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard, and desire flared in her eyes as her tongue flicked out to wet her lips. "Then maybe we should get started."

"Indeed," he said as his body responded to her unconscious action. With a quick move, he swung her up into the air, and she yelped with surprise as he carried her toward the bed.

"Nicholas, your leg. You shouldn't be carrying me. You'll hurt yourself." Her protest made him smiled down at her.

"I'll be hurting elsewhere in a moment if I don't get you into bed right now." He chuckled as he laid her on the mattress. One hand clutching his robe, she tugged him downward.

"Then touch me, Nicholas. Make me burn like you did a few moments ago. I want you touching me, sucking on me...I want you to fuck me until neither one of us can move."

"Christ Jesus," he rasped at the lust echoing through her words.

Nicholas's mouth went dry as he stared down at her, and the desire on her face. God help him the woman was determined to undo him completely. He'd accepted how colorful her language had become since her return, but the manner in which she'd just asked for his cock made him hard as iron. As if she knew what she was doing to him, Victoria slowly parted her robe and ran her fingers over her breast down to her stomach to the apex of her thighs where her fingers dipped into her hot core. She arched upward as she played with herself.

Stunned Nicholas stared at her in fascination. His erection was now painfully hard. Violently he shrugged his robe off his shoulders, and jerked the drawer of the nightstand open with a vicious tug. Seconds later he was on the bed with her, his cock sheathed with a protective covering. His mouth found one hard nipple, and he pulled on it with his teeth. The mewl parting her lips made him wonder how long he could hold out before plunging into her. A sudden resolve surged through him. She'd teased him with that erotic performance a moment ago, and he intended to make her pay a pleasurable penalty in return.

Chapter 20.

Pure, intense pleasure spread its way through Victoria's veins until it pulsed its way into every fiber of her being. God, the man used his mouth like a violinist did a bow. He tugged a response out of her that was so strong it frightened her. Blinded by the smoldering heat of his mouth as he sucked on her nipple, she gasped with delight as he gently bit down on the hard peak. Beneath her skin, one nerve ending after another fired off signals of a deep, passionate hunger.

It rapidly became a fierce need as the fire in her stomach settled in the spot between her legs while threatening to consume the rest of her body. The male scent of sandalwood and another spice filled her senses as she breathed him in. She'd never realized how good a man could smell. As his mouth moved downward, she gasped as his tongue stroked the inside of her thigh. Anticipation spread through her as she expected him to explore her sex with his tongue when he abruptly came up on his knees. Her body instantly protested.

"Oh, God, Nicholas. Don't stop. Please."

"You forget how a short time ago you teased me a great deal before giving me what my cock wanted," he growled as his beautiful mouth curled in a wicked smile. "Can you blame me for extracting a similar punishment?"

His hand caught her ankle in a firm grip then raised her leg to kiss the side of her foot. The sensual touch made her inhale a sharp breath of pleasure. Slowly, his mouth caressed its way up her leg alternating between small bites into her flesh followed by his tongue soothing the tingling spot. With every touch of his mouth on her skin, it increased the ache between her legs. The pressing need for relief made her slip her hand between her legs. A strong hand quickly stopped her from even beginning to achieve satisfaction.

"Not yet, sweet witch. I've not had my fill of you yet," he said as he bit down a little harder on the inside of her thigh.

She cried out in delight at the erotic sensation spiraling through her. His mouth continued on its path toward the apex of her thighs. In one smooth move, his hands slid under her to cup her bottom then lifted her upward. As he kept her slightly elevated, he lowered his head to seek out the nub just inside her folds. Her entire body shuddered as a small orgasm whipped through her. Dear God, the man seemed to know exactly what she needed at that precise moment.

Another tremor rocked through her as his teeth scraped across the plump piece of flesh of her sex before his tongue probed deeper. An unrestrained cry of bliss escaped her at the roughness of his tongue against her tender, sensitized flesh. No man had ever aroused this much passion and need in her before. With each stroke of his tongue, she thought she'd go mad with desire. Soft as silk, his hair caressed her skin as she spiked her fingers through it. Eyes shut, her hips jerked as his tongue continued to swirl inside her.

Small ripples of sensation cascaded through her body, and she recognized the exquisite onset of an orgasm. A moan rose up from deep inside her as her blood ran hot and thick through her veins. Long and hard, a shudder shook her body as her orgasm built inside her. The vibrations pulsing through her reached a keen threshold until she screamed his name and bucked against him. Strong hands bit into the flesh of her hips to hold her in place as he continued to suck, lave, and nibble on her folds until the stimulation was an exquisite torture.

With a sob of ecstasy, her body came apart until she was consumed with tingling pleasure. Wave after wave of white-hot tremors washed over her until she was drowning in a flood of fiery sensation. Dragging in deep ragged breaths, she trembled as her body slowly calmed to a low, sensitive hum of pleasure. Spent, she lay still on the bed as Nicholas rose up to hover over her. Her eyes fluttered open, and the passion blazing in his eyes made her heart clench in her chest. This man wasn't just devastating to her senses. He could easily carry away her heart. The realization made her mouth go dry. A low growl rumbled in his chest, and it sent a frisson across her skin.

"You realize I'm not through with you, don't you, sweet witch?"

Even if she'd had the energy to answer him, she wouldn't have been able to respond. With a quick move, he easily flipped her over onto her stomach. His hard body pressed into her back as his mouth nibbled on her shoulder.

"You smell of lemons and honey," he whispered as he kissed the nape of her neck. His hand slid along her curves in a leisurely caress. "And your skin is smooth as satin."

"Do you have any idea how sexy your voice is?" She closed her eyes with a sigh and allowed herself to simply immerse her mind in the pleasure of his touch.

"Is it?" He chuckled. "Would you still think so if I said I intended to spend the rest of the night fucking you until neither one of us can move?"

"Oh, God," she breathed as she looked over her shoulder to meet his gaze. "Yes, I find your voice even sexier when you talk like that."

"You, sweet witch, are a wanton hussy." Something odd flashed in his gaze, but it was gone in a brief instant.

His palm caressed her buttocks as he laughed softly. She arched her rear upward into his touch, and his fingers slid along the back of her thigh then between her legs where he slid his fingers into her. She moaned softly at the way his touch could instantly set her on fire. Her body clenched around his fingers, and she gasped at how quickly he'd brought her to the brink again. Each sinfully wicked stroke of pleasure made her draw in a sharp breath of delight. The ragged heat of his breath singed her back, and she could feel his hard erection against her leg.

"Nicholas, please," she rasped. "I need to feel your cock inside me, now. I need you to fuck me."

"Sweet Jesus, your tongue would tempt the devil himself," Nick growled as he slammed into her.

The size of him filled and stretched her until the sharp, intense pleasure of it made her sob with delight. The strength of the pleasurable sensations rose up inside her much faster this time. The pace of his hard thrusts increased as his body pounded against hers, and the erotic experience set fire to her nerve endings. As Nicholas drove deep inside her, a blast of white-hot heat exploded and spiraled through her veins. Her body clenched around his erection as the first wild ripple of heat plunged over her. A cry of sheer rapture poured out of her as she hit a peak sensation. A fraction of a second later, her body shattered and tightened around him.

An instant later, he was pulling her to the next height of pleasure. Stroke after stroke, Nicholas brought her to the edge of the abyss then pulled her over only to take her back to the edge again. Suddenly, her body clutched hard around him in hot spasms that cascaded through her in a mind-numbing level of blissful satisfaction. A brief second later, Nicholas roared as he thrust into her one last time, and his cock throbbed violently inside her. Slowly they slid forward on the bed together. The warm pressure of him on top of her filled her with not only contentment, but a feeling that all would be well as long as she was in his arms. Nicholas kissed the back of her shoulder then rolled off her onto his back. Victoria reached out to stroke the top of his chest.

"Thank you," she whispered. Nicholas turned his head toward her with a startled look on his face. His hand brushed a strand of hair off her brow.

"For what, sweet witch?

"Because that was even more amazing than the first time," she whispered as she moved closer and kissed him. The heat of their kiss began to spiral into a fiery passion until Nicholas pulled away from her with a groan.

"God in heaven, woman. You'll be the death of me." He tugged her into his side and wrapped his arms around her. Snuggling into him, she laughed.

"I take it now would not be the time for me to indulge in dirty talk," she whispered.

"No," he growled with a soft trace of amusement. "I only have so many French letters available until Roberts can order more, and I need sleep."

She smiled then yawned as she buried her cheek into the curve of his shoulder. With Nicholas she was safe, no one would harm her. It was the last thought she had before she drifted off to sleep.

A warm heat surrounded Victoria as her eyelids fluttered open. There was a blue sliver of light pushing through the thin opening in the drapes. It was a soft, lapis lazuli that signaled the night wasn't quite willing to give way to the dawn. The weight of Nicholas' strong arm was wrapped around her waist holding her close. Sleepily, she blinked several times to wake up completely. She'd spent the entire night locked in his arms. Victoria released a soft sigh of contentment.

Fully awake, she turned her head to see Nicholas studying her intently. She smiled and reached out to touch his mouth with her fingertips. The man's lips had teased and tempted her last night in ways no other man had. He'd aroused a part of her that was completely unrestrained when she was in his arms. The man set her on fire with his words and caresses. When he didn't respond to her touch, she frowned. Something was wrong.

"Is your leg bothering you?" she asked quietly.

"No," he said in the soft voice. Green eyes narrowing with suspicion he frowned. "Where did you learn to do the things we did last night, Victoria?"

"I don't understand what you're asking." Puzzlement furrowed her forehead.

"Where did you learn to suck on a man's cock or use language designed to stimulate a man's desire?"

The question made her stare at him in amazement. Out of all the things for him to ask, this was the last thing she would have expected. The man sure as hell hadn't complained about her enthusiasm last night. She scowled at him.

"Well, it's not like I'm inexperienced," she said defensively. "I've had a couple of serious relationships."

"Then you have slept with other men." The harshly spoken statement made her draw away from him in anger.

"Are you telling me that Vickie is the only woman you've ever slept with?"