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used his teeth to hold her
    there. It was enough to send her spiraling into climax. She screamed and bucked against
    him as he continued to lick and suck and bite until she felt as limp and spent as a
    dishcloth.
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    Antonia’s Bargain
    When she opened her eyes, he was braced over her, his face wet with her cream.
    “Am I still a virgin?”
    He raised one eyebrow. “Of course you are. I didn’t penetrate your sheath at all.”
    “But I felt you inside me…I thought.”
    He smiled and reached forward. He ran his finger over her swollen sex until he
    reached the tight bud of her anus. “I entered you here. Did you dislike it?”
    “No, it was interesting.”
    He sat up and drew her to her knees. “Perhaps we should call this card game a
    draw.”
    Her whole body ached as if she had caught a fever. “I have certainly learned more
    than I bargained for, sir.”
    He kissed her lips. He tasted of her. “My name is Gideon.”
    She stared at his mouth, amazed that he had used it on her sex with such explosive
    results. Unable to deny her need, she kissed him back, felt his tongue flick against hers
    in a subtle, gentle caress. He tasted of brandy and of her, a mingling of scents she would
    never forget.
    He spread his fingers through the back of her hair, turning her face into his
    shoulder. “Next week, if you are agreeable, we will venture forth into the ton .”
    It took her a moment to realize what he meant. She felt her cheeks heat with
    gratification. “Have I passed all your tests then, Gideon?”
    He released her with a last soft kiss, stood and buttoned his breeches. “Let us say,
    rather, that you are ready to begin the real challenge. When we are out on the strut, you
    will have to prove you are capable of carrying off your disguise alone.”
    She smiled brilliantly at him as he helped her to her feet and began to rearrange her
    clothing. She had feared the season would be all but over before Gideon deemed her
    capable of going out in her disguise. It occurred to her that despite their short
    acquaintance, he already understood her better than any of her family. He was offering
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    her an opportunity she had never thought to have. A chance to investigate the men who
    were beginning to circle her like vultures, and decide whether any of them would be
    worth the terrible risk of marrying.
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    Antonia’s Bargain
    Chapter Five
    Gideon straightened his cravat as he entered the ballroom and automatically looked
    for Antonia. It was becoming a habit of his to search her out so that he could avoid her.
    He smiled at the ridiculous thought. Since meeting her, his life had expanded from its
    dour grayness and he’d even begun to enjoy himself again. Strange that a woman had
    done that to him especially after his decision to avoid them at all costs since his wife’s
    death.
    His smile died as his father strolled up to him, immaculate in pale blue and silver.
    “Good evening, sir. I don’t often see you at these affairs.”
    The viscount nodded. “I came to see if you were obeying orders.”
    If Gideon had possessed hackles they would have risen. “If you mean, am I on the
    prowl for a wife, then yes, I’m here, aren’t I?”
    “You don’t have to like the girl. She doesn’t even need to be attractive.” His father
    paused to nod at an acquaintance. “You just have to get an heir on her. Remember, all
    women look the same in the dark.”
    Gideon glared at his father. Was he deliberately trying to goad him into a fight in
    the middle of a ballroom? “Are you suggesting I should only make myself agreeable to
    the ugliest and most desperate women in the room?”
    The viscount touched his shoulder and maneuvered him into a convenient corner.
    “That’s not what I’m saying and you know it. Despite your dubious reputation, you are
    a handsome and well-connected man.” He lowered his voice. “But I’m not blind,
    Gideon, and I have traveled the world. I can appreciate that your tastes might