him it was Fox who had stolen her virginity.
“What does it matter,” Adam shrugged carelessly, “as long as the proud John Ashley believes his daughter was dishonored by a Foxworth.” His eyes darkened with an emotion Alexa could not define.
Soon afterwards Adam arose, donned his clothes andleft, only to return a short time later followed by a servant carrying a heavily laden tray. While their supper was being laid out Adam stoked up the fire and lit a lamp, for while they had been pleasantly engaged in the canopied bed, full darkness had descended.
“From now on we will take supper in your room,” Adam explained, glancing meaningfully toward the bed. “That way I won’t have so far to go to take my pleasure. A mistress should never be allowed out of bed. Especially when she is as exciting as you.” Chuckling at his own cleverness, Adam began to eat heartily, ignoring Alexa’s murderous looks in his direction.
Alexa ate in silence, fuming with impotent rage at the indignity of her position. Once she was allowed to return home all of London would know she had been the mistress of Adam Foxworth, the Earl of Penwell. What would Charles think? Would he still want her? If he loved her as much as he said, it would make no difference to him, Alexa decided guardedly.
After their supper was cleared away, Adam had thoughtfully arranged for a bath to be prepared for her. She balked when he settled himself in a chair, intending to watch her bathe, but in the end he had his way, his hooded gaze resting on her while she washed. He said nothing, barely moving a muscle until she reached for the towel and arose from the tub all rosy and glowing from the hot water. Then suddenly his muscles flexed as he lifted himself from the chair with the silent grace of a stalking tiger.
Taking the towel from her, he began to dry her dripping body, paying meticulous attention to those certain parts of her body that intrigued him the most. When he dropped the towel Alexa tried to grab her robe but Adam stayed her hand, lifting her in his arms instead and carrying her to the bed still rumpled from their earlier encounter.
“I’ve not had my fill of you, milady,” he said, smiling sardonically. “I’ve not always been so fortunate to be serviced by so desirable a mistress. During the next weeks I intend to use you well and often. Charles will probably thank me when I return you to him.”
“He’ll kill you!” spat Alexa, determined to fight against the spell he wove around her senses. “If he doesn’t, my father will!”
“They’ll have to find me first,” laughed Adam, vastly amused. “By then I’ll be far from English shores.”
“When, Adam?” Alexa asked, her eyes luminous with unshed tears. “When will you release me?”
“When I’m ready, milady, when I’m good and ready,” came his terse reply as he moved with exaggerated slowness, pulling her lissome body against the length of his.
“You don’t really want me, Adam,” Alexa contended bleakly. “Revenge is a powerful emotion. Is there room in your heart for no other emotion?”
“Leave my heart out of it, Alexa,” Adam snapped. “I give it freely to no woman. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy you for as long as we’re together. My thirst for revenge has no adverse affect upon my ability to perform in bed, nor does consummation require the use of my heart, only my …”
“Oh, you’re despicable,” Alexa cut him off angrily, blushing furiously.
“Aye,” he concurred amiably. “But as long as you understand you are here for one purpose only we shall get along admirably. Now, milady, if you’d be so good as to be quiet I will show you just how capable I am without the use of my heart.”
And in the end Alexa did just that as he proved to her once again that he was a consummate lover, inventive, irresistible. As he made love to her, confused images animated the corners of her mind. He becameFox, gentle, tender, burning away all her
“What does it matter,” Adam shrugged carelessly, “as long as the proud John Ashley believes his daughter was dishonored by a Foxworth.” His eyes darkened with an emotion Alexa could not define.
Soon afterwards Adam arose, donned his clothes andleft, only to return a short time later followed by a servant carrying a heavily laden tray. While their supper was being laid out Adam stoked up the fire and lit a lamp, for while they had been pleasantly engaged in the canopied bed, full darkness had descended.
“From now on we will take supper in your room,” Adam explained, glancing meaningfully toward the bed. “That way I won’t have so far to go to take my pleasure. A mistress should never be allowed out of bed. Especially when she is as exciting as you.” Chuckling at his own cleverness, Adam began to eat heartily, ignoring Alexa’s murderous looks in his direction.
Alexa ate in silence, fuming with impotent rage at the indignity of her position. Once she was allowed to return home all of London would know she had been the mistress of Adam Foxworth, the Earl of Penwell. What would Charles think? Would he still want her? If he loved her as much as he said, it would make no difference to him, Alexa decided guardedly.
After their supper was cleared away, Adam had thoughtfully arranged for a bath to be prepared for her. She balked when he settled himself in a chair, intending to watch her bathe, but in the end he had his way, his hooded gaze resting on her while she washed. He said nothing, barely moving a muscle until she reached for the towel and arose from the tub all rosy and glowing from the hot water. Then suddenly his muscles flexed as he lifted himself from the chair with the silent grace of a stalking tiger.
Taking the towel from her, he began to dry her dripping body, paying meticulous attention to those certain parts of her body that intrigued him the most. When he dropped the towel Alexa tried to grab her robe but Adam stayed her hand, lifting her in his arms instead and carrying her to the bed still rumpled from their earlier encounter.
“I’ve not had my fill of you, milady,” he said, smiling sardonically. “I’ve not always been so fortunate to be serviced by so desirable a mistress. During the next weeks I intend to use you well and often. Charles will probably thank me when I return you to him.”
“He’ll kill you!” spat Alexa, determined to fight against the spell he wove around her senses. “If he doesn’t, my father will!”
“They’ll have to find me first,” laughed Adam, vastly amused. “By then I’ll be far from English shores.”
“When, Adam?” Alexa asked, her eyes luminous with unshed tears. “When will you release me?”
“When I’m ready, milady, when I’m good and ready,” came his terse reply as he moved with exaggerated slowness, pulling her lissome body against the length of his.
“You don’t really want me, Adam,” Alexa contended bleakly. “Revenge is a powerful emotion. Is there room in your heart for no other emotion?”
“Leave my heart out of it, Alexa,” Adam snapped. “I give it freely to no woman. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy you for as long as we’re together. My thirst for revenge has no adverse affect upon my ability to perform in bed, nor does consummation require the use of my heart, only my …”
“Oh, you’re despicable,” Alexa cut him off angrily, blushing furiously.
“Aye,” he concurred amiably. “But as long as you understand you are here for one purpose only we shall get along admirably. Now, milady, if you’d be so good as to be quiet I will show you just how capable I am without the use of my heart.”
And in the end Alexa did just that as he proved to her once again that he was a consummate lover, inventive, irresistible. As he made love to her, confused images animated the corners of her mind. He becameFox, gentle, tender, burning away all her
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