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begun.
    “It is of no special consequence to me that you are here.” Her look was cold and callous. “Once again, I do not have any choice in the matter.”
    Reinier captured her smaller hand in his and brought it up between them. “Oh, but there is always a choice, wife.” His voice was seductive and dangerously low.
    Emiline felt the blood drain from her face as he held her hand. No man had ever dared touch her like that, not since…well, not since their honeymoon. She felt herself quiver inside.
    “I wonder…Do you ever wish to be free?”
    Did she ever…Oh! Emiline understood now. He wanted a divorce as well! What a very fortunate twist of fate for her. “Of you?” she blurted out, speaking faster than she could hear herself think. “Yes, of course! In fact—”
    “No,” Reinier cut her off with a patronizing snort. “No, not of me, I’m afraid.” He used her hand, held close to his heart, to guide her back to the table again. Her fresh hope shattered, Emiline was now more confused than ever. She blinked up at him as he released her and backed up slightly from the table.
    Reinier spread his strong arms wide. “Free of all this.”
    What was he talking about? The mental image of what he asked was outright ridiculous.
    The way her expression changed, the way the light in her eyes died to be replaced by cool determination and prudent intent was simply amazing for Reinier. He found himself eager to taste her confusion in the air. The scent of strawberries filled his mind and let sweet memories tickle up and down his body. He wanted to catch a bit more of her spice, even more alluring now that she was angry with him.
    He leaned down and set his hands on the arms of her chair. “All you command. What I mean to say is…Have you ever wished for someone else to be in control? To turn over the burdens of rule, to let go of all the responsibility and control, and just be free to follow?”
    Reinier could read it in her eyes. The mere thought that her mind had instantly gone in the right direction was so very arousing. She’d wished it already. But did she have any idea how far this would go, how far he’d take her if only she let him guide her?
    He pulled away from her and gave her the space she needed.
    Emiline rose from the table without Reinier stopping her this time, and she moved across the room toward the small fireplace in the center of the east-facing wall. She turned to the empty hearth, placing one hand on the mantel. Eventually, she pressed out between clenched teeth, “You do not know me.”
    Reinier moved to the fireplace and stood directly behind her. He touched her dark, smooth shoulder lightly with the back of his knuckles and let his breath caress her perfect neck, marveling again at what true beauty he’d sailed away from.
    “Oh, but I want to know you, wife,” he whispered.
    At that, Emiline spun quickly, too quickly for Reinier to catch her small hand before it connected with his cheek with more force than he’d ever imagined she could have. The smacking sound reverberated throughout the room, the candles on the mantel flickered, and even the natural music of the West Indian night outside seemed to stop in time.
    His last words had definitely struck a chord—his tingling cheek was proof of it.
    They stood as they were for what seemed like hours but could have been only seconds. In those moments the morning tide was completely forgotten. Reinier couldn’t think of anywhere else he wanted to be tomorrow. He had no intention of rushing things, he decided as he rubbed his cheek tenderly. He was always in the mood for a good challenge—thrived on it, in fact. Right then he was quite determined to spend a few days learning all about this new side of Emiline, the angry, passionate, and quite alluring facets of his wife he’d never seen.
    Well, learning and then teaching, of course.
    Emiline’s eyes were wide. She seemed horrified by her loss of control. The memory of how she shivered to