“After dinner that evening they retired to her bedchamber. Gideon had quite opened her eyes over the last few days. Quick trysts in carriages were one thing, but when they were in bed . . . Oh, the things he did to her. He maneuvered her, flipping and turning and arranging limbs as though she weighed nothing. The rhythm never lost, each change in position finding some new sublime spot.”

“Bella-Bella," he whispered.She reluctantly opened her eyes."Good morning," he said with a wide smile, lips wet from their kisses. The crests of his cheekbones were flushed lightly. His eyes sparkled with happiness.”

“He chuckled, a low, amused rumble. The girl was accustomed to his presence in Bella's bedchamber, but on previous occasions he hadn't been fully hard, his c*ck straining beneath black wool trousers. Apparently he had embarrassed her. Too bad. He was not up to the task of hiding his desires until she left the room tonight.”

“But what the long walk had not done was reveal the cause of the inherent distaste that had sprung out of nowhere overtaking her there under the tree. On the cold, damp grass, or up against the rough tree trunk. He had done it many times without a second thought, and in more challenging situations. It would have been nothing at all to wrap her long legs around his waist, brace one hand against the tree trunk, hold her tight with his other arm, and give the lady exactly what she wanted.But for some reason he had not been able to do it. For the first time in his life, his body had been willing but his mind had not. Labeling the experience unpleasant would be a severe understatement.”

“And what of you Lady Sterling? Do you have any news?" Mrs. Tavisham asked.Yes, an impossibly gorgeous man ravished me in my carriage . Quite a most delightful afternoon. Bella resisted the urge to lick her lips and instead smiled politely."No, nothing of interest.”

“Also another time she had wakened in dead of night, thinking that something touched her, and when she looked she saw that a black scaly tail, tufted with flame at the end, like a fiend's, had switched across her and lay there burning the covers. And when she turned shrieking, to see what manner of thing lay beside her in the bed, she was at first reassured by sight of her husband's face, then saw, to her horror, that horns had risen, black and pointed, from his forehead. After that she screamed again and remembered nothing until Joseph was shaking her awake, and there were neither horns nor tail to be seen. Nor were the bedclothes scorched.”

“Come for me." His words were a plea, whispered hotly in her ear.”