Page 546 of From Rakes to Riches

A feeling that had him burying his face in her hair and inhaling and wrapping his arms around her and bringing her with him as he lay flat on his back, her head nestled into the crook of his shoulder.

A feeling that made him never want to let her go.

He wasn’t sure he liked this feeling.

In fact, he knew he didn’t.

In no way did this feeling align with his vision of an ordered universe.

Bodies and feelings were better left separate.

She placed her palm on his chest, and for a moment, he thought she would feather her fingertips across his skin. Instead, the palm firmed and planted itself as she made to push away. Instinctively, he wrapped fingers around her wrist so she hovered just above him. “I have a question for you,” he said in a lazy drawl that belied the urgency he felt to make her stay.

Curiosity shone in her gold-flecked eyes and held her in place.

“What’s your name?”

He’d made love to this woman without knowing her name.

A smile played about her mouth. “Perhaps I shouldn’t tell you.”

“Oh, I very much disagree.”

This felt dangerously like…flirting.

The moment held, then she relented. “Gemma.”

“Ah.”Gemma… He liked that name for her. “Clever of you to choose Gem.”

She gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Is that all?”

“One more question,” he said. “More of an observation.”

Her head canted. She truly had the prettiest eyes. “Yes?”

It was an observation he had no right to make, and yet, still… “You weren’t a virgin.”

“Does that matter to you?”

“No.” And it didn’t—mostly. Unless… “Unless it wasn’t your choice.”

He wasn’t sure why he’d spoken such words. It was as if a murderous part of him wanted to know, so he could do violence to any such man.

“A bit of youthful curiosity.” She shrugged again. “A few times.”

He searched her eyes for the truth and found it. The tension left his body.

“I wondered what all the fuss was about.”

Now, this line of questioning was one he definitely wanted to pursue. “And all the fuss?” he asked. “Was it worth it?”

Her laugh reached all the way to her pretty eyes. “I wasn’t sure until tonight.”

“And now?” Rake found he couldn’t draw breath, his heart a hard thump in his chest.

Her smile slipped into one more thoughtful, and a light blush stained her cheeks. “I’d say it is.”

Though her words were few, Rake wasn’t sure he’d ever been paid a higher compliment.

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