Page 68 of Modern Romance June 2025 1-4

He took advantage, his tongue exploring hers, making her tremble all over.

Somehow her hands were pressed to his chest and she could finally feel the hard muscle beneath the cotton of his shirt. She’d had no idea he would feel so wonderful. No idea that the rough demand of his kiss would be so incredible.

His fingertips holding her chin tightened and she felt his other hand slide to the small of her back, the orange falling unnoticed on the ground. His hand slid further down, over her rear, cupping her, easing her hips against his, and the hard length of his erection pressed to the unbearably sensitive place between her thighs.

A helpless whimper escaped her as a shock of pleasure sent sparks along every nerve-ending. She’d had no idea it would feel like this. She’d imagined it—yes, she had. Kisses. Touches. Desire. This was what she’d read about.This.This magical feeling of being wanted and of wanting herself. But it was better than she’d ever imagined…so much better.

The kiss turned feverish and he released her chin, sliding one hand into her hair and closing his fingers into a fist, tugging back her head, exploring her mouth deeper and with even more demand. She was shaking now, and the hard press of him between her thighs was almost unbearable. She wanted his hand there—wanted something more… More friction. Yes. She needed it.

He moved, walking her insistently backwards until she felt the rough trunk of the orange tree pressed against her spine, his hands on her hips holding her against it. Then he tore his mouth from hers and she found herself looking up into his face, half dizzy with desire and breathing fast. He was breathing fast too, the look in his eyes blazing with want, and with something else that looked like fury.

‘Is this what you want?’ he demanded suddenly. ‘To debase yourself with me?’

Guinevere blinked up at him, not understanding. ‘Wh-what do you mean…debase myself?’

‘You want me to have you up against this tree? Your skirt hiked up and me inside you? Because I will, little Accorsi. Say the word and that’s exactly what will happen.’

She stared at him, noting the hard lines of his face and the anger—yes, itwasanger—flaming in his eyes. ‘I… I…’ she stammered, hating how she couldn’t get the words out. ‘Wh-what did I do?’

‘Nothing. But I like it rough, mouse.’ He growled the words, pressing his hips suddenly against hers, letting her feel the hard length of him through her dress. ‘And you don’t even know what you’re doing when you look at me that way.’

Guinevere’s pulse pounded in her ears, her cheeks burning. She still didn’t understand his anger. ‘What way?’

‘Like all you want me to do is put you on your back in the grass, spread your thighs and eat you alive.’

The words sent a hot shock through her. She knew what he was talking about—she might be sheltered, but she’d read enough about physical passion to understand. The thought of him doing that to her excited her, thrilled her, even as it made her want to go up in flames with embarrassment.

She took a shuddering breath. ‘But… I don’t understand. Would that be wrong? Why are you so angry?’

Abruptly, Tiberius shoved himself away, then pushed a distracted hand through his black hair, glancing away, a muscle leaping in the side of his strong jaw. Then he looked back, his gaze a silver spear piercing her right through. ‘I have never had a problem with controlling myself, Guinevere Accorsi. Never. Doing my duty to Kasimir is the most important task I can conceive of and I should be thinking about it—not of ripping your clothes off.’

Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.

‘I don’t know why, or what it is about you that is driving me to distraction, but let me be very clear. Nothing can happen between us. I am not the man for a virgin who has lived her entire life within the walls of a palace—and especially not if that virgin is vulnerable, fragile and has been badly treated by the people who were supposed to protect her.’

The way he said it all, so dismissively, caught at something inside her, igniting her own anger. He was acting as ifshewas the problem, and yet she’d done nothing. Nothing at all. It wasn’t her fault that her brothers had been monsters, that they’d hurt her. It wasn’t her fault her father had failed to protect her, either.

And as for the ‘virgin’ stuff—well, again, that wasn’t her fault. Even if by some miracle she’d met a man she liked, she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to rid herself of her virginity anyway.

‘Why not?’ she shot back, stepping forward. ‘You make me sound like a sad little victim, and I’m not.’

The scorching silver of his gaze swept over her. ‘No, perhaps not. But the problem isn’t you—it’s me. I’m afraid of what I want to do to you. I want to punish you, corrupt you, take my revenge out on you for what your father did to my family.’ The flames in his eyes were cold now. ‘But I am a king, and a king is above such pettiness. He does not put his own desires before those of his country. To do so would make me no better than Renzo, and I will not be that man.’

A shiver passed over her, and she didn’t know whether it was because of the ice in his voice or the flames in his eyes.

Punish you…corrupt you…

She swallowed, her mouth dry. ‘If you’re worried about hurting me, you won’t. You would never make me do anything I didn’t want.’

She knew that was true. He could have done what he’d just said to her at any point over the past few days and he hadn’t. Even when he’d been angry.

His eyes glittered, sharp as swords. ‘But I can make you want it, little mouse. I can make you do anything I command. And that’s why nothing can ever happen between us.’

‘What if I wasn’t a virgin? If I was experienced?’

That muscle jumped in the side of his jaw. ‘A moot point, since you are neither of those things.’

There was no use in denying it. Her inexperience must be obvious. ‘I know that, but…’ She tried to think. ‘I mean, I’m your wife. So are you planning on being celibate for the entirety of our marriage?’

---