'But I like it,' he amended hastily.
'You don't!' she argued in a muffled voice. 'You left me so I wouldn't throw myself at you again. And I won't. Never again, I vow.'
He kept his voice low and soothing. 'I'd have ravished you further, Olivia, if the ocean hadn't been between us. You were distraught. Your ship was attacked, you were abused, and your husband was revealed to be a criminal. It would have been dishonorable of me to take your body under those conditions. Bad enough I took the liberties I did.'
She struggled away from him, her eyes flashing dangerously.
'You are not an honorable man! You said so yourself. You refused to marry a woman you compromised, and yet the woman to whom you are married is left a virgin.' She stomped a slippered foot. 'I am not a fool! Admit the truth.'
'The truth?' He arched a brow. 'As you wish, sweeting. The truth is, I want you desperately. I want to take your lush body, spread it beneath me, and ride you until you can't move. I want to breech your precious maidenhead and ruin you for any other man. I want to hear you moan my name while you come around my cock. I want to fill you with my seed over and over again, until you think of nothing but me and how well I can pleasure you.'
Eyes wide, her tongue darted out to wet her bottom lip. 'Good heavens.'
'Heaven,' he purred. 'Yes, I suspect it will be.'
'It is your right to… to do those things… if you truly want to. I am your wife.'
Sebastian crossed his arms. 'Certain of that, are you?' He bit back a smile. He'd hoped she'd be curious.
Her chin lifted. 'Yes, I am certain of it.'
'You went through my things.'
She nodded.
'And what do you think of this development?'
Olivia clasped her hands, dislodging her lush breasts until they threatened to escape her low bodice. His mouth went dry as the desert, lust and appreciation flaring hot and heavy in his loins. Perhaps when his ardor faded, he would regret claiming his bride, but he couldn't think of that now. He couldn't think at all.
'I think 'tis a good thing you like my wantonness, because I am about to become decidedly more wanton.' She took a deep breath. 'I want you to seduce me now. Make me your wife in truth, so when we return to England you won't cast me aside.'
His heart stopped beating. Or rather it dropped between his legs and throbbed violently. 'Why?' he asked, wanting her to admit that she wanted him badly enough to compromise herself. 'Are you that determined to please your father? By all accounts you are his pride and joy. You can do no wrong in his eyes.'
'I have never done wrong!' she snapped. 'In his eyes or otherwise.'
Sebastian held his tongue, startled at her vehemence.
Her knuckles were white with tension when she spoke. 'My mother died giving birth to me. How could I refuse my father anything, when he lost everything that mattered to him forme?'
'I see.'
It shouldn't matter why Olivia wanted to remain married to him. He hadn't wanted a wife to begin with and had no life to offer one in any case. But his stomach clenched into knots, and cold sweat dotted his brow. 'So you follow his every dictate, including marriage to a stranger, to keep him happy.'
Her gaze burned into his. 'Yes, I married you because my father asked, but that is no longer the reason I wish to be wed to you. Now I care only for myself and what I wish to have.'
Sebastian stood frozen, aching, feeling the weight of her silken net entrapping him and yet unable to fight the pleasure it gave him. The decision was made without thought, only feeling.
Olivia offered him everything a man could want-a family, someone to care for him and miss him while he was away, a home to return to, a passionate body to sink into, a beauty to appreciate, and a strength of spirit to admire. For years he'd disparaged such comforts, swearing he needed only his wits and will to survive. He'd never allowed himself to wish for things that were not meant to be his. Then Olivia had come into his life with the promise of happiness he didn't deserve. Selfish and self-centered as he was, Sebastian couldn't refuse.
'And what do you wish to have?' he asked in a hoarse whisper.
'Oh!' She tossed up her hands and stalked to the window, her spine rigid. 'Go away, Merrick. I have embarrassed myself enough for a lifetime.'
Sebastian shrugged out of his coat and waistcoat, and yanked his shirt over his head.
'Leave, my lord,' she said curtly, her back to him.
'No.' He sat on the edge of her bed and pulled off his boots. As the first one hit the floor with a thump, she turned to face him.
'W-what are you d-doing?' she sputtered.
'Disrobing,' he replied. 'Garments are a hindrance to lovemaking.' Sebastian dropped the other boot and removed his stockings. He stood up and shucked his breeches, his painfully aroused cock springing free of its confinement.
Olivia gasped at the sight. 'Good grief!'
His cock was huge. Dear God in heaven. 'That-'she pointed with her finger-'will not fit!'
Along with the butterflies of fear that took flight in her stomach were tendrils of excitement, rich and heady. From her very first sight of the dashing pirate, he'd had that effect on her. Olivia couldn't deny that it was thrilling to know she had a similar effect on him. It seemed her peculiar boldness was not so unappealing to him after all, a realization that filled her with relief.
His brilliant blue gaze lit with amusement, and his mouth curved, revealing his charming dimple. 'Thank you, sweetheart. You've just given me the greatest compliment a woman can bestow upon her man.'
Olivia stilled. Her man. Her husband.
She wanted more of him, a lifetime of him. Sebastian Blake-outlaw, pirate, peer-could make all of her fantasies a reality. Whatever doubt she felt melted away.
He was gorgeous. Fully naked and bared to her view, he was perfection. Rippled with muscle, taut with desire, heavy with arousal-her mouth watered at the sight of him.
She tore her gaze from his raging erection and looked up into those intense blue eyes. 'You will have me then?'
'With pleasure. Since you are so determined to have me.' His gaze softened. 'Do not concern yourself with the fit,' he soothed. 'I'll make you wet and hungry for me, sweet. So dripping and ravenous that my cock will slide deep within you like a hot knife in butter, and you will melt just the same.'
Dampness flooded her thighs. 'Your voice is amazing,' she murmured. 'My brain simply ceases to function when you speak.'
'Olivia-'
'Release your hair,' she interrupted. 'I like it better loose.'
Sebastian walked toward her, tugging out his queue as he came. Truly his hair was not nearly as long as hers, but it did reach the bottom of his shoulder blades, and when he walked the inky black silk flowed over his broad shoulders. He looked like a pagan god, tanned to the waist and built for pleasure.
Her pleasure.
'I am no marital prize,' he warned. 'I am not any kind of prize.'
'You are a treasure.' Olivia took a hesitant step toward him. 'Just the way you are.'
Sebastian held out his hand, and she flew to him, throwing herself into his warm embrace. She gripped the back of his neck and pulled his smiling lips down to hers.
Warm and sweet, his voluptuary's mouth brushed feather-light across hers. She tried to draw him closer to taste him more fully, but he easily held back, his strength so much greater than hers.
'We have weeks to travel, love,' he reminded her gently. 'All the time in the world to compromise me completely. No need to devour me whole.'
Experiencing the novel sensation of feminine power over a stunning man, Olivia experimented with wielding it. 'You are mine, my lord. I can do as I please with you.'
Sebastian's arms tightened around her, his breath hissing through his teeth as if she'd burned him.
