The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie

“My turn.” Daniel prepared another strawberry, but he held it away as Violet reached for it with her mouth. He let the chocolate snake across her collarbone before he tucked the strawberry between her lips.

As she feasted on the strawberry, Daniel leaned down and licked her collarbone clean.

Chocolate and Violet. A wonderful combination. He felt the swallow in her throat, and kissed it.

When he looked up at her, she was smiling, her eyes relaxed. She’d plucked up another strawberry with her fork while he’d savored her, and now she loaded it with chocolate. She held the fork over Daniel and let chocolate swirl deliberately over his bare shoulders.

The chocolate was warm and tickled. “Oh yes?” Daniel asked when Violet sat back and ate the strawberry herself. “And what are you going to do about that?” He pointed at the wavy line of chocolate.

Violet hesitated a moment, not looking at him, then she very slowly leaned to him. She stilled for a long time, her breath brushing his skin, before she completed the move and touched her tongue to the chocolate.

Daniel smothered a groan. He let his hand come up to the back of her neck, his body tightening as Violet licked across his shoulder.

With any other woman, Daniel would end the playing at once, lay her down on the carpet, get rid of the rest of their clothes, and consummate what they’d started.

But no other woman was Violet. The story she’d told him last night had made Daniel furious but also made him understand how fragile she was. He didn’t want to frighten her away, destroying what little trust he’d already gained from her. But proceeding slowly was fine. If it took Daniel the rest of his life to seduce her, so be it.

Violet raised her head, chocolate on her mouth. Daniel kissed it off, slowly imbibing the sweet chocolate from her plump, warm lips.

“My turn,” he said.

Daniel took his time drawing a curlicue design across her chest, giving her a slow smile as he let the chocolate dip between her breasts. He fed Violet the strawberry before he gently lowered her to the sofa and started savoring her.

Violet’s hand came up to land on his shoulder, fingers tight. Then her fingers relaxed, as though she’d thought to stop him then determined to enjoy what he did. Daniel slowly kissed her breast, sucking a little to rid it of chocolate, leaving a tiny mark behind, his mark.

Beautiful, sweet Violet. He’d never met anyone like her. He was falling in love with her, and he didn’t even know her last name.

Daniel raised his head and kissed her mouth. He tasted the strawberries on her tongue, the dark tang of chocolate. The kiss was unhurried, exploring.

Violet was sensuality itself, in her white linen corset against the blue of the sofa, her breasts rising over the corset, her hair coming down, her blue eyes dark in the dimly lit room.

“She walks in beauty, like the night,” Daniel said.

“We’re not walking, we’re lying on the sofa.” Violet’s smile spoke of a night of drinking champagne. “And we are being very naughty.”

“Oh, are we?” Daniel traced her lips, which bore a faint ring of chocolate. “I think we could be even naughtier.”

“So do I.”

Violet’s smile was inviting, but Daniel saw the flicker of fear return to her eyes. She’d built a wall to keep her panic at bay, and he saw the worry in her that the wall would crumble at the slightest touch.

“Violet.” Daniel rested his crossed arms on her breasts. “When you’re not afraid of me—truly not afraid— you tell me. All right?”

Violet drew a sharp breath, but she nodded.

Daniel touched her cheek. “Remember what I told you? You need slow goodness, not to rush. You and me, we have all the time in the world.”

He saw her skeptical little frown and pressed his finger to her lips, stilling her answer. “Even if you don’t believe me, I believe me,” he said. “You and I will tear apart this town. In the meantime . . .” Daniel sat up again and reached for the bowl of chocolate. “I plan to get you very messy.” He took the spoon from the bowl and let a huge dollop of chocolate fall on her chest.

Violet squealed, then laughed. She put her hand into the bowl, scooped up chocolate onto her fingers, and smeared it across his pectorals.

Daniel’s eyes widened. “Och, if that’s the way you want to play it . . .” He grabbed the chocolate bowl, discarded the spoon, and started smearing chocolate on her with his hands.

They tumbled from the couch the short distance to the rug, then they were touching, licking the chocolate from each other’s bodies. Daniel reached up and brought the chocolate down to them. He swept it across her lips then kissed her again, slowly, sweetly. Chocolate and Violet all mixed up.

She looked surprised when he put the chocolate right on her tongue, then softened as Daniel took it from her in a long kiss. He suckled her tongue, and Violet wrapped her arms around him to kiss him back. Violet was laughing and beautiful, and Daniel determined to slide his mouth over every bit of her exposed skin.

They continued to play until the chocolate was gone, and the night of champagne and sleeplessness began to catch up to Violet. In the early morning, Daniel carried her to the bedroom, she limp in his arms and showing no protest. He laid her on his bed, covered her up, and came down next to her, prepared to enjoy another hour of sleep with this wonderful woman.

Violet woke to sunshine and to Daniel sprawled next to her, his bare chest and arms stained with chocolate.

She smiled as he drew a breath in a long, soft snore. Another night of touching, kissing, enjoying, and Violet had not felt any fear.

But it was morning now, and her mother would be waking, wondering where Violet was. Violet needed to go home, to again become the dutiful daughter, the one who decided how they would all hold together.

As though he knew she watched him, Daniel cracked open his eyes. He looked at her a moment then he groaned and rubbed his forehead. “Damned champagne. Pure whiskey doesn’t leave me with this head.”

“Wait. Don’t sit up.”

Violet scooted to the head of the bed, knelt back, and rested Daniel’s head on her knees. She began massaging his temples in a light, circular motion.

“Mmm,” he rumbled. “That’s nice.”

Daniel was nice, with the covers around his waist, his chest touched with chocolate. His short hair was sleek under her fingertips, warm with sleep.

“I do this for my mother,” Violet said. “She’s susceptible to headaches and says I make them go away.”

“I see why.” Daniel hummed again.

“I have to go home.” Violet couldn’t keep the note of sorrow out of her voice.

Daniel tangled his fingers through one of her hands and brought it to his lips. “One day, love, you won’t have to. You’ll send the world to hell and stay with me.” He kissed her fingers again, slow, sensual. “That will be a fine day.”

Yes, it would be. But for now, Violet had her mother, her obligations, and the wretched reality of life.

Daniel rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “I’ll see you again soon. Later today, in fact. I’ll arrange everything.”

He must mean going back to the country inn. Violet knew that if she went there with Daniel, she’d surrender to him.

But first, she’d tell him everything, every dark detail about herself—what had happened afterward with Jacobi, the other reasons Jacobi had convinced her to stay, and why she’d found the courage to finally flee him. Daniel might loathe her and turn her away, but he deserved to know.

What she’d experienced with Daniel so far had been playful and lovely. Daniel, a wealthy and pleasure- seeking man, might want nothing more than play. In that case, nothing mattered. He made the rules of the game, not Violet.

But she could not move forward until she told him. It mattered to her.

If Daniel still wanted her after that, she’d surrender her body, never mind her fears. But she’d let it be his choice.