Her words washed over him with a silent promise. The edges of the blanket did nothing to hide the delicate lines of her body, the dip of her slender waist, and the full breasts revealed by the wet chemise. He wanted to tear away the fabric and kiss every inch of her skin, tormenting her as she tormented him now.
‘As I said before, you are in command.’ Dalton faced her, and he wanted her to know that he would remain patient, even if it killed him. She reminded him of a wild animal, too frightened to come close. Seeing her fear sobered him, and Dalton took a step away, hoping she would be soothed by it. ‘I would never ask for more than you can give.’
Her tension did seem to ease, and she pulled the edges of the blanket closed. For a short time, neither said anything. He knew she was trying to decide what to do now.
‘I enjoyed meeting your grandfather yesterday,’ she said, changing the subject. ‘He is a dear man.’
His grandfather had been the one family member he’d been close to, after all these years. ‘Thank you for indulging him in his fantasies,’ he said to Regina. ‘He has lost most of his recent memories. I’ve asked his housekeeper to let him be, and we have found that he is happier. I come to see him when I can.’
‘Sometimes dreams are more pleasant than the truth,’ she answered. ‘I liked his dream.’
‘He liked you, as well,’ Dalton said. ‘But he’ll have no memory of it in the morning.’
‘He might not,’ she agreed, ‘but he will remember the kindness. Feelings last longer than words.’
He recognised the truth of that. His feelings for her had lasted for years. But both of them had grown up and changed. He had put her on a pedestal, an ideal woman he’d adored. And yet, there were so many secrets she held. He wanted to know her better, but she was unwilling to talk about what had happened before.
If they were ever to have a true marriage, he needed to break down the barrier between them and gain her trust. And perhaps that meant indulging her desire to be rebellious.
‘What other daring things were you wanting to do?’ he asked. ‘Climb a tree? Learn to swim? Or was there something else even more daring?’
‘I think I’ve had enough swimming for today,’ she remarked, lifting her sodden petticoat.
Her clothing was so wet, it clung to her skin. At this rate, they would be here for hours—which didn’t bother him at all. Still, he would rather be with a half-naked woman when he was warm and not wearing wet clothing.
‘It will take some time for our clothes to dry,’ he remarked. He eyed her for a moment, and then decided to dry off more thoroughly. If she wanted to engage in daring behaviour, so be it.
He turned towards the fire and stripped off the remainder of his clothing, save his drawers.
‘Dalton what are you doing?’ she asked. He could hear the uncertainty in her tone.
‘Getting dry,’ he answered. ‘It won’t take so very long now. You ought to consider doing the same.’
‘You would like that, wouldn’t you?’
He laughed wickedly. ‘You do have a blanket. There’s no reason you couldn’t lay your corset and chemise out to dry before the fire.’
‘Or we could walk back to the house and put on dry clothes,’ she reminded him. ‘It would be much faster.’
‘What would the servants say when they see us in such a state?’
‘They wouldn’t care,’ she answered. ‘After all, they believe we are married.’
‘But we’re not, are we?’ His voice grew lower, more seductive. ‘It’s terrible scandal, what we’re doing now.’
‘You’re the one being scandalous,’ she accused.
‘Am I? I thought you were the one who wanted to be bolder, not so afraid.’ He stared at her, and her gaze drifted over his bare chest, lingering below his waist. His body grew erect at her stare, and he imagined peeling back the fabric, kissing her cold flesh until her nipples rose up in arousal. ‘Are you afraid of me?’
‘No,’ she whispered.
‘Liar.’ He moved in closer, reaching for the edges of her blanket. ‘I can see you trembling.’ Her blue eyes held an intensity as she met his gaze. Her red hair was dark from the water, tangled against her shoulders. ‘What are you afraid of?’
‘I’m afraid of the way I feel when I look at you,’ she murmured. ‘And how I feel when you kiss me.’ Her words were a spark, setting him on fire. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to kiss her until she could no longer bear it.
‘I want to take away your fear of being touched,’ he answered. ‘Will you allow it?’
‘I don’t think you can.’
He half-expected her to pull away, but she didn’t. Instead, he took her hand and brought it to his chest. Her hand was still shaking, but she rested her fingertips upon his heart. His pulse was racing, but he didn’t move.
‘You may touch me if you want,’ he said quietly. Her eyes widened slightly, but she gently stroked his chest. Then she moved her hand to his shoulder, tracing the muscles. Her touch was taking him apart, and he loved every moment of it.
If he didn’t stop her, he was going to lose control of himself. Then he captured her palm and brought it to his mouth. ‘It’s your choice, Regina. Come to my room tonight, and I will only show you pleasure.’
Chapter Ten
It was late when Dalton heard his bedchamber door opening softly. He sat up in bed and saw Regina entering, a brass candle holder in her hand. She wore a white dressing gown, and her auburn hair spilled over her shoulders. In the dim light of the candle, her face appeared pale.
Though he had invited her here, she still seemed nervous. ‘Are you all right, Regina?’ he enquired. ‘Do
