The next thing she knew she was scooped up in her husband’s arms and what happened next shocked her. She found herself thrown over his legs, after he sat on the bed, and his bare hand rested on her backside. Her first thought was to warn him that he better dare not take his hand to her bottom in a punishing manner, but then another thought came to her.

“If a paddling entices you, I suppose I can endure it.”

“It’s not a paddling I had in mind, wife,” Tarass said and his hand gave her backside a squeeze before it slipped between her legs and his finger worked its way ever so slowly and firmly inside her.

She gasped. “What are you doing?”

“Giving you what you want, wife.”

She gasped again when she felt more than one finger enter her and couldn’t hold back another gasp when his other hand slipped underneath her, his finger finding one of her nipples and playing with it until it turned rock hard.

There was no denying that he was bringing her pleasure. Her senses were alive like never before and if he continued, she would certainly experience the satisfaction her sisters had spoken about, and she had never thought she would experience, but…

“I want you inside me. I want our vows sealed.”

Tarass yanked her off his legs and onto her feet, his hands gripping her shoulders. “And our vows will be sealed when you obey me and rest, for God help me, wife, my thirst is too great for you to have you only once this night.”

His hands fell off her and he walked to the door. “Sleep well and I will see you in the morning.”

Snow stood stunned. He had taught her more than he had intended. He might have wanted her to learn to obey him, but she had learned that he would deny himself when he believed her too tired and his passion too demanding. He had put her well-being before her own needs. There was only one problem with his decision.

She was not as delicate as he thought.

“Tarass,” she called out softly.

He didn’t turn or take his hand off the latch. “What?”

“At least give me a kiss before you leave.”

A low growl rumbled in his chest and he warned himself against even responding to her.

“Please, I don’t want either of us to take anger to bed. I’ll slip on my shift.” She followed the bed to the end and searched with her hands to find where she had dropped the garment. Her fingers found the soft wool and hastily snatched it up. “I’m putting it on now.” She struggled a bit to slip it over her head, but when she finally got it on, the material fell softly down her body.