He looked up at her. “Waistcoat?”

“In a moment.” She squeezed between his knees, and he spread his legs. Holding his gaze with her own, she unknotted his cravat. “You wear this plainly.”

“My valet is always trying to get me to try something fancier, but I don’t like fussy.”

“I don’t either. I prefer simple.” She gave him a slow, seductive smile—not because it was a part that she was playing, but because she was entirely in this moment with him. “It’s also easier to remove.”

“May I touch you?”

“Not yet.” She wanted him to, but feared that when he did, she would begin to lose her control. That in itself was a terrifying thought. She almost never lost herself completely. In fact, she could count the precisely two occasions, and they’d scared her enough to work hard to avoid it. Still, she wondered if she could do that with him. This was different. He was different.

Pulling the cravat from his neck, she pivoted to hang it on another of the hooks.

“You needn’t be so careful with my clothing,” he said.

“I’m always careful with my things.” Because for years, they’d had very little. Carelessness meant not having two stockings to wear.

“I appreciate your concern.”

She began to unbutton his waistcoat. He leaned back to give her more access. When she opened the garment, she brushed her knuckles against his abdomen, partly to see if his muscles there were stretched taut as she expected them to be in this position. He was hard, with spectacular ridges. She could hardly wait to remove his shirt. To touch him. To kiss him.

What was she waiting for?

Lowering her head, she kissed him. The moment her lips met his, a fire ignited within her. She nearly whimpered with want.

She clasped his face and slid her tongue deep into his mouth, desperate to taste every part of him. He kissed her back with equal passion. But why wasn’t he touching her?

Because she hadn’t told him he could.

Breaking her mouth from his, she took deep breaths to slow her racing heart. “Touch me. I am giving you permission to do whatever you like. Ask whatever you like. Take…whatever you like.”

His eyes narrowed, and his resulting sensual expression made her clench her thighs together. “I want your hair down.”

Reaching up to her head, she began to pluck the pins out. Locks fell until she held all the pins in one hand. She hastened to put them on the dresser next to the food basket.

As soon as she was back between his legs, he slid his one hand along her neck to her nape. Then he thrust his fingers up into her hair, cupping her head. He pulled her down for another kiss, holding her in just the way she wanted.