“Here I am.” She sighed softly beneath my lips. “So, all of that tortured worrying you did was a waste.” She shifted her body against mine, making our lower halves fit together in a way that had my cock banging awake in an instant. Caveman DNA working just as it should. “You don’t feel like you’re very worried now though,” she teased with a little flex of her hips against my hardening cock.

“That’s because you’re naked and you can’t run away without something to cover you. It’s a safe bet you’re my captive right now, so I’m not too worried at this very moment. When I left you this afternoon you were naked in my study. And now that I’m back, you’re naked in the bed. Do you ever wear any clothes, Miss Hargreave?” I couldn’t help chuckling at my own stupid joke.

She thought it was funny apparently though because she laughed right along with me. “When I’m around you, Mr. Everley? Not for long because you’re always commanding me to strip. And tonight, I didn’t have anything to wear to bed so naked was my only option. It’s your fault for abducting me here with only the clothes on my back. What would you have me wear, my lavender chiffon bridesmaid dress?”

“Oh, I think naked is your signature look, kitten. You wear it so well. You’re soooo fucking sexy in just your silky skin.” I skimmed my lips over hers, trailing down her neck to the hollow of her throat, and then even lower to press a soft kiss to the breast I’d wanted to devour since I’d walked in here. But there was more to say before I made her come and got lost inside her. “I absolutely refuse to apologize for abducting you though. In fact, I’m sure bringing you to Donadea was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.”

She laughed at me and shook her head. “I’ve changed my mind, you probably are insane, Mr. Everley.”

“Not on that point, I’m not, kitten. Nope. All together in the knob. It’s fate that it was you.”

“How do you mean?”

“Having you here makes me think you were always meant to be the one to discover my paintings.” I nodded for emphasis. “Destiny, kitten—the fates are always at work and I think they did me a good turn with you.”

“Yeah, well, I’m feeling pretty lucky to have been offered the job. Fate or not, I’ll agree that abducting me was a good call. And you did it in such a nice way, Lord Rothvale, so I’ve forgiven you for your lapse in judgment.”

“Perfect.” It was the only thing I could think to say before I took her mouth since I was impatient for her now. I longed to kiss her and wipe away the last painful hours I’d endured worrying about her. My sorrows needed drowning in her body, and I wanted to wind her up until she couldn’t even think about anything other than my cock buried deep in her cunt as she came all over me. That would also be bordering on perfection. I was going to take so much pleasure in giving it to her. And as much as “perfect” seemed too simple a word for the complex creature who was the beauteous Gabrielle Hargreave, it was an absolute fit. The word was the only truthful description that existed for the amazing woman I’d somehow found and now held in my arms.