Her breathing was shallow, harsh, her smile pure satisfaction, her eyes aglow. Licking her lips, holding his gaze now, she began rocking against him in earnest, faster, harder, taking him deeper, deeper. Pleasure cascaded through him. He tugged on the bindings, needing to hold her. It was all too much as ecstasy built, shooting through him, building to nearly unbearable intensity.

“Leave me, Lena. Now,” he ground out through clenched teeth.

Instead she rode him with single-minded purpose as though her life depended on it. As though his did.

“I’m close to bursting. Leave.”

She shook her head, increasing the tempo, pistoning harder, faster.

He was on the cusp, hovering at the edge of the abyss. “For God’s sake, Lena, I beg of you—”

Then she was no longer encasing him, had left him completely. Knowing she was safe, he immediately gave in to his needs, his body jerking, spasming as his orgasm overtook him.

In the farthest recesses of his mind, he was vaguely aware of a sob. Opening his eyes, he watched as she scampered off the bed, another sob escaping. “Lena? What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t, I can’t.” She began snatching up her clothes. “It’s just . . . it’s not fair.”

“Couldn’t what? Lena, what the devil is going on here?”

“Forgive me.”

“Untie me.”

Without looking back at him, clutching her clothing, she dashed into the front room.

“Lena!” He tugged on the bindings. They held fast. He heard the rustle of silk and satin as though she was dressing herself. “Lena, get back here and free me!”

More rustling, followed by hurried footsteps and the slamming of the door. “Lena!”

But all he heard was the silence of her having left him.

Chapter 14

Sitting in the library, before a hearth as empty as her womb, she sipped the brandy, wondering if she’d ever known such desolation and despair, such shame and disappointment in herself. When it came right down to it, she’d been unable to go through with her plans to take his seed into her body, because he’d been so adamant that he had no desire to bring a child into the world. She hadn’t even been aware ways to avoid impregnating a woman existed. Why, then, were there so many bastards? Why were so many children orphans? Why didn’t all men take precautions?