His hands landed on the tops of her knees, the heat of his palms singeing her through the fabric of her nightgown. “Let’s rid you of this, hm?”

Before she knew what he was about, his fingers seized the hem of her nightgown and he yanked it up, over her knees, over her thighs, with rough and, to be honest, faintly thrilling movements.

She obliged, lifting her bottom so that he could continue pulling it up over her hips.

And that’s how she knew she wanted this . . . how she knew she was totally and irrevocably lost.

Logic might have fled her, but her body knew what it wanted. Before her mind could recognize the truth, her body was already there. It knew. It was in total agreement with Constantine.

She wanted this.

She wanted him. She had since the night of the tonic. No. That was not true. She had wanted him before that. Certainly by the time he had taken her to Middlesex to observe the surgery. Because he knew she would like it. Because he cared for her pleasure.

He pulled the nightgown the rest of the way over her head and tossed it aside.

She sat naked, propped on the edge of her bed.

He came in closer, nudging her thighs open and wedging himself between them. He set his hands on her thighs and this time there was no barrier. No nightgown in the way, no interfering obstacle of fabric to bar him from her skin. Just his big searing palms gliding over the tops of her thighs.

She trembled, gooseflesh puckering her skin as he explored her body, skimming her flesh, touching and fondling her until she couldn’t stop from moaning.

Sensation rippled over her. It was like her body didn’t belong to her anymore. She shook and trembled, sharp little pants escaping her.

He moved from her thighs to her breasts. She jerked at the first contact. Her breasts felt heavy and alien in the cups of his palms. His head dipped, his tongue flicking over one nipple, then the next.

Her head dropped back on her shoulders, her hair swishing down her back as he sucked first one nipple and then moved to the other one, pulling it deep in the hot cavern of his mouth until she was shuddering and crying out, one of her hands flying to his head, diving through the thick strands of his hair, clutching him tightly to her.

His teeth toyed and worried her nipple, growling around it, “How I have longed to do this . . .”

She whimpered as his big hand palmed down her stomach.

She thrust out her chest as he continued sucking her breasts, gasping when his hand dipped between her thighs.

His dark hooded eyes looked up at her and he said thickly, “I think it’s time to return the favor you bestowed on me.”