Page 33 of Duke of Rath

Then his imagination shifted to a punishing coupling, where he’d pound into her relentlessly as she moaned and pleaded for more.

He nearly groaned, overwhelmed by his intense desire for this youthful goddess of beauty and light. He couldn’t recall ever wanting anyone as much as he did her. Yet, he knew he couldn’t simply impose his desires upon her.

Or could he?

What could he possibly do that would be a punishment to her when she already was lonely and miserable? When she already had nothing that she enjoyed here? So much so that she couldn’t even fall asleep.

What could he do to discipline her but…be himself with her?

And what if, by some miracle, she would not be broken by his wrathful ways, whispered a voice in his head, sounding annoyingly like Lucien. What if, instead, she’d bloom?

Open up…?

Be pleased…?

No, of course that wasn’t possible. He’d only hurt her and scare her. And perhaps then she’d leave him alone.

It would have to be her decision. He would never force himself or his ways on her, nor on any woman.

“But you have a choice,” he murmured as he had to physically restrain his left hand not to go up and brush his knuckles against the side of her shoulder. “For the punishment, that is. Choice number one,” he said as he marveled at the slight tremble in her eyelashes at that, “is you have to organize my library.”

He thought that would be the easiest, and no doubt she’d choose it. Organizing the library was not really a punishment, just a bit of work. Definitely much better than the second option.

“Choice number two is a spanking.”

She gasped, her cheeks flaming so red his cock twitched in reaction. “You would s-spank me?”

“Yes.”

She swallowed, her eyelashes trembling, and the pink tip of her tongue briefly licked her lower lip. “W-would it hurt?”

He blinked. “Are you seriously asking me that?”

“I am.”

“Why?”

“Well, because I was never spanked. I need to know if it would hurt.”

Good God, what had he done? What if she would enjoy his particular tastes? Had he just opened Pandora’s box?

“It might. Would you like it to?”

She was so innocent; how could he corrupt her with his ways?

“No,” she said, and laid her hand, very unexpectedly, on his chest, her thumb brushing his skin.

He sucked in his breath as the most delicious wave of pleasant tingles ran through him at her touch.

“No, I wouldn’t like it to hurt,” she said. “But then it wouldn’t be a punishment, would it?”

He swallowed. She needed to be taught a lesson. He needed to show her how horrible a man he really was, so that she wouldn’t want to be in his company, in his bed, or anywhere near him. So that she would leave him alone and wouldn’t be a constant reminder of the sin he’d committed all those years ago.

He needed to scare her away, for her own good.

“Exactly. So, is it the library, then?” he asked.

“No,” she said, “it’s not the library.”