Master of Her Virtue - By Miranda Lee Page 0,57

to picture herself, naked and spreadeagled, bound and helpless against the dark desires he could so easily evoke in her. Her mouth dried at the image. How...thrilling.

‘So, what do you think?’ he said with an amused smile in his voice. ‘A bit much, isn’t it? Have you seen what’s up above it?’

She glanced up, her stomach somersaulting at the sight of the mirrored canopy.

‘Heavens!’ she exclaimed.

‘They didn’t show that particular part of the decor on the Internet pictures,’ he said drily from where he was standing beside her. ‘But not to worry. If it really bothers you, we can always make love with the lights off.’

Now her heart stopped beating altogether. Had he really just said ‘make love’ instead of ‘have sex’? Yes, yes; she hadn’t imagined it. He’d actually said those words. A burst of happiness jump-started her heart as she turned to face him.

‘I wouldn’t want the lights off,’ she said.

‘That’s a relief. I’ve been having wicked fantasies involving that damned mirror ever since I arrived yesterday, none of which are played out in the dark.’

Violet tried to picture what those fantasies involved. Did he want to be on top, or her? Suddenly, her mind went back to that earlier image of herself bound naked to the bed, unable to look anywhere but up at her reflection whilst he did Lord knew what to her.

There was no doubt that such a sexy scenario turned her on, but would that be making love?

She didn’t know. She didn’t have enough experience to know. But, as her mind struggled with this dilemma, she recalled all the seriously sexy things that Captain Strongbow had done to his Lady Gwendaline. A lot of their love-making had not happened in a bed. He’d taken her on the floor of his cabin. And on a beach. And in a hammock strung between two coconut trees. Once he’d even performed oral sex on her whilst she was tied, half-naked, to the mast of his ship.

Despite everything, Violet had never been in any doubt that the captain loved his lady, and vice versa.

Okay, so that was how it worked in romantic fiction. The hero and heroine always fell in love and always had a happily-ever-after ending. Real life wasn’t like that, was it? What if Leo didn’t love her? What if this was all still about lust? What if, at the end of this getaway, he said it was over between them both?

Violet had to admit that not once, during the last three months, had Leo ever mentioned what would happen between them after Easter. And she hadn’t dared ask...

Violet stared at the bed and wondered how she would cope if he called it quits.

Not very well, she suspected. She loved Leo with all her heart and soul.

Maybe it would be better if she confessed her love for him right now.

Though, what would that achieve? If Leo didn’t love her back, a declaration of undying love would probably bring a swift end to their romantic getaway. Either that, or it would introduce a tension between them which wasn’t sexual. Violet firmly believed Leo was not the inveterate womaniser Joy thought he was. He was a decent man. A kind man. He would not want to use her body, knowing that her heart was breaking.

So don’t tell him, you fool! Don’t spoil these next few days. Take what you can get of him. Take a risk. And who knows? He might fall in love with you yet!

Violet scooped in a deeply gathering breath and let it out slowly. Yes, that was what she would do.

‘You’re tired,’ Leo said, coming up behind her and curving his hands over her shoulders. ‘And hungry, no doubt.’ He turned her round to face him. ‘I suggest you go have a long, hot shower whilst I order us breakfast. I know you ate on the plane but that was ages ago.’

Suddenly, tears pricked at the back of Violet’s eyes, bringing a spurt of panic. Lord, but she couldn’t cry in front of him! That would never do!

‘Off you go, then,’ he said. ‘Before I change my mind and take you to bed right here and now.’ So saying, he spun her away from him and gave her a none-too-gentle tap on her derriere.

‘Promises, promises,’ she said, throwing him a saucy look over her shoulder as she headed for the bathroom.

Yes, that was the way to act, she thought as she shut the door behind her. Playfully. Boldly.

Leo wouldn’t want to spend the next