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the stool, and took a step back to stand just out of his reach. Did she think he was going to grab her and force her into his bed? Much as he would enjoy having her beside him… under him… he wasn’t so far gone as to believe it would ever happen. Or so far gone as to ever force her.
    He’d phrased his question badly, that’s all. He wasn’t even certain what he wished from her beyond a convenient marriage.
    Perhaps he was hoping she’d show him the same care and concern she held for her damn horse. It was a foolish notion, of course. She’d raised the stallion from a foal while she’d known him for a few hours at most. What time was it anyway?
    “Because if you think I’m going to sacrifice my body—”
    He reached over and drew her back to his bedside, the quick motion sending a blinding slash of pain up his leg and into his temples. “Let’s get one thing straight here and now, lass. Unlike your horse, I am not a brute. I will not have you come to my bed other than willingly. I will not have you kiss me other than willingly. I give you this promise now.” Oh, bollocks. Shut up, you fool! Your brain isn’t functioning. Don’t make her any promises. “I promise that I will never force you to provide sexual favors to me. Those I will gladly take, but only with your freely given consent.”
    “Which I shall never give.” She jerked her hand out of his grasp and tipped her chin up in defiance. “I ought to have known better than to come to you with my concerns. I had thought… I’d hoped… obviously, I was wrong.”
    “No, lass,” he called out as she turned to storm out of the room as quickly as she’d stormed in. “You came to me for help and that’s what I’ll give you. I’ll speak to your father.”
    She stopped at his door and stood with her back to him for a long moment, then slowly turned to face him. A look of hope glistened in her eyes. “You will?”
    Her soft gaze shot like a lance straight through his heart.
    His own lance, the one between his thighs, had jolted to attention the moment she barged in and was now hard and throbbing and in desperate need of easing. The blasted appendage seemed to take on a life of its own and could not contain its joy at the sight of Laurel.
    He needed to get his lust under control.
    Hell, no more laudanum for me.
    “I apologize if I spoke out of turn,” he said, glancing at his leg. “I’m not quite myself at the moment.”
    “I understand. Pain does odd things to one’s system.” She took another step toward him but remained half a room’s length away. Much too far for his liking, but he’d shocked the innocent, a tactical mistake for which he was solely to blame. She’d come to him seeking help and he’d turned it into a bid for a sexual encounter. What was he thinking?
    Obviously, he wasn’t thinking at all.
    He was in too much pain to do anything, much less give her a proper kiss… or a highly improper kiss, which was what he’d wanted to do the moment he’d set eyes on her. Her smile was doing the oddest things to his insides.
    Bollocks.
    A simple kiss from this girl would never satisfy him. He hungered for more, ached to capture her pink lips and feel their generous give against his mouth. Don’t look lower. Don’t, you idiot!
    But he did, because a man would have to be dull as a donkey to resist the allure of Laurel’s body. Her curves were heavenly perfection. He wanted to kiss his way down her body, down those firm and shapely breasts, along her slim hips, and long, slender legs that could wrap around—
    Damn, he was doing it again. Allowing his lower head to take control of his thoughts and rouse hot sensations when his upper head, also known as his barely functioning brain, needed to remain in firm control. “I’ll send him a note within the hour.”
    Her smile was as bright as the sunshine streaming in through his bedchamber window. “I’ll fetch you Eloise’s writing paper. She won’t