Page 51 of The Duke's Bartered Mistress

Demon was somehow rubbing the back of her neck. “Aye. Mary said that would help.”

It would. “I…was just going to lie down.”

Before she could do more than squeak, he’d bent down, hooked one hand behind her knees and another behind her shoulder, and lifted.

“Put me down!” She hadn’t bathed, and had never felt more icky. Icky. Was that a medical term?

But he just shushed her—rather sternly—and stomped to the bed. There, he…Well, she’d give him the benefit of the doubt that he’d intended to place her gently atop the mattress, but she bounced.

“Get comfortable,” Demon commanded, bending to fiddle with his muddy boots.

She tried to peer over the edge of the bed. “What are you doing?”

“Hush, woman.” He straightened and picked up a pillow. Before she understood what he was doing, he’d shoved it over her head. “Nap.”

Sputtering, Georgia pulled the pillow from her face in time to see him kick off his boots and shrug out of his jacket. “What are—”

When he climbed into the bed beside her, Georgia bit off her question, because it was becoming quite obvious what he was doing.

“Demon, I do not think…”

“Stop thinking,” he commanded. “Shh. Go to sleep.”

With that order, he stretched out beside her, snaked one arm underneath her, and pulled her up against him. Georgia stiffened, not understanding.

“Where do ye want the hot water bottle? Yer back?”

She felt him holding the bottle against her hip, so she struggled to reach it and pull it beneath the covers. When she flattened it against her abdomen, the gentle heat immediately soothed her muscles and she sighed.

In fact, he was soothing her. He was deliciously warm, and he’d brought her chocolates. She resisted the urge to snuggle closer.

But then he took the decision out of her hands by rolling her over, tucking her against him. Demon lay facing her, her cheek pressed against his shoulder…

And his hands found her lower back and began to rub away the soreness.

She couldn’t stop the moan of pleasure as his fingers kneaded tight, cramped muscles.

Dear Lord, this was… He was caring for her. He was cuddling with her.

It was almost as wonderful as last night, being held by him on the floor of the library. I would rather pass on the cramps, if possible.

Georgia sighed again as his fingers soothed away her aches.

“Is this helping?” he asked gruffly, by her ear.

“You have no idea.” She was half-naked, going through a humiliating amount of discomfort, while all but drooling on this man’s shoulder. And there was no place she’d rather be. “Thank you, Demon.”

“I dinnae like seeing ye in pain.”

He sounded so adorably grumpy, as if irritated the pain wasn’t something he could attack, she managed a little chuckle. “Well, I wish I did not have to be in pain to get you to hold me like this.”

His fingers stilled for a moment, then picked up their pace. “Ye like this, do ye?”

A yawn surprised her. When it was done, she closed her eyes and snuggled closer, deciding to forget propriety. “I do.” I really do.

This man had seen every part of her body. He’d been inside her. It had been a business arrangement, of course, but they had to have some sort of connection, after the last days together, didn’t they? Else how could she look at herself in the mirror over the marble wash basin?

This does not feel like a business arrangement.

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