Page 42 of Black Widow

Amelia threw herself back on the bed. “I cannot believe we are having thisconversation.”

“Love, it’s long overdue.” His eyes bored down at her. “Why did you say we weren’t making love? What were you expecting? Did you think kissing was the extent ofit?”

“I am not so completely ignorant, my lord! I have been kissed—twice. A Frenchman took a liberty at a ball once, but Martin thrashed him soundly. As for intimate relations, I have seen it firsthand…but I should have realized it would be different between a man and awoman.”

Gideon’s lips parted, and he stared at her for a long moment. “You saw Martin and Worthingtogether?”

She sighed and nodded. “Accidentally. I returned unexpectedly to our rooms one day, and I stumbled uponthem.”

Gideon looked rather red in the candlelight. He coughed. “What were theydoing?”

Amelia threw up her hands. “They were makinglove!”

“Sweetling, there are many ways to makelove.”

She let the endearment pass, acknowledging the truth with a nod. “Yes, well…they were…” Amelia trailed off, embarrassed, but Gideon nodded at her encouragingly. “They were using their mouths, or rather, Crispin was using his mouth on Martin…you know…downthere.”

Amelia gestured with her hand at the junction of her legs. Her face was flaming wildly, but she kept her tone nonchalant. “Apparently, that is not how it’s done when one of the party is female,” she added with asniff.

Gideon opened and closed his mouth a few times as if struggling to find the rightwords.

“What you saw is one of the variations of lovemaking, even between a man and women. But it’s not the only way. What happened between us is another. Some would say it’s the more conventional technique,” he explained a littlehaltingly.

Amelia’s mouth pursed. “I suppose it makes sense…anatomically.”

The earl released a strangled bark of laughter before abruptly cutting it short. “Agreed. Your body was designed to accommodate mine in exactly that fashion. Do you understandwhy?”

She frowned at him. Gideon looked distinctlyuncomfortable.

“What we did—it is how I would plant my seed in yourwomb.”

Amelia stared at him, dumbfounded. Then her eyes widened inhorror.

“It’s all right, love!” he said reassuringly. “It’s not likely I got you with child, not yet. Things did not proceed to completion if you get my meaning. But…if you conceived, that would be perfectlyfine.”

Fine? Her heart was pounding in her chest. “How can you say that? It would be adisaster.”

Gideon frowned. “Amelia, surely you realize we have to marry now regardless of whether you fallpregnant?”

“What?Why?”

He stared at her as if she’d grown horns. “A gentleman does not dally with an innocent without doing the honorablething.”

Amelia rolled her eyes. “Well, in that case, I have excellent news. In the eyes of the ton, I am far from innocent. A dalliance between us, however fleeting, is quite in keeping with myreputation.”

His expression darkened. “I don’t give a bloody damn about what the ton thinks.” She raised a brow, and he had the grace to cringe. “Not anymore, anyway. My sole purpose in this whole charade was to discover the truth behind my cousin’s death. I did not plan what happened between us, but I am not about to walk away because society would excuse me. I willnotshirk my duty just because everyone is acting thefool.”

His duty. “How romantic, truly,” she saiddrily.

Gideon narrowed his eyes and leaned in close. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought he was trying to intimidate her. “Amelia, you and I will be married. Neither of us has a choice anymore. I know that’s not the romantic proposal a girl dreams of, but consider this—even when I thought you had a hand in Martin’s death, I couldn’t keep away fromyou.”

“Only because you were determined to find meguilty!”

His jaw firmed. “No, it was because I wanted you. I still want you. And you want me. Now make room on thatbed.”

Stunned, her mouth dropped open. “Gideon!”

He held up his hands. “I’m not going to ravish you. Not tonight in any case. But if the last few weeks have taught me anything, it’s that I cannot let you out of my sight. So, from now on, Iwon’t.”

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