The Passion (Notorious 2)

After reading the title, Nicholas thumbed through a few pages, then shot Aurora a glance. "You've read this?"

"Yes." She felt herself blushing again. "I wanted to see if it was appropriate for Raven. It most certainly is not."

"I would say not," he observed, giving her a long, vaguely amused look. "I doubt your upbringing prepared you for anything this erotic, either."

"Of course it didn't," Aurora replied. She had been shocked by the explicitness and sensual detail of the journal… and yet captivated at the same time. Against her better judgement, her breeding, even her will, she had found herself drawn into the beautiful, erotic recounting of the Frenchwoman's love affair with her master, a tale of smoldering passion, so vividly told. She had actually read the journal more than once. She knew some passages by heart, although she had no intention of admitting it to Nicholas.

"Now that you are here," she told him, "I can turn it over to you. You can be the one to decide when Raven is old enough to have it."

"I look forward to reading it with great anticipation. Now, where were we in our discussion?"

"We had concluded our discussion."

"Not quite," Nicholas said. "Before you changed the subject, I was remarking on your passionate nature, you will recollect. I was saying that I don't imagine you'll be happy remaining celibate your entire life."

Her discomfort returned in full measure, as did her vexation with Nicholas. A discussion of such private issues was wholly out of bounds, despite his apparent belief that he had a right to such intimacy.

Aurora gave him her coolest glance. "I believe that is entirely my concern, Nicholas. I also believe that I have discharged my promise to you, and that we have said all there is to say. It is time now for you to go."

"Not yet."

She tensed. "What do you mean, not yet?"

"Before you take a vow of celibacy, you should consider what you are rejecting. Come here, Aurora."

Her look turned wary. "Why?"

"Because I want to kiss you."

"You must be jesting."

"Not at all. We started off on the wrong foot last night, with my reproaching you for forgetting your widowhood. I would like to make up for it."

Nervously Aurora backed up a step. "There is no need for you to do anything but leave, Nicholas. Immediately. You have no right to be here – "

"Actually, I do. I am your husband. The law gives a husband the right to share his wife's bed."

"You are not my husband. In the eyes of the world, I was widowed four months ago."

"Need I remind you how curious your servants would be to find me here?" His half smile irked her almost as much as his veiled threat. "I have only to call out and they will come running."

"You wouldn't dare. You would never risk exposing your identity."

His eyebrow lifted, as if to ask whether she wanted to test her theory.

Resolving to call his bluff, Aurora put her hands on her hips in defiance. "Now that I think of it, I could report you to any number of governmental authorities. I expect the navy would be eager to recapture an escaped pirate."

A gleam lit his dark eyes. "I don't think you will turn me in. You don't want to see my neck stretched on the gallows."

Her frustration reached the boiling point. What she wanted was to wipe that knowing look off Nicholas's handsome face. It was utterly underhanded to use her concern for him as leverage to force her to do as he wished.

She couldn't possibly expose him, though. Not only because she was desperate to avoid the scandal that would ensue if he was found in her bedchamber, but because she couldn't bear to see any harm come to Nicholas. She nearly stamped her foot in vexation.

"You know very well I cannot denounce you," she finally muttered. "I don't want your death on my conscience."

"I knew you were a compassionate woman."

"Well, I thought you were a gentleman," Aurora retorted, infuriated by his reckless, irresistible charm.