He lost his smile. “No.”

“Well, then, what did you do?”

Hart turned onto his back and scrubbed his hand over his face. “El, I do not want to talk about the house and what I did there. Especially not now.”

“Now is as good a time as any.”

“I was much younger then. The first time I lived there, I did not know you; the second time, I was consoling myself for loss. I was a different man.”

“You misunderstand me. I have no interest in what you did with other ladies. None at all. But I want to know what you did. What are these dark proclivities everyone, including you, hints at? I want to know, specifically.”

When he looked at her, she was surprised to see that what was in Hart’s eyes was fear. “I don’t want to tell you,” he said.

“But it is part of you. You are an unconventional man, and I am not exactly a conventional woman. Secluded, yes; conventional, no. I do not want to live with you knowing you suppress your desires or tame yourself for me, or whatever you are thinking you ought to do. Banish the idea, Hart. I am not afraid.”

“I don’t want you to be afraid. That is the point.”

“Then tell me. If you don’t, I will imagine all kinds of bizarre things, put together from whispers and sniggers and peeks into erotic books.”

“Eleanor.”

“Has it to do with riding crops? Or manacles? There is a lot of jesting about manacles. Though why people would want to shackle each other, I cannot imagine.”

“Eleanor, what are you talking about?”

“Am I wrong?” What joy it was to tease him again. “Then perhaps you ought to tell me precisely, and ease my worries in my innocence.”

“Eleanor Ramsay, whatever man thinks you innocent is a complete idiot.” Hart locked his hand around her wrist. His touch was gentle, but his fingers were strong.

“It’s nothing to do with pain, or shackles,” he said. “It’s about trust. Complete trust. Absolute surrender.”

She could not release herself from his grip. “Surrender?”

His eyes were dark. “To place yourself in my hands, to trust me to read your desires and lead you into experiencing them. To let me do as I please without question, to trust me to know what to do. The reward for your trust, exquisite pleasure.”

“Oh,” she said.

“Anything I ask.” Hart kissed the inside of her wrist. “You would give me your faith that I’d never hurt you, that my only goal is your pleasure.”

Eleanor’s heart beat faster. Exquisite pleasure. “That sounds… interesting.”

Hart rose on hands and knees over her, the movement so practiced she scarcely saw the effort of it. “Could you do it? Could you put yourself into my hands and not ask any confounded questions?”

“No questions at all? I am not certain…”

“I will have to go easy on you at first. You are Eleanor Ramsay. You cannot but help asking questions.”

“I could try.”

“Hmm. I don’t believe you, but never mind.”

Hart got up from the bed, again the movement effortless. He rummaged in the clothes he’d left on the floor and brought out his cravat. It was a makeshift cravat, a long, narrow piece of linen he’d wrapped around his neck to shield his throat from the wind of the Thames.

He wound the ends of the linen in his hands and came back to the bed. Eleanor knelt there, waiting for him, excited and worried at the same time.

Hart climbed up onto the big bed, his head almost touching the beams as he knelt behind her. “Give me your hands.”

Eleanor’s mouth formed the wh of why, and Hart bit her cheek. “No questions. Give me your hands.”

Eleanor lifted them. Quickly Hart wound the linen strip around her torso, under her breasts, crossing it in a complicated twist and catching her wrists together at the end of it. He pulled her wrapped hands upward, his movements gentle but firm.

“We’ll start with this.” Hart nuzzled her ear. “I won’t hurt you. Do you believe me?”

“I…”

Another nip, this time to her shoulder. “I said, do you believe me?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

Surrender.

That was what Hart Mackenzie always wanted, she realized. For others to surrender to him, to let him be their master. Not because he wanted to punish them, or to have his own way, but for their own good, because he wanted to take care of them. Those who didn’t understand that dashed themselves to bits on him.

“Yes,” she repeated.

It was not in Eleanor’s nature to surrender to anything, but with Hart’s strong body behind her, his hands holding hers, she opened her heart, opened her body, and gave herself to him.

“Yes,” she said a third time.

Still on his knees behind her, again with the effortlessness, he pulled her upright so that she knelt back onto his lap, her knees parted, his thighs sliding between hers. This opened her to him, she realized, his body around her making her relaxed and warm. Hart snaked one arm around her, the other still holding the bond around her wrists.

She was completely vulnerable to him. His body was solid behind hers. The only way to get away would be to crawl across the bed, but he held her bound wrists.

She should panic, she should fight… and yet, she knew he would not hurt her. If a stranger had done this, then, yes, terror. But she knew Hart, had shared a bed with him, had woken in his arms, curled against his side. She’d seen his face soften in sleep, had seen him weep for his child.

Passion and pleasure. That was what Hart Mackenzie wanted to give her, not fear and pain.

Surrender.

Eleanor sighed, relaxing back against him, and the thickness of him slid straight inside.

Pure pleasure blossomed where they joined. No tightness, no pain, just Hart gliding his way in. She groaned.

“Yes, that’s it,” Hart whispered. “You see?”

“Hart.”

“Shh.”

Hart smoothed her hair, and she felt his lips, the enticing brush of hair that was his new beard. He did nothing with her bound hands, only held the end of the cloth. Eleanor’s wrists were pressed against her chest, Hart behind her and surrounding her.

Another cry escaped her lips. Hart responded with a groan, not immune to what he was doing.

“My sweet El. How does that feel?”

“Beautiful. You are beautiful. Oh, Hart, I don’t think I can stand this!”

“Yes, you can.” Hart licked her ear, the beard again tickling her. “You can stand it, my beautiful Scottish lassie. You are strong, like your kin who pushed the Sassenach soldier off th’ roof.”

Eleanor laughed, and the movement moved sweet bliss through her. Even Hart’s jests were calculated to bring out the finest feelings.

Passion and pleasure, bodies hot where they joined. Hart held her thus for a long time, moving very little. He simply filled her, giving her the joy of feeling him inside her, of being one with him.

Hart’s lips at her ear. “Do you want more?”

“Yes. Yes, please, Hart.”

Eleanor heard the begging words come from her mouth, but she could not stop them. Hart chuckled, the vibration of his body wonderful.

Eleanor found herself rocking forward to her hands and knees, Hart never coming out of her. He surrounded her with arms and legs, releasing the cravat enough so that she could brace herself on the bed. But he held her, never letting her fall, never letting her go.

Their bodies grew slick with sweat, droplets trickling between Eleanor’s breasts to be caught by the cravat. Where Hart joined with her was nothing but heat.

“My El,” he groaned. “Don’t ever leave me again. Do you understand me? I need you.”

Eleanor shook her head. “No. I’ll stay. Always, always, Hart.”

“I won’t let you go. Not Fenians, not my stupid pride, not my past will get between us. I’m finished.”

She wasn’t sure exactly what he was talking about, but she loved his words rumbling over her. “Good. Good.”

“You and me, El. We’re meant to be. And the world can go hang.”

“Yes, Hart. Yes.”

“El, lass, ye are so beautiful.” His Highland Scots erased every bit of English schooling pounded into him. “Stay w’ me forever.”

“Yes. Oh, Hart, I love you.”

Without realizing he’d moved her, Eleanor found herself flat on her belly, Hart positioning her hands so that they stretched out in front of her. He was on top of her, the full weight and length of him on her body, still joined with her. She couldn’t go on with this, and at the same time, she couldn’t get enough of it. Hart had to stop—no, he had to never stop.

His words trailed into groans. His loving rubbed her against the coverlet beneath her, the friction of that driving her wild. She was trapped beneath him, and yet, the fire of him inside her made her feel powerful. She could do anything, anything, because Hart shared with her his strength.

The moment of joy went on, Hart finally surrendering to his. He shuddered, his skin damp, his breath warming her. “My El,” he said as he kissed and kissed her. “My sweet, wicked lass.”

He slid out of her and rolled her over, stretching on top of her and loosening her hands.

“Are you all right?”

Eleanor nodded, breathless. “Perfectly fine, my dear Hart. That was…” She grinned. “Perfectly fine.”

Hart unwound the strip of linen from her and let it flutter to the coverlet. He lowered his head to the pillows beside her. “Thank you.”

He had given her that beautiful pleasure, and he was thanking her? “What for?”

“The gift of your trust.”

She shrugged, pretending indifference. “You are not so bad.”

The sinful twinkle returned to his eyes. “Oh, no? I will have to convince you otherwise.”

Eleanor touched the linen strip. “Is this the kind of thing you like to do?”

“Part of it.”

“There’s more?”

His wide smile sent a hot shiver through her. “Much more, El. Much, much more.”

“And you will teach me all of it?”

Hart’s eyes flickered as he considered. He brushed a warm lover’s kiss over her lips. “Yes.”

Another shiver, excitement deepening. “I look forward to it.”

He lost his smile, a frown pinching his brows. “When I thought I’d lost you… When all I could see was the explosion and you disappearing behind it…”

He was shaking. Eleanor cupped his face, smoothing her thumb through the beard she was beginning to like. “Don’t think on it. We came through, both of us safe. Thanks to Ian.”

“Ian, yes. He’s lived through terrible things, and he deserves… so much.”

“Don’t worry. He’s happy now. He has Beth and his children. I’ve never seen him so happy.”

“I know. Thank God for Beth.” Hart caught her wrist, kissed it. “And thank God for you. I love you, El. I can never explain how much I love you.”

His heart was in his voice, the gruff tones he used only when emotion got the better of him. That happened so rarely that Eleanor treasured it.

“I love you too, Hart. Forever.”

Hart nodded. “Forever, El.” He let out his breath, body shuddering as he relaxed beside her. He pulled a crumpled quilt over their bodies, and Eleanor snuggled down with him in the comfortable nest. The room grew quiet, peaceful.

“I hope you’re happy, Ian,” Hart muttered.

“What?” Eleanor blinked open her eyes. When Hart did not respond, she poked him. “What did you say?”

Hart chuckled, the maddening man. “Nothing. Go to sleep.”

Eleanor kissed him again, and did.


Hart lay in the stillness of the room, watching Eleanor sleep, his mind full of what had just happened.

Eleanor had sweetly surrendered to him, and he’d experienced something beyond price. The two of them had become one, whole, complete. Hart had never felt that with any other person in his life.

Always Hart was alone, seeking to dominate so that his loneliness would not be used against him. Eleanor had smiled at him tonight in surprise and delight, completely trusting. Not seeking mindless pleasure for her own sake, but believing he would guide and protect her through their journey together.

Looking at her now, her face so serene, one curl snaking across her cheek, Hart knew he’d found peace. He’d just now let his dark needs fill him without check, without fear. Because Eleanor had been there to guide him.

With her help, he’d let his needs surge into the joy they were meant to be. Not Hart desperately seeking to forget in numbing pleasure, or Hart taking charge to remind everyone, including himself, who was master.