Chapter Thirteen - Ravished

The time she had been dreading had arrived. She was back in the guest suite with Xander, sharing the wooden tub with him. At least he had had the decency – if that was the right word – to wait until dusk.

“Your shyness is enchanting, my sweet,” he told her, running the washcloth over her breasts. She shivered. “I have rarely met such an inexperienced female.”

“It won’t stop you taking what you want from me, though, will it?”

“Rather me than anyone else,” he said. “I only wish Ephron had told me you were so young.”

“You probably wouldn’t have believed him. After all, Mama was very convincing about my so-called precocious exploits.”

“I didn’t believe a word of it, Eithne.”

“And if I said I was looking around earlier in the bathroom for a concealed mirror?”

His eyes narrowed. “How did you know?” he asked.

Her outraged gasp told him she hadn’t.

“Some distinguished guests my father had. I thought they were interested in the books when all the time … ”

“I didn’t sneak a peek as you