" Out of regard for me, if for no other reason, he shouldn't have taken the innocence of a young woman under my protection. It's a matter of respect."
Kathleen hoisted herself more fully over him, staring down into his blue eyes. "This," she mocked gently, "from a man who seduced me in nearly every room, stairwell and hay-nook of Eversby Priory. Where was your regard for innocence then?"
His frown disappeared. "That was different."
"Why, may I ask?"
Devon flipped her over, reversing their positions neatly and surprising a giggle from her. "Because," he said huskily, "I wanted you so much..."
She writhed and laughed as he unfastened her nightgown.
"... and as lord of the manor," he continued, proceeding to strip her naked, "I thought it was time to exercise my droit de seigneur."
"As if I were some medieval peasant girl?" she asked, shoving him onto his back, and climbing over him.
Grabbing his marauding hands, she tried to pin him down with her entire weight.
A deep laugh escaped him. "Love, that won't work. You're no heavier than a butterfly." Clearly enjoying their play, he lay unresisting as she gripped his thick wrists more tightly. "A determined butterfly," he conceded. As he stared up at her, his smile faded, and his eyes darkened to intense blue. "I was a selfish bastard," he said softly. "I shouldn't have seduced you."
"I was willing," Kathleen pointed out, inwardly surprised by his remorse. He was changing, she thought, rapidly gaining maturity as he shouldered the responsibilities that had been forced on him so unexpectedly.
"I would do it differently now. Forgive me." He paused, frowning in self-reproach. "I wasn't raised to be honorable. It's damned difficult to learn."
Kathleen slid her hands over his until their fingers interlaced. "There's nothing to forgive, or regret."
Devon shook his head, not allowing her to absolve him. "Tell me how to atone."
She bent to brush her lips against his. "Love me," she whispered.
With great care, Devon rolled until she was caught beneath him. "Always," he said huskily, and possessed her mouth while his hands slid over her body. "
― Lisa Kleypas , Marrying Winterborne (The Ravenels, #2)
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![Lisa Kleypas quote : Out of regard for me, if for no other reason, he shouldn't have taken the innocence of a young woman under my protection. It's a matter of respect.](/image/1086346.jpg)
Kathleen hoisted herself more fully over him, staring down into his blue eyes. "
This," she mocked gently, "from a man who seduced me in nearly every room, stairwell and hay-nook of Eversby Priory. Where was your regard for innocence then?"
His frown disappeared. "That was different."
"Why, may I ask?"
Devon flipped her over, reversing their positions neatly and surprising a giggle from her. "Because," he said huskily, "I wanted you
so much..."
She writhed and laughed as he unfastened her nightgown.
"... and as lord of the manor," he continued, proceeding to strip her naked, "I thought it was time to exercise my
droit de seigneur."
"As if I were some medieval peasant girl?" she asked, shoving him onto his back, and climbing over him.
Grabbing his marauding hands, she tried to pin him down with her entire weight.
A deep laugh escaped him. "Love, that won't work. You're no heavier than a butterfly." Clearly enjoying their play, he lay unresisting as she gripped his thick wrists more tightly. "A determined butterfly," he conceded. As he stared up at her, his smile faded, and his eyes darkened to intense blue. "I was a selfish bastard," he said softly. "I shouldn't have seduced you."
"I was willing," Kathleen pointed out, inwardly surprised by his remorse. He was changing, she thought, rapidly gaining maturity as he shouldered the responsibilities that had been forced on him so unexpectedly.
"I would do it differently now. Forgive me." He paused, frowning in self-reproach. "I wasn't raised to be honorable. It's damned difficult to learn."
Kathleen slid her hands over his until their fingers interlaced. "There's nothing to forgive, or regret."
Devon shook his head, not allowing her to absolve him. "Tell me how to atone."
She bent to brush her lips against his. "Love me," she whispered.
With great care, Devon rolled until she was caught beneath him. "Always," he said huskily, and possessed her mouth while his hands slid over her body." style="width:100%;margin:20px 0;"/>