"Lust was no surprise. Present a man who'd not known a woman in a while with the sight of a naked one, and there was no power on earth that could restrain his cock from rising. But the tenderness in his chest nearly knocked him down. He longed to hold her, to whisper endearments, to kiss away her fears and offer her the protection of his body as well as its need. "Elspeth," he said reverently, as if her name were a prayer. That broke the spell. She covered herself, one arm across her breasts, the other hand protectively splayed between her legs. He continued to look at her, drinking in her exposed skin, all rosy and fresh. It would be like silk under his touch. His hands would know every inch of her. She snatched up the remains of the velvet skirt and held it before her, but her neat calves and ankles were still bare to his gaze. "How long have you been there?" she demanded. "Long enough." --