Cool and reserved

"My God, What have I done?" Black Brand's obvious distress at what Charlotte had found so magical wiped any romantic fancies she might have been feeling after her first time.

"You've done just what I'd expect from a brutal outlaw." Charlotte spoke as coldly as she could in an attempt to keep her emotions in check. "You **** the virgin daughter of your enemy, stripped her bare and then after teasing her as she hung helplessly you carried her to your bed and ruined her." Her words had the desired effect because he rolled off of her, pulling himself from within her leaving a throbbing emptiness where she had felt so full just a minute before.

"I'm sorry Miss Charlotte." The stranger's rich baritone was soft and smooth, his apparently genuine regret made her want to throw her arms around him and cling to his bare back. But Charlotte refused to let herself be seduced her again by his stunning good looks and honest emotion; instead she chided the outlaw, forcing any sympathy and feeling from her tone.

"Why are you sorry?" Charlotte asked scornfully. "If this had been the Dark Ages or if you were some aboriginal savage on an uncivilized continent your behavior would not even be considered extraordinary." Charlotte put emphasis on the words 'savage' and 'uncivilized' twisting them like a poniard planted deep into the man's side hoping to hurt him as he had hurt her. "It is true that in this civilized empire you will be hung for your heinous actions, however your previous crimes warrant the same punishment so that shouldn't concern you either." Her cold recital of the facts caused her captor to sit up and swing away from her side. Now, cold and alone on the great bed she lashed out one more time.

"Not that a man like you would care, but I can only think that your soul will pay for this in the eternal fires of Hell." Charlotte wrapped herself in a worn quilt at the same time covering her naked body and trying to control her shivering in the suddenly cool and damp cave.

Randy barely noticed that his prize was covering herself. He stared into the curtain of falling water at the mouth of the cave. Everything Lady Marlton had said was true; he had behaved like an uncivilized savage but surely he had not imagined the mutual desire that he and Miss Charlotte had shared. It was she, after all, who had kissed him, and in spite of her cool manner now she had been as eager in his arms as the most sensual of the caramel-skinned islander of the South Pacific.

He could feel a twitch of desire in his manhood as he remembered Lady Charlotte’s enthusiastic response to his caresses. He could pull her into his arms again and soon have her squirming with desire. Randy was sure of this. Never in his life had he found a woman that fit so well against his body or who felt so good in his arms. There would be no further talk of his crimes, just passion as once again the two of them sated their animal desires in each other’s arms. He hesitated for just a second as he contemplated pinning her struggling body under his and forcing his manhood once again between her thighs and feeling her wet tightness stretching around his girth.

Could her eventual willingness justify his actions? He had already taken from Miss Charlotte something that could never be returned. Would another round of passion with the fine Miss Marlton do anything to resolve the real issue.