He is overwhelmed

Charlotte rose from her stool and joined Mr. Fuller on the hearth by the crackling fire. She dared not touch him, but less than a hand separated them as she tucked her legs under her skirt before pressing onward.

"What if the woman in question took your hand in hers and pressed it to her lips?" The once fearsome Black Brand sat in stunned silence as she lifted his hand and kissed it. "Mr. Fuller," Charlotte tried to keep the tone of her questioning light, but even she could feel the tension in her voice, "what if I freely offered you my untried body. Gave it to you to use for your pleasure, in any way you wished." She dragged his hand to the expanse of skin just above the neckline of her bodice and pressed his rough fingers against the soft swell of her bosom.

It may have been only a few seconds, but to Randy, it felt like a minute passed, and then another as he struggled to find a way to answer Lady Charlotte. He was not put off by her boldness; compared to the women who met the sailors as they left their ships flush with pay, Miss Charlotte was quite demure. Nor was it a question of desire; he wanted her. God how he wanted her! Her breasts were just as soft and full as he remembered them and he had not forgotten the feel of her body squirming under his, but it was wrong. He could not ask Miss Marlton to be his wife, even if he were not a wanted man it was impossible, so how could he take from-

"Never mind!" His inner turmoil was broken by her words. Miss Marlton tried to regain her dignity, but the pain in her eyes and the tightness of her voice were impossible to miss. "It is clear that not even an outlaw like you can be tempted by a over-muscled, independent-minded, sun-burnt tomboy like myself." She dropped his hand and started to scramble to her feet, but Randy was both too quick and too strong for her. She was pulled to his lap and his lips found hers even as she tried to protest. He took the time between kisses to correct the obvious misconceptions Miss Charlotte had carried with her for far too long.

"You are -" a kiss on her cheek "- the most beautiful -" a nuzzle of her ear "- woman I have even seen." A very satisfying return to her lips which this time opened willingly for his tongue. "Perfectly formed for a woman of your height." He told her still interspersing his words with kisses and soft caresses. "Your skin is not 'burnt,' it is glowing with a vibrancy that can only come from the sun." Mr. Fuller gave her a wry smirk "It is however true that you are an independent-minded young woman, but I am willing to overlook that for the moment."

Randy loved the way Lady Marlton's eyes widened in surprise when she realized he was teasing her, he wondered if all fine lady's upbringings were as sterile as Miss Charlotte's seems to have been or if it was the result of her mother's tragic ****. In a way, holding her in his lap and teasing her reminded him of Mary when she was just a child, but the feelings that kept returning like storm waves one after the next wearing at his best intentions were not in the least bit brotherly.

"If, Lady Marlton, a woman that I mistakenly dragged away from her family for my own personal vengeance were to offer herself to me -" Miss Charlotte bit her lower lip when she realized he was finally answering her bold question. "If she understood that I cannot ever give her what she deserved..." Randy had to stop because her lips covered his and this time it was her tongue that boldly probed into his mouth.

"Oh shit, why the hell not!" With those admittedly less than romantic words Randy picked up Miss Marlton and carried her to the waiting bed, wondering yet again as he felt the dangling iron manacle tap against his thigh how in the world she was able to free herself while he had been gone.