“Then why do you?”
“There’s something I have to finish before I can leave.”
He didn’t seem very keen to discuss whatever it was, so she moved on to her original questions, instead. “It feels silly that I don’t know this, but… I assume I’m no longer a virgin?”
His thumbs paused against the sole of her foot. “Well, technically, you are still a virgin.” He massaged her heel. “I won’t be taking that from you.”
“I thought we had this discussion already. You needn’t protect my virtue.”
His laughter was filled with cynicism. “Now you are being silly. If I was trying to protect your virtue, I’d be doing an awfully lousy job of it.”
“Why then? Is it because you’re afraid of getting me with child? Is that not a possibility from what we did tonight?”
He shook his head. “No, on both counts. There are means of preventing pregnancy, and what we did tonight will not result in it.”
“Will you tell me how it is done, at least? I feel like a fool not knowing these things.”
“You’re not a fool. In order to impregnate you, a man’s body needs to be inside your body. Not outside, like mine was tonight. That is also how he will take your virginity.”
“Well you still haven’t told me why you won't do that.”
“The most obvious reason is that I am not worthy of that gift from you, as I am not your husband.” He replaced her slipper and pulled off the other one.
“I thought we had decided it was mine to give or not give.”
“You decided that.”
She rolled her eyes. “What’s the less obvious reason then?”
He shrugged. “I promised to never hurt you, and that act will likely be painful for you the first time.”
“So you’d rather someone else hurt me?”
He stilled and closed his eyes before letting out a long sigh. “What other questions do you have?”
“I’m sorry, Simon. I shouldn’t have pressed you.” She wasn’t his responsibility, or at least she wasn’t supposed be, and that wasn’t a fair question to ask.
He replaced her slipper and got up from the floor. “It’s late.”
With a nod she pushed herself out of the chair. She raised onto her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Goodnight, Simon.”
Chapter
Nine
So you’d rather someone else hurt me? He couldn’t stop hearing the words. They played over and over again as he tried to sleep. Of course he didn’t want someone else to hurt her, but what was the alternative?
He could do it himself, and that way he could at least ensure it was done gently. That was probably just his greedy desires urging him to give into his lust. Hopefully she’d one day have a husband, though, and that was not going to be him. Would it matter if she was no longer a virgin? She was hardly one, even now, thanks to him.
He huffed out a sigh. What he needed to do was spend more time finding a place for her to go and less time enjoying her irresistible body.
He woke early again, after a fitful night’s sleep. It was Sunday and he didn’t have to work, not for the Intelligence Services, at least. He would be paying a visit to one of the last men on his list tonight, though. Before that, he wanted to get Madelene out of the house for a while. Fresh air would do them both good. He slipped quietly out the front door and walked down to visit Suzy.
“You’re up early,” she said with a bright smile. “I hope you’re taking care not to work yourself to the bone.”
“I have today off, actually, and was hoping you might put together a picnic basket for me.”
Suzy raised her brow. “For you and Madelene?”
