Excerpt of Something Reckless by Jess Michaels

He looked around. Aside from the candle, the only other
light in the room was the low fire across the room. In
front of it stood Penelope. Jeremy sucked in a breath.

She was wearing a thin, cotton night rail. Broad straps
covered most of her delicate shoulders and the white fabric
hung around her curves like an unshaped sack. But with the
firelight coming through the cotton, he could still see
every single curve of Penelope’s body outlined in
tantalizing shadow.

And his cock went hard as steel in an instant.

“Hello, Penelope,” he murmured and this time it took no
effort to make his voice low and rough with desire.

She turned to face him, obviously startled by his voice. In
the dim firelight, he saw her expression relax with relief.
She had thought he might not come to her, as he had
promised. Thanks to her past, disappointment and
humiliation had become her expectation. The realization
made his chest ache with unwanted empathy.
“I notice you didn’t raise the light in your room,” he said
softly as he stepped forward, still cloaked in shadow. “You
make no effort to see my face.”

She shoved her hands behind her back. “Y-Yes,” she
stammered. “I mean, no. I think it is best if I don’t know
your identity. In some ways, I wish you did not know mine.”

He stopped moving as that unwanted guilt he’d felt the day
before returned. She feared he would betray her. And now he
had to promise that he wouldn’t when there was no bigger
lie. He would do so. He had to.

“So you want a secret lover,” he purred, ignoring her fears
instead of telling a direct untruth. “You want someone you
can pretend away in the cold light of day.”

She bit her lip and nodded slowly. “Yes, I suppose that is
true. In the day, I don’t want reminders. I don’t want
distractions from the actions I must take. The things I
must do.”

“I am most happy to oblige you,” he said as he closed the
final gap of space between them and reached for her hand.
Lifting it, he pressed his mouth to her knuckles. His
tongue darted out and he stroked it between her fingers...