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...