I'm wearing only underwear and socks while lying on the bed. Alexander has been staring at me for a minute or so. He's sitting next to me, shirtless and too relaxed.

My dress is on the floor, and the chemise is next to it, completely torn apart.

There wouldn't be anything worth a mention if only my hands were free.

«What were you planning to use to tie my right hand?» Alexander asks. He's so close that his warmth reaches me, but he's not touching, just looking. «You know you didn't have any chance to tie both my hands with a single scarf.»

«I've never had a chance. Period.»

«So, is there a second scarf somewhere nearby?»

«No, I wanted to use my socks.»

«Oh, clever,» he chuckles. His voice is tender and calm, his eyes are reassuring.

What a situation.

«We can talk about it,» I sigh. «What if I promise I won't do it ever again?»

«Oh, but it was so fun, Thea. I'll be happy if you do this more often.»

«Would you let me have my way?»

«Of course not. It would end like this every time.»

So why would I try?

«Can we just get over with this?» I require. Lying like this is a bit embarrassing.

«First, I'll have to get rid of your underwear, wife.»

«Not the socks?»

«I like your socks, why should I remove them?»

What a weirdo.

«Also, I don't want you to feel cold...»

«You should have considered that before ripping the rest of my clothes.»

My Duke lies down next to me, leaning on his right arm. His lips brush against mine, and I split them to let him kiss me. At least, he can't stare at me while doing this.

I'd like to sink my fingers in his hair, but the current situation prevents me. Alexander's hand has reached my underwear and disappeared under it, while his tongue has found a path to my breasts.

He pulls my underwear down, catching one of the socks on the way. Before returning to kiss me, he puts the socks back in place. He observes the final effect and smiles satisfied.

He ties the yellow shawl around my ankle, and then he fixes it to the footrest.

«Is this really necessary?» I inquire. Queen Theodora wasn't this much restrained, in my dream.

Oh, but this is real. Not just a dream that I conjured with my imagination. I shouldn't compare my perversion with my Duke's. No chance in winning there either.

«Alexander,» I breathe. «Don't torture this Duchess...»

«I'm not torturing you, my dear.» He smirks. My lungs push out all the air, hit by that grin.

If this isn't torture, then what is?

«Isn't there any law protecting me from this?»

«It became invalid the moment you tried to restrain me,» he replies, swift like a blow of wind. «I am just defending myself.»

«You're having fun, like this!» I accuse him.

«I won't force you into anything, haven't I already told you?» he reminds me. «If you ask me to stop, I will. Just keep in mind that we're going to sleep the second the knot is undone.»

«This is called blackmail!»

«No, it's not,» he chuckles.

Then, what?

By the way, it's not too terrible. I can resist for once, and let my Duke have some fun. His wound is still fresh, so he indeed needs some distractions.

«All right,» I whisper. «But don't do anything too extreme.»

«Isn't this already extreme, my dear?»

Oh, maybe. But I don't dislike it too much.

«Are you all right with this?»

I just nod, since talking out loud is out of the question. I won't admit it, not this night. I'll use this later when everything is done. I'll convince my Duke, exploiting the fact that he did unspeakable things to me!

«I can accept this,» I voice.

A couple of blinks later, he's kissing me. He positions himself between my legs, and I lock the one I can move around his hip.

He can't kiss my neck, like this, because my arms are in the way. So, his lips move straight down to my chest. The tip of his tongue circles around my left nipple, touching it for a moment and then retreating.

When he tries to move down, I block him with the hold of my leg. Not that it makes any difference, to him. However, when my Duke senses the resistance, he looks up at me.

«Wife?» he says. His voice is low and unstable, just like mine when I reach the limit.

«I can't stay like this for hours,» I remind him.

«Not hours,» he says, simply. I can see his contracted pupils and his accelerated breath. Indeed, it won't take hours.

I lift my head until my neck aches, and I peck his lips. If only I knew this would have so much effect on my husband, I would have come up with my evil plan earlier.

Those dreams are not that useless, after all.

«We can try again, another time,» I whisper. «You don't have to do everything you're thinking of, just now.»

His pecks land on my cheeks, forehead, nose... A shower of attentions that makes me sigh a couple of times.

«Don't move from here,» he mutters before disappearing from my sight. «It won't take long.»

He pinches my butt, making me startle. My leg lets go of him in the movement, and my Duke slips down. He bites my inner thigh and pushes my knee to the side. The restrained leg can't move an inch, while the free one is held still by my Duke's clench.

I try to look down, but my breasts distract me. They're not as flat as every time I lie down on my back. Since my arms are in this position, my bosom is slightly lifted and perfectly round.

Oh, this is another perk I have to take into account.

I reach the maximum the knot lets me, and I bounce back with a puff.

My tingling lower half is now intensely burning. Instead of insisting on a particular spot, my Duke's lips are moving down on my tied leg. His bites are smoothed by the sock, so I don't really feel anything. It's my imagination that does all the work.

His teeth grip the end of the knot and pull.

I now understand why all my nightgowns have ribbons.

With my legs both free, I can finally surround my Duke's hips as soon as he comes back to me.

We look at each other in the eyes for barely a second, before my throat forms the words: «kiss me.»

My tone is low yet firm, my gaze is unmoving. Instead of punishing me, like every time I dare to order him anything, my Duke just chuckles. He presses his lips on mine, and he closes his eyes just a moment before I do the same.

«I'll forget about your tone, wife,» he whispers after a second. «But just for this once...»

I don't even reopen my eyes. There's no need since our tongues meet after those few words. I clench the scarf to prevent it from hurting my wrists, and I use that hold as a pivot to move my hips.

A part of my mind registers the Duke's left elbow on my side, but I'm too distracted to actually worry about it. His palm is on the mattress, and it will probably hurt later.

Right now, both Alexander and I are focused on something else. I continue to move the lower part of my body in search of him.

Even though I'm tied, I don't let my Duke do all the work. I'm an accomplice, in this, not just a victim.

It's all so fast and bright that it looks like a dream. Not just for me, though. Alexander's breath and moans fill my ears and tease my patience, while I fight against pleasure with all my wits. Every inch of my skin is warm, and the place where our bodies are joined burns.

After a moment, I feel my Duke's bandaged hand on my hip, guiding my movements and caressing my skin though the cloth.

I can't resist the pressure, and I split my lips from him to take some air in. I can't kiss and pant at the same time.

Alexander sinks his head in my hair, and his breath hits my ear shell.

His left hand slips down, on my buttocks, and he squeezes while pulling me even closer to him.

The world explodes, and then it disappears. The only tangible feelings come from the sheets under me, wet of sweat, and the hot body wrapped around mine.

Only after a minute or so, I come back to earth.

My lungs ache while I try to stabilise my breathing; my throat is sore. I haven't even realised that I was screaming, how embarrassing. My legs are still locked around my Duke, and I'm not looking forward to parting from him.

His caring lips peck my forehead and my face, while his right hand brushes the locks from my forehead.

I open my eyes and look at him.

His eyes are full of something hard to define. It's complex, and changing. A bit out of place, but still safe.

The only reaction I can summon is a timid smile.