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Her tongue flicked out as he moved toward her, licking her lower lip in nervousness, and her head tilted back to keep her gaze steady on his at his approach.

“Hello again, little minx,” he murmured, reaching out to take hold of her and pull her against him. She gasped, tilting her head back, and he lowered his lips to claim hers with a kiss.

It was entirely different from kissing her in the daytime. There were no stiff jackets, no hard stays between them. Just the softness of her in his arms, against him, the thin layers of their night clothing between them. Sebastian felt her arch against him, her hands flat against his chest, then moving higher, up to his shoulders.

Passion sang in his veins, his cock thickening rapidly at the feel of her against him, the warmth of her lips beneath his. Sebastian opened his mouth, parting hers, and thrust his tongue between them, deepening the kiss as she met him stroke for stroke. His hands moved over her, sliding down to her bottom and hoisting her up against him.

Mei’s arms wrapped around his neck, her legs around his waist, allowing him to carry her forward toward the daybed. When she lifted her head, ending the kiss before he could reach the bed, he was surprised to see that there was some hesitation in her expression.

“I am a horrible matchmaker,” she whispered.

Sebastian ground to a halt, glad he was holding her because he had the impression that she would have stepped away if she could.

“You are a wonderful matchmaker. Why do you think I hired you?”

That made her laugh, and he felt her relax against him, her head bowing to press her forehead against his.

“I am a terrible matchmaker because I am in here with you instead of one of the matches I made for you.”

Well, that was hardly a point he could argue.

“They would be very good matches… you could not have anticipated that I would not connect with them the same way I have with you.” Turning, Sebastian put his back to the daybed, so he could sit down on it without having to let her go, leaving her straddling his lap. With his hands still on her bottom, he held her in place against him, unwilling to let her pull away. “That is hardly your fault.”

“Perhaps, but I still feel horrible.” She squirmed on his lap, her hands coming up to cover her face. “Especially because feeling horrible does not make me want… this… any less.”

“Ah, so you feel bad that you do not feel bad enough.”

Another laugh bubbled up from her lips, and Sebastian leaned forward to kiss her again. A short, sweet kiss just to reassure her. When he pulled away, she let her hands drop from her eyes and stared back at him, pressing her lips together. Then she looked heavenward and shook her head.

“That is close enough to it, I suppose.”

An idea, which had been drawing closer in his head, crystallized.

“Well,” he said, his voice lowering to a seductive purr. “Perhaps I should spank you for being a naughty little minx then.”

Mei’s breath hitched as her eyes widened in shock at his suggestion, her mouth dropping open.

“You… want to spank me?”

31

Mei

The duke wanted to spank her?

Her bottom tingled underneath his hands, which were still cupping her cheeks through the nightrail and dressing gown, as her breath caught in her throat. Every part of her seemed to light on fire as his fingers caressed, squeezed.

Oh my.

From discussions with the other ladies, Mei knew that Tiffany, Kalina, Johanna, and Delilah had all been spanked. The first three by their husbands, and Delilah by Zachary before… well. Before. Delilah did not seem to have any regrets about it, though. She and Tiffany had been the ones to convince Kalina to ask Nathanial for one when Kalina had been struggling to find a way to earn Nathanial’s forgiveness for trapping him into marriage. Astrid had been the only one who had been appalled at the suggestion.

Mei had been admittedly curious. The idea of going over a man’s knee and having him apply his hand to her bottom seemed frighteningly intimate and possibly very painful. On the other hand, sometimes getting through a punishment could be cathartic.

And now that the duke’s hands were full of her bottom, she could not help but wonder what it would feel like if his palm was applied to that part with force.

“I… will it hurt?”

“Yes. But not too badly.” The duke smiled and pressed another quick kiss to her lips. “I do not think you have been very naughty, after all.”