Elizabeth hadn’t meant to doze, but tonight was the first time she’d felt truly safe since Callum’s father’s visit that fateful night over a year ago. Being in Callum’s arms again reminded her of all she’d willingly left—and all she still had to hide from.

She felt him shift, and struggled to wake. When she opened her eyes, through the limiting slits in the masque, Elizabeth saw Callum leaning over her. He still wore his half-masque as he pressed his lips against her masque.

Elizabeth didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t stay here, no matter how desperately she didn’t want the masques between them. How she wanted to feel his lips on hers, how she longed to taste his kiss one last time. But the emotion pouring off him pounded in to her with such force she froze.

Callum didn’t try to remove her masque, but his fingers explored her shoulders, rough and probing yet gentle at the same time. His passion had yet to cool, and she felt his cock harden against her hip. Elizabeth stirred, arousal singing hotly through her body.

Torn between keeping him there, or having him again and running, Elizabeth pressed her fingers to his mouth. The warmth of his kiss against her fingertips sent a shock through her, and she shuddered. Body yearning to feel his again, she breathed in his scent, their scent, and knew he felt as desperate as she.

They fooled no one with these masques. She didn’t know if Donald had told Callum the design of her masque or if her lover remembered her so well he could identify her in a room crowded with sexual beings. But she did know that the passion between them had not abated.

Callum’s fingers traced her jawline, slipped beneath her masque. Elizabeth did pull back then, shifting across the bed to put distance she knew would never be enough between them.

It took a moment for her heart and her body to catch up with what she knew she had to do. Leave.

Caressing his cheek, she gathered her courage to her and whispered, “Goodbye.”

He took her hand in his, twined their fingers together and held tight. “There’s still so much time left for us to enjoy.”

“You should find another,” she said and forced the words past the lump in her throat. “A man with your skills would never be lonely for female companionship.”

Elizabeth tried to climb from the bed, to put as much distance between them as she could before she changed her mind. Callum grabbed her about the waist and pulled her to him. The move was tender and careful, and when he held her close to him, Elizabeth had to blink back tears.

“There’s only one woman I desire,” he whispered against her neck.

Elizabeth shivered and grasped his hands. She didn’t know if she wanted to remove them from her waist or hold him closer. In the end, she held tight.

“There’s only one woman I joined this club for,” he added. “And only one woman for whom I came tonight.”

“Don’t.” She shifted from him and looked over her shoulder. The masque limited her vision, but she could see Callum clearly enough.

“Elizabeth, I’d know you anywhere.”

Frozen, she struggled from his arms even as she wondered why she thought he wouldn’t say anything.

Callum kissed her shoulder and didn’t let her go though he did loosen his hold. “No matter how you try to hide from me, I’d know the shape of your form, the tilt of your head, the lilt of your voice.”

Turning to fully face him, she shook her head. “Forget me.”

His frown was fierce and when he spoke, his voice held a hint of incredulousness. “I’ll never forget you. You came here tonight and laid with me. That alone shows me you have not forgotten me.”

Before she could think of a proper reply, Callum had moved. Gloriously naked, he left the bed and stood in front of her. With gentle movements, he untied the masque and slipped it from her face. Cool air brushed her cheeks, and Elizabeth instantly turned her head to the side. She didn’t want him seeing her face, the scars she now bore.

His fingers cupped her cheek and raised her head. His brown eyes held hers, and didn’t so much as flicker to the scars on her face.

“I wanted to say goodbye,” she admitted in a broken whisper.

“There’s no need to say goodbye,” Callum insisted. “Come home with me. All has been resolved.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No, Callum,” she said and his name felt so perfect on her lips. “The taint shall always be on me. And so, too, will the scars.”

“So far as I’m concerned, there is no taint on you,” he said in a harsh tone. His eyes flicked to her cheek then back to hers. “And I don’t care about any insignificant mark on you.”

“You’re an earl,” Elizabeth said seriously. She put her hand on his wrist and squeezed. “And your wife is a reflection on you. As would even be your mistress. I’m ruined and not in the least suitable to be by your side. I would not do this to you; I wouldn’t subject you to the indignities and taint I carry.”

His eyes darkened to nearly black. Jerking his masque from his face, he let it fall to the floor. “You can’t believe that. Others sought to ruin your family name; others inflicted this perceived taint on your family. But it’s been washed away by the truth that’s been spoken in court.”

Elizabeth caught herself shaking her head, no. “No,” she verbalized. “No, it’ll never be washed away. How can it be?”

“It has.” Callum leaned in and vowed, “I promise you. No one will ever look at you as anything save my wife and a daughter that had been wronged.” He softened them, his eyes losing some of their fierceness and she saw a hint of anxiety there. “You can’t leave me again, Elizabeth. I won’t survive without you. I love you. And by you coming here, you must still love me.”

Unable to hold back the tears, they fell hotly down her cheeks. Callum gathered her to him and held her, his hands soft as they rubbed along her back.

“I never wanted to hurt you,” she admitted. “I still don’t.”

“The only thing that’s hurt me was not having you with me.”

She pulled back and wiped her cheeks. “Callum,” she said with as much seriousness as she could put into her tone. “You need to give up your quest to find Dervin. Leave London, go to the country. You’ve taken too many risks for me already.”

His thumbs swept her cheeks, the tenderness in his touch almost unnerving her. “I’ll leave,” he agreed but she knew that tone and knew what he’d say next. “If you come with me.”

“Don’t you know what’s best for you?” she demanded, exasperated with his stubbornness. “You should stay away from me.”

“I can’t.” His eyes lost some of their desperateness, in its place determination burned. His passion for her, his unwillingness to let her go threatened to consume her doubts. “I’m drawn to you; always have been. I desire every bit of you.”

His mouth was soft on hers, a gentle probing kiss. She opened for him and knew she lost whatever argument she might still have had. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, Elizabeth pulled him close and held on.

Callum touched her in ways she’d dreamt of for far too long. His mouth kissed down her neck, over her shoulder. His teeth tugged her nipples until she gasped for breath. His hands traced her curves, slipped between her legs.

He continued to kiss down her body, slow and worshipping and Elizabeth remembered their first night together. Remembered how he’d done just this, arousing her until she thought she’d go mad from wanting him.

Tonight held that same passion, the same promise. Elizabeth curled her fingers into the bedding and let herself feel naught save Callum. His mouth swept over her hip, kissed her sensitive inner thigh, then pressed to her moist core. She nearly jerked from the bed with the pleasure of it.

Elizabeth cried out, knew she begged him. His finger slipped into her, the pleasure tightening.

So many reasons for why she should leave paled compared to the one for why she should stay. Did it matter, all those reasons? Callum didn’t seem to think so. Struggling onto her elbows, Elizabeth looked at him and knew she’d already made her decision.

“Please, Callum,” she said. The words sounded breathless to her own ears.

His teeth scrapped over her nub and Elizabeth screamed. Before she could gather her senses, Callum entered her. He moved slowly at first, deliberate as his fingers found her nub again and stroked it. She pressed her thighs to his hips and met him stroke for stroke.

With the masque no longer hiding her, Elizabeth felt the boldness return. Scrapping her nails down his back, she bit his shoulder and felt him shudder and lose his rhythm. Power surged through her and Elizabeth dug her nails into his buttocks.

He moved faster within her, each thrust harder than the last and she reveled in it. Wanted more. Her orgasm wound tighter through her, and Elizabeth ground her hips against his.

Suddenly the wave broke and she climaxed. Pleasure swamped her, leaving her mindless in its wake. Callum continued to pound into her, and she willingly accepted him into her body. When he growled his own completion, Elizabeth held him to her, uncaring of his weight.

Eyes closed, mind already drifting in sleep, she knew those reasons didn’t matter. She could name a dozen, more, as to why she should leave and disappear from his life once more. All were valid reasons, all meant to protect him as best she could.

Kissing his shoulder, she vaguely felt him pull out of her and roll them over. She settled her head comfortably on his chest. Where she belonged. He’d searched for her no matter what, had never given up on her. On them.

Tired of running, of hiding, of the constant pain being separated from him caused, Elizabeth desperately wanted it to end. She wanted to be with him again but was unsure she wouldn’t hurt him by doing so. She let herself slip into sleep, enclosed in his arms. She didn’t want to leave him again. How would she survive this time without him?

But she didn’t know how they could survive society’s judgments.