Free Unleashed by Abby Gordon

burrowed further into the pillows and shifted on her side. She suddenly froze. She was naked! Frantic, she searched for her nightgown and saw it on the floor several feet from the bed.
    Clutching the sheet to her chest, she took several deep breaths unable to believe she’d taken her nightgown off in her sleep. The alternative was unthinkable. She could not believe that Lord Wulfgar would actually come into her bedroom while she was asleep. Even if she had accepted his proposal last night, surely he wouldn’t be so bold.
    She swallowed, realizing that she knew very little about the man. Her cousin’s words echoed in her mind. Unwilling to leave the bed, she sat staring at the puddle of pale green flannel.
    Images from her dream kept trying to overwhelm her, and she closed her eyes at the sensations. It was so tempting to run to him, say “yes,” and beg him to really do to her what he’d done in her dreams. But the fear of his rejection paralyzed her. The picture of her holding his head between her thighs wouldn’t go away, no matter how she fought back at them. She could feel his mouth on her core again, feel his hands on her breasts pressing her to the pillows and then she fell back, succumbing to the sensation. She muffled her cries with her fist as waves of pleasure rolled over her.
    Spent, she curled up on the pillows. As if on its own volition, one hand went to her thigh and then between her legs. For a moment, Amanda couldn’t move. She was wet. Not as if she was going through her cycle, but something very different. That made her curious enough to lift the blankets and look. What met her gaze shocked her even further.
    At the top of each inner thigh lay several narrow marks and a few of what looked like small bruises. In disbelief, she traced one, feeling the indentation. She trembled. Had he come to her room? Why? And had he actually come to her the other nights when she had thought she was dreaming?
    Her head swiveled to look at the pillows but she saw only the indentation from her head. And he had definitely held her as she’d slept. Hadn’t he?
    Knowing she had to at least pick up the nightgown before Mrs. Anders or one of the maids came in, she took a deep breath and slid out of bed. She took two quick steps, snatched up the material, and sprang back into bed. Safely under the blankets, she clutched it to her.
    If it was torn, then he had come to her. If it wasn’t… She frowned. If it wasn’t, then how did she get the marks on her legs? Why had she reacted the way she did when she knew she was awake? Or was she awake?
    She took a deep breath. Slowly she pulled the nightgown out from under the covers and found the neck-line. For a long moment, she stared without seeing before she focused on the material. She closed her eyes.
    It had been torn in half.
    Now thoroughly confused, she struggled with the shame of her dreams knowing that no well-brought up maid would do such a thing. She shouldn’t even know about such things. Trembling, she pulled herself from the bed, washing herself and dressing.
    She didn’t go down for breakfast. When no one came to even bring her morning tea, she told herself that Lord Wulfgar was so angry at her not immediately accepting his proposal that he had ordered everyone to stay away from her. Part of her knew that he wouldn’t do something petty, but the other part didn’t care. She brushed her hair but left it unbound.
    Near ten o’clock, there was a light tap on the door. Amanda lifted her forehead from the glass pane where she sat on the window seat.
    “Come in,” she called, half-expecting to see him.
    Mrs. Anders came in with an affectionate, understanding look on her face.
    “His lordship requests you join him in the library, miss.”
    Nodding, Amanda stood, smoothed down the skirt of her deep yellow gown, and followed the housekeeper down the grand staircase to the library. Timson opened the door for her and she entered, pausing as the door was closed quickly