Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Rupert glanced down and immediately noticed Sylvia standing barefoot on the cool kitchen tiles. He loosened his arms around her ever so slightly. "You're not wearing shoes?"

Sylvia wiggled her toes, a little sheepish. "Your slippers are huge, you know. I kept tripping. It's not like I forgot or anything."

"Didn't ask," Rupert replied, a trace of a smirk playing on his lips as he studied her.

Sylvia squirmed, suddenly self-conscious, and tried to step away, but before she could, Rupert swept her up and set her down on the marble kitchen island.

"Don't move," he murmured.

He turned around and carefully picked up the shards of a broken glass from the floor, tossing them into the trash. Only when he was sure the floor was safe did he wash his hands and return.

Sylvia made to climb down, but Rupert blocked her, hands braced on either side of her, trapping her against the countertop.

She leaned back a little, putting a hand on his chest to keep him at bay. "Uncle Rupert, weren't you hungry? I could make you some oatmeal or something?"

He gave a low, amused snort. "Too bland."

"Okay, what do you want then?" she asked, but the second the words left her lips, she met Rupert's intense, almost predatory gaze. Her heart skipped a beat.

"What do you think?" His voice was rough, barely above a whisper.

Sylvia bit her lip, cheeks warming under the kitchen lights. She tried to push him away, but he caught her hand, pulling her closer, his arms caging her against him.

dark eyes bore into hers. "Sylvia, patience only goes

exactly what he meant, and her cheeks heated even

his own. As he leaned in, her body tensed, and a chill crept through her, all the warmth

reacted like this was back at Willowbrook Manor, when Bailey had lit those fancy candles without asking. She'd tried to push through, but when it came to intimacy, she always seemed to

been ready before, he thought. But every time he tried to cross that line, she would turn

"Did I hurt you the

was caught off guard by his directness, and for a moment she didn't know what to

lifting her off the counter, but instead of setting her down on the floor, he slid her feet into

these for now. I'll order

a shaky breath as she tried to regain

an hour later,

she'd eat, then

the meal, rain started hammering against

unbothered. "You're staying in the

listened to the rain pounding outside and gave in without

were plenty of rooms here—she just had to pick the one farthest from

door next to his. "That's the only

a

up to clear the table, while Rupert disappeared into his

his study,