“There are people sending me accounts from Jamaica, Barbados, Spain. It is a vast enterprise, so one must have connections all over the world in order to tell the facts.”
A dark shadow covered his tan face, and Letty had a feeling that he was no longer thinking about slavery.
“It sounds wonderful, Mac. Do you ever travel?” Letty asked, imagining what it would be like to actually visit such places and to see terrible things for herself.
A shiver ran through her, and everything she consumed that day threatened to rise. Letty didn’t want to imagine what it would be like to see such dreadful things, so perhaps she was only meant to tell her truth from England.
Her one comfort was knowing that people like Mac existed and gave her hope.
“Soon, you will know exactly what it feels like to have your own magazine and make a difference.” Mac walked over to the wall, taking an apron from the peg.
“Why do you have to close the print shop?” she asked. There had to be something she could do. The world needed papers like The Hard Truth, to keep them informed until every man, woman and child was free everywhere.
“The rent here is astronomical. The profits from the paper are not nearly enough to cover it.” He slipped the apron over her head, his hand trailing down her back to tie the string.
A breathy moan escaped her lips, she was still titillated from their previous kiss. His mouth brushed the corner of hers as he tied the apron in place around her waist.
Her gaze found his. She knew she couldn’t stay too long with him. Her maid and driver would wait for her as long as she would take, but her mother would soon start to question where her youngest daughter had gone.
Once she was sufficiently covered, he stepped away, leaving her cold. If Letty could function wrapped in Mac’s arms, she surely would do it every day.
“If you won’t take my help, perhaps my father cold be of assistance?” she asked tentatively.
Letty didn’t want to offend him; she admired him for not wanting her help. It proved what an honorable man he was, which of course, she already knew.
He shook his head, black hair falling into his eyes. “Letty, no. If I have to take assistance from someone it won’t be you or your father …” he paused briefly, and Letty knew that there was something he wasn’t telling her. “Richmore has offered, but I am not certain I can accept?—”
“Why ever not? If you won’t take assistance from me, then surely one of your friends who fights for the same cause is an excellent option.” Letty stepped closer to him, waiting for an answer.
“I am considering Richmore’s offer to help. Does that please you?” he challenged her, taking her by the hand.
“Yes. I don’t want you to lose your print shop, Mac. You must do whatever it takes to save it.” She squeezed his hand, noticing his stiff posture.
Ignoring her comment, he led her to the Stanhope, where stacks of paper sat on a table beside it. She took in his muscled form as he tied his own apron around his waist.
“I’ve already placed the stereotype matrix and plate in place, so we just need to place the ink. Can you bring the dabbers?” He pointed to the small round balls with a handle.
Letty practically bounced over to them. She had done all the research, but she had never been in an actual print shop before. Now, she was experiencing it all.
“Here you are.” She held out the dabbers to him, but he shook his head, wrapping his hand around her waist and pulling her in front of him.
Bending down, his cool breath teased her ear. “First, we’re going to cover the dabbers in ink.”
Letty nodded, her heart pulsing rapidly. Now she was excited for a completely different reason, and it had nothing to do with printing.
Allowing Mac to lead her, they rolled the dabbers through the ink, ensuring that the round black balls were completely covered. Letty bit her bottom lip, trying to ignore the effect he was having on her body. His lips would occasionally brush the sensitive skin at her neck, his hard body so impeccably close to hers that she felt as if they were one.
Placing the ink on the stereotype matrix together caused his body to rock against hers. The turgid flesh of his manhood pressed against her rear through the material of her clothing.
Letty felt hot all over; her nipples strained against her chemise, and she wanted nothing more than to be free of her dress so she could feel him.
Releasing her hand, Mac wrapped his hand around her throat, pulling her head back before he ravished her mouth in a fierce kiss. Letty couldn’t help the moan that escaped her as his tongue glided against hers in the most wicked way.
The dabber fell to the table, rolling to the ground at her feet, her hands pressing against the ink as she tried to stand upright. Her knees were threatening to buckle underneath her as he devoured her like a man depraved. Certain that they were making a complete mess of things, but she didn’t care.
Wrenching his mouth free from hers like it was the last thing he wanted to do, Mac spun her around, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. She loved when he picked her up, loved when he controlled her. Letty couldn’t get enough of this reckless abandoned side of him.
The inferno in his eyes blazed, and she wanted it to consume her. Letty ghosted her ink cover fingers on his stumbled cheek. “Mac,” she whispered.
