"So goddamn perfect." The words sounded scraped from his throat. Her hips jerked as his fingers found her through the thin lawn, sliding along her slick groove. "You have the sweetest pussy. So soft and lush. Shall I pet it, make it purr?"
His thumb circled the peak of her pleasure, and her legs gave way. He held her upright against the wall, rubbing her, giving her no ground. His scar taut and chest heaving, he stared into her eyes. As if challenging her to deny the pleasure as if she could. He knew exactly how to touch her, his rough words driving her more and more out of control.
"Do you like having your pearl tickled? Do you want me to diddle you harder, faster?"
"Yes," she gasped as fire streaked down her legs. "Oh, yes."
"I'm the only one who touches you this way," he rasped. "Say it."
For goodness' sake, who else would—A whimper escaped her lips when he pulled his hand away. He gave her a stern look. "Say it, Percy, or we stop this instant."
"You." The admission came from her lips, but the recognition was deeper. The past and future faded away. There was only this moment, this man, and a certainty she'd never known before. "Only you," she whispered.
"Good girl." For some reason, his approval aroused her as much as his masterful touch. He watched her face intently, as if she were the only thing in the world that existed. "Work yourself against my finger," he instructed. "Show me how hot and wet you can get."
Delirious with desire, she obeyed. She rode his hand, her secret knot seeking the pressure of his thick digit. Oh, shewashot and wet and needful of relief. Broken pleas escaped her as the slick friction coiled ever tighter in her belly. "Oh, please Gavin, help me…"
"You're so damp for me, so perfect." His eyes anchored her as the tempest inside her raged. "You want to come, love?"
"Yes."
"Then spend for me right now." He bent his head and sucked hard on her nipple. His teeth grazed her at the same time that he gave her pearl a sharp flick. She catapulted over the edge, the finish searing through her senses. A cry broke from her lips as spasms rocked her.Bliss—as she'd never known existed. As she dissolved into bone-melting ecstasy, she caught his voice above her thundering heartbeat.
You're mine, Percy.
For once, she hadn't the strength to argue.
19
Seated before the looking glass,Priscilla studied her reflection. For so long, she'd seen a too-round face, an insignificant nose, and bothersome freckles. Her features had not changed, yet now she smiled... and the pretty girl in the mirror smiled back.
—fromThe Perils of Priscilla,a manuscript-in-progress by P. R. Fines
Scanning the dining lounge of The Temple of the Muses, a bustling book emporium in Finsbury Square, Percy spotted Charity at the far corner by the window. She navigated past the crowded tables, distracted by snippets of gossip along the way. Most centered around His Majesty The King's latest efforts to divorce his wife on the grounds of adultery.
"And do you know what Her Majesty supposedly replied to the accusation?" a patron said to her companion. "That she did indeed commit adultery once—with the husband ofMrs. Fitzherbert."
As the two ladies laughed, Percy's own lips twitched. Though it was improper, she could not help but appreciate the beleaguered queen's wit. Everyone knew that the King had kept Mrs. Fitzherbert as a long-time paramour; not only that, but years earlier he'd married his mistress in an illicit ceremony.Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Reaching Charity's table, Percy said breathlessly, "Sorry I'm late."
"Not a problem. As you can see, I've ordered for us both," Charity said, nodding to the pot of chocolate and dish of pastries on the table.
"I got held up with Paul," Percy said in a low voice as she took a seat.
Framed by the brim of her dove grey bonnet, Charity's eyes looked even larger than usual. "How is he?"
Inebriated, belligerent, and impossible to reason with.Snagging a biscuit, Percy bit into it with frustration. Paul had been so far gone that he hadn't even questioned her story about Hunt agreeing to release his debt to Nicholas. Instead, he'd pressed her for money. Not knowing what else to do, she'd given him what she had in her reticule.
"Paul is getting worse and worse. I'm certain he's gaming again, and I couldn't convince him to come home with me." Throat tight, Percy added, "This isn't like him. Ever since that blasted Rosalind Drummond, he hasn't been the same."
Charity kept her gaze on the pot as she poured out the chocolate. "Do you think he is still in love with Miss Drummond?"
Percy shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. Whenever I try to ask him about her, he shuts me out. He won't countenance any mention of her name."
"He must still have feelings for her."
Seeing Charity's downcast gaze, Percy reached for the other girl's hand and squeezed it. "Well, Rosalind is married now, so there's no going back," she said. "If only my idiot brother would realize that you—"
