“It isn’t fair for me to ask you,” she murmured.
“You aren’t,” Pembroke said. “I am.”
Both of them looked at him, his expression so benign for a man who was requesting something so tempting and so filled with the potential to destroy all at once.
“You needn’t decide this moment,” Pembroke said gently. “This weather won’t let up—I would wager you’ll spend another night here. Think about it, Your Grace.”
Anna nodded, her head spinning with all the thoughts. Chief of which was the idea of surrendering to Oliver. Of having him in the bright lights of this studio, of surrendering to a desire that she had denied for a long time.
And of Pembroke watching while it unfolded.
“I…I need to lie down. Forgive me,” she whispered, and staggered from the room, her mind wild with images of Oliver’s hands on her, his mouth on her, of Pembroke’s hands and mouth too.
And how impossible a fantasy it all was, even if it was being offered to her on a silver platter.
CHAPTER4
Oliver
The moment Anna staggered from Pembroke’s studio, Oliver pivoted toward the man. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he snapped, his breath rolling from his lungs in hard pants as he stared at the man who had suggested he live out his every dream.
Pembroke shrugged. “I saw you two together. From the moment you drew her from the carriage, your desire for each other was plain. And in her bedchamber…”
Oliver shook his head. “You were spying on us?”
“I could hear breathless whispers,” Pembroke said mildly. “I’m not a fool. I know you’re positively feral at the idea that I want her, as well.”
“Fuck you,” Oliver growled, and immediately wished he could take it back. Anna wasn’t his, much as he wished that were true. And he was still a servant. He could be put out on his arse for talking to this man like that and then where would he be? Where would she be?
But Pembroke only chuckled. “That’s somewhat of the idea,” he all but purred.
Oliver faltered at the easy suggestion. At the fact that he could see this man meant it. Pembroke wanted Anna. And Pembroke wanted him. He swallowed hard and tried to gather himself in some way. “You…you can’t toy with Anna,” he said. “She’s had enough of that. She’s been hurt enough.”
Pembroke’s harder stare softened slightly and he shook his head. “I assure you, I have no desire to hurt Her Grace.Anna.”
Oliver caught his breath. He had referred to her by her first name, giving it over to Pembroke. Now the way the other man said it seemed to tingle up Oliver’s spine. Made everything feel thick and heavy.
“I don’t want to hurt you either,” Pembroke continued. “I’m offering a solution that could be good for all of us. You two can explore the heat that is between you. I can set free the creativity my returned muse has inspired. And in the end, she’ll be able to protect herself, at least for a while, from whatever danger you two don’t want to share.”
Oliver bent his head. He didn’t trust this man enough to disclose those troubles. Even if he did, they weren’t his to reveal. They were hers. He would protect them, as he wanted to protect her, until his breath ran out. He turned away and Pembroke sighed.
“Just as I said to Her Grace, I encourage you to think about what you want, Oliver.” Pembroke stepped closer, invading Oliver’s personal space just a fraction. He smelled good, like rain in the woods. “Whateveryou want.”
With that, Pembroke left the room and Oliver stood there, squeezing his eyes shut. What he wanted. Did he even know what that was? Well, hedid. But he’d spent a long time suppressing every want. Servants didn’t get to have those, not often.
He let out the breath in his lungs shakily and opened his eyes again. His gaze was drawn once more to the images that hung on Pembroke’s studio walls. Beautiful images, but intensely erotic. He stepped closer to the one nearest him. A man and a woman’s legs and arms locked, her head thrown back and mouth open with pleasure, the man’s mouth buried against her breast as she rode him.
He couldn’t help but picture Anna just like that. With him. Finally with him. Just the brief moment of imagining made him hard as steel and he cleared his throat. This was a dangerous suggestion and he knew it.
But he also felt so drawn to it.
He left the room and made his way upstairs. He found Anna’s chamber and hesitated there, staring at the barrier between that separated him from her. He should walk away. Be the one to refuse this ridiculous suggestion and save them both from the ramifications of it.
But he didn’t. He knocked. There was the sound of soft shuffling from the other side and then she opened the door. She was still in her gown but had taken her hair down. He caught his breath at the sight of her like this with brown curls tangled around her shoulders.
Her cheeks were flushed, her pupils dilated and dilating further as she stared up at him, silent.
Then she moved closer. Without a word, she pressed her hand to his chest, sliding it up, up over his shoulder, cupping his cheek. Her breath caught as she lifted up on her tiptoes, her trembling lips reaching for him.
