Just at the edge of the room the jailer sat at a desk, the other one stood by a door.
He then looked to see who the woman was and his heart nearly seized.
Tempest was leaning on the desk, her golden hair falling over a shoulder and she was wearing…was that a gold corset? Her shoulders were bare and her skirt was a reddish color.
Blood rushed through his veins and in a particular direction, but now was not the time to be aroused by the sight of her.
She traced a finger along the edge of her corset, bringing attention to her breasts.
His mouth watered. How had he not noticed that they were so perfect before now, and ready to spill from her top.
“I really must see him.”
“Which one?” the guard asked.
“Mr. Rhys McNaught.” She batted her eyelashes at him. “I will only be a moment.” She learned further. “You see, I cannot go to sleep without a kiss.”
The other guard pulled away from the wall.
“If it is because you are lonely…”
“For my husband,” she said before he could make an inappropriate suggestion. “It will be difficult enough to sleep without him beside me.”
“This way.” The guard behind the desk stood. “But I am not letting you in there. You will have to stay out here.”
“Then how will I kiss him goodnight?”
She was pouting. Rhys fell further in love and he wanted to shake her for putting herself in danger.
While the guard who was standing studied her bottom, lust in his eyes, Tempest walked by the desk and swept up the keys. He would not have even noticed if he had not been studying her and trying to determine how she thought to get him out of here.
The guard stopped in front of his cell as Tempest approached.
“You should not have come.”
“I missed you.” She then looked at the guard who was standing beside her. “May I have a private word with my husband?”
He rolled his eyes and walked away. That was when she reached forward and fitted the key into the lock while her full skirts hid what she was about.
“When will you be home?”
“I do not know. I have to stand before the magistrate.”
“When will that be?”
“A day or two.” He was guessing. Nobody had told him and he had no idea. What they needed was to keep the conversation going to cover what she was doing.
When she was about to turn the key, he started coughing to cover the click.
“I knew you should not be in here. You will get ill then leave me a widow. I shall not have that.”
“If I had her waiting at home, I would keep myself out of trouble just so I could be sleeping there instead of here,” one of the men said.
“Aye, but if they hang you, I will be certain to take care of your widow.” The guard who had been standing winked at her.
“Hanged?” Tempest cried. “But they cannot do that. I need you. Please say that they will not.”
He nodded to her to step back. “I promise that I will be home before you can truly miss me.”
