Page 101 of Scandalous: Family Ties and Spies

“Remove this nightgown, now.” The dark command in his voice made her stiffen, and she didn’t move. “Now, Amalie, or I swear to God I will rip it off of you.”

Freeing herself from his arms, she turned away from the mirror to see his face dark with anger. When she didn’t move, Valeran uttered an oath, and stepped forward. Before she could dart away, his hand slid across her shoulders, then down to the center of her cotton night gown. Her eyes widened as his fingers slid between her skin and the linen. In one swift, hard pull, he ripped the nightgown apart, and what was left of the garment fell to the floor.

“Valeran,” she gasped.

“Turn around,” he said grimly. Staring up at him in horror, she swallowed hard. The last thing she wanted to do was look at her naked body in the mirror. “I said, turn around, wife.”

“Please, Valeran—” He didn’t allow her to finish as he roughly spun her around to face the mirror.

“Now look at yourself. I’m going to teach you how beautiful you are, mouse.” One arm wrapped around her waist he held her snug against him. “Look at your neck.”

“I’m looking,” she choked out, grateful he’d not insisted she look downward.

Amalie watched him close his eyes as a small smile tilted his lips. Valeran’s fingers slowly glided across her neck. It was a tender touch that made her sigh with pleasure and a hint of longing for him to do much more than caress her neck. Fascination and pleasure settled on his handsome features as his fingers explored her neck.

“Do you know how warm and silky your skin is beneath my fingertips, mouse? And the way your neck slopes down to your shoulders so gracefully?” His fingers followed the path along the side of her neck before trailing across the hollow of her throat. “And when I touch you here, my heart begins to pound, because I know it leads straight to the valley between your breasts.”

He bent his head and pressed a light kiss to her temple. Amalie uttered another sigh, this one of pure happiness, while the deep note of desire in his voice made her nipples hardened with a delicious ache.

“Your breasts are beautiful. Every time I cup them, they fill my hands, and my God, mouse, when your nipples harden just like they are now, I know they’re hard only for me. They silently declare you’re mine and only mine.” His fingers slid over her hard peaks, and a low growl rumbled out of him. “I love how you arch upward, silently pleading with me to tease them with my lips, and nip at them with my teeth. And when you whimper as I worship your gorgeous, incredibly lush breasts, it makes me hard.”

Valeran forced her hand to where his erection was beginning to harden. His throat bobbed before he tugged her hand back to rest on top of her bulging stomach.

“Do you know how tormented I am while sitting in Parliament and I make the mistake of thinking about these incredibly full, delicious breasts? My cock stirs in my trousers so fast, it’s almost impossible to control the unruly beast.”

Amalie’s heartbeat quickened as his seductive voice vibrated across her skin in an almost tangible caress. His fingers suddenly tweaked her sensitive peaks, and she made a small sound. A wicked smile curved his sensual mouth before his lips caressed the curve of her neck, his words slightly muffled, but still audible.

“And as I sit there, I can actually hear my mouse squeak with pleasure just as you did right then. I’m then forced to sit there and curse at myself for being so besotted with a fiery Scottish spitfire, I can barely think straight. But it doesn’t end there, mouse.”

Valeran’s arm released her, but she didn’t move. All she could do was close her eyes as his hand explored and stroked the inward curve that was her waist. His mouth kissed its way across her shoulder, and she sighed again, her head tipped to one side as he nibbled and kissed his way to the edge of her shoulder.

“But the minute I think about your beautiful, beguiling curves…curves like this sweet, delectable waist. A waist God made for me, and me alone. That’s when I can no longer stand in the House of Lords. If I were to do so, every man in the room would see how painfully hard my cock is as it twitches and demands I race home simply so I can slide into your soft, deliciously hot folds.”

His shudder reverberated against her, and she reached for him, knowing he was already tormented. Valeran caught her hand and roughly shoved it back onto the top of her bulging belly.

“No.” The hoarseness in his voice said he had no intention of her assuaging his obvious need. “Let me finish. If you touched me now, you’d understand why I have to hold my papers or hat over my cock because by then it’s throbbing with need. A ravenous desire simply because I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

Amalie’s breathing grew ragged as she studied her husband’s face in the mirror. The desire she saw there made her tremble against him. Valeran inhaled a deep breath.

“I need you, Amalie. I ache to be near you. My hands, fingers, and lips have committed you to my memory. Images of a voluptuous Venus with soft, feathery hair that I can slide my fingers through, while she controls me with every lilting word her siren voice speaks,” he whispered in a voice that was filled with a reverence and love unlike anything she’d ever heard before in her life.

“Now we come to the part of your body I will never be able to get enough of. A part of you that is ripe, and on the verge of giving us a child. It doesn’t matter whether we have a boy or girl, all that matters is that they be as strong and fiery as their spitfire of a Scottish mother.”

Another shudder crashed out of him and into her back with a strength that made her swallow hard. God, she wanted to touch him, but she knew he wouldn’t let her, even if she tried. His words were weaving a spell of magic around her senses. A spell she never wanted to be broken. Eyes closed, she breathed in his hard male scent of leather and spice.

“And even when you’re not ripe with child, not even Solomon’s wife could have had such a lovely rounded stomach or full, plump thighs a man can dig his fingers into. Thighs that when parted make my mouth water because I can smell the musky heat of your desire. Your body tells me that if I slide my fingers around your sweet rim, they’ll be coated with a thick, tangy cream the moment I taste you.”

“Oh God, Valeran. Please…”

“Open your eyes, mouse. You know light and shadows on your face tell me whether they’re open or closed.”

The love in his deep voice came from the depths of him. It encircled her body to warm her—protect her from all danger. It encouraged not to give in to fear. Slowly, she did as he ordered, and opened her eyes.

“Now look down, Amalie. See what I see every time I breathe you in. See what I see when I hear you whimper with need or sing that siren song I love so much. See why my heart and body craves you. All of you, sweetheart. I need your heart, your body, your touch, all of you.”

“Please mo ghràdh, you’re—”

“No more hiding, Amalie. The cat is showing you why you’re the most exquisite creature God has ever made. And he made you for me, mouse. He gave you a beauty that is as lovely as your warm, courageous, loving heart, and every time I worship your beautiful body, I thank God that I have you.”