Page 79 of Scandalous: Family Ties and Spies

“I don’t know what will make you believe me when I tell you how every inch of your exquisite body pleases me—arouses me. But no matter how long it takes, Amalie. One day, you’re going to see what I see. I’m going to teach you to love yourself, so you never hesitate to share what I crave from you.”

His tongue flicked over a stiff nipple, before abrading her flesh with his teeth then nipping at it. A low moan escaped her, and he smiled as he repeated the move with her other breast. Continuing his way downward, the silken taste of her brushed against his mouth until his nose caught the potent scent of her desire. He smiled against her belly as his lips continued downward, his voice a low thundering sound of desire.

“So, beginning tomorrow night, I intend to do exactly what you demanded when you barged into my room earlier. I intend to fuck you until you scream my name over and over again.”

“Oh dear Lord.” Amalie trembled against his lips as his mouth placed small kisses on her skin, and his fingers stroked the outer edges of plump folds that were already slick with desire.

“And do you know what I’m going to do tomorrow night after I make ye sob my name, my adorable little country mouse?” She jumped as he slid one finger into her, and then a second. The whimper that escaped her wasn’t a word, but he saw her head shake in a fierce move.

“I’m going to do what I’ve wanted to do for weeks, Amalie. I’m going to fuck you repeatedly until my cock refuses to harden, which I can assure you, my sweetly curved mouse, will be so many times, you won’t be able to crawl out of bed the following morning because you’ll need your rest for another a night of pleasure. Until then, you’ll have to be satisfied with just my touch.”

His fingers reached a sensitive spot, and his wife whimpered before a shudder rippled through her. A moment later, the siren’s call became a keening cry of rapture. It was one of the most beautiful sounds he’d ever heard.

§ § §

Valeran sat in his usual spot inside The Black Horse. The barkeep had barely set an ale in front of him, when Ellerbie sidled up next to him.

“I was beginning to wonder if ye’d fallen ill, friend. I haven’t seen you at Maud’s for two days now.”

Taking a sip of his beer, he turned his head to study the gray shadowed contours of the bastard’s face. The man shifted slightly, as if uncomfortable, and Valeran took a drink of ale as he raised his eyebrows at the man.

“I had business outside of the city,” he said quietly.

“Then I guess you’ve been missing Maud’s thighs.”

“Not too badly,” Valeran said with a small smile as her remembered his wife screaming his name as she’d flowed hot and sweet over his tongue earlier this evening. Beside him, Ellerbie guffawed hard.

“Ye salty dog, ye were poking another muff while ye were gone, weren’t ye?”

Fingers tightening around his glass, Valeran steeled himself not to drive his fist into the man’s face for insulting Amalie. Instead, he took a deep drink of ale as the man slapped him on the back. He grunted slightly as the impact of Ellerbie’s hand almost made him choke on the brew in his mouth. Swallowing the alcohol, he shrugged.

“Maybe.” This time he barely managed to keep from grinning as an image of Amalie’s warm, soft curves formed in his head.

“Say, ye never told me ye name. I’m Ellerbie,” the man said, as Valeran saw the black shadow of Ellerbie’s hand extended.

“Trotter,” Valeran replied as he maintained his well-practiced expression of stoicism.

Reluctantly, he forced himself to exchange a handshake with Ellerbie. He barely managed not to recoil as the man pumped his hand cheerfully. Valeran quickly pulled free of the man’s grasp. He wanted to scrub his hands to remove the man’s stench. Bile rose in his throat, and he washed it down with a large gulp of his drink.

“Here, let me buy ye a drink, Trotter. I’m celebrating tonight.” Ellerbie shouted at the barkeep to bring two more ales.

“Celebrating?”

“Aye, me luck turned a few weeks ago when I ran into me old friend, Simmons. He offered me a hundred quid to help him out, and paid me in advance. Today, he gave me another hundred pounds for more work.”

“A hundred quid?” Valeran turned his head to arch his eyebrows at Ellerbie. Was Simmons the man Billy had seen with Ellerbie outside the Princess of Prussia? Suppressing his urge to immediately ask questions, Valeran forced a smirk to his lips. “That’ll pay for a good month of muff to sink into.”

“It will at that. In fact, I might just give a run at Maud, see if a new petticoat won’t soften her up to part her legs for me.” There was a sly note in the man’s voice that made Valeran laugh. It was a mirthless sound, but Ellerbie didn’t know him well enough to realize it was a deadly one.

“You’ll have to do better than that, Ellerbie. Maud isn’t easily bought. The last piece of jewelry I bought the woman cost me near thirty quid.” His mouth curled in a tight smile as he continued with his lie. “But she parted her legs right fast enough for me later that night.”

“Bloody hell, mate. Thirty quid?” Ellerbie choked on the ale he’d been drinking. “The woman comes at a steep price, don’t she?”

“She does, but she expresses her gratitude with great enthusiasm.”

“I’ve heard she can take a man’s cock all the way down to his ballocks, then milk him like a newborn calf.”

“Indeed,” he murmured as if agreeing with the bastard.