Page 6 of The Queen's Knights

They evidently haven’t been privy to his file, but it isn’t my place to explain Percy’s particular flavor of sexuality. Casey’s comment about his feelings for me leaves a warm feeling in my belly. I kind of adore him too. Did my invitation to participate tonight really have more meaning to him than I thought?

The man in question appears while I’m pondering that, slipping silently into the room from a side door and coming up to my chair to squeeze my shoulder.

“You ready to go?” he asks.

“More than ready. I’m exhausted,” I say. When I rise, he takes the teacup from my hand and places it on a tray nearby, then grabs my jacket and holds it up for me to slip into. I catch Casey’s single raised eyebrow and sly smile, as if she’s silently telling me,“See, I told you.”

I choose to ignore the suggestive look, because if it’s true, I don’t think I’m equipped to do anything about it anyway.

But it weighs on me when Percy brings the car around to the front and opens my door for me. He’s always been a perfect gentleman, so I’ve always assumed his mannerisms were just him doing his job. Except the memory of his touch tonight slips unbidden into my mind—the way he pressed sensuous kisses to the side of my throat at my invitation, the way he reverently cupped and teased my breasts. My nipples harden at the thought, which spurs more memories from the night, of the other man and how delicious his tongue felt between my legs, of how eager Percy was to suck him off and how enthusiastically he carried out that task.

We arrive back at my brownstone and proceed with our usual routines like a married couple, except he slips into my downstairs guest room—which has beenhisroom for months now—while I head up to my second-floor bedroom.

I lie awake for too long replaying the evening, aroused, yet disinterested in my vibrator, because I can’t stop thinking of the very handsome, attentive man sleeping just below.

Heart in my throat, I slip out of bed and put on my robe, then quietly head downstairs.

ChapterFive

Gwen

Light seeps from under Percy’s door, so I knock lightly.

“Percy? Can we talk?”

He doesn’t answer, but I hear footsteps, then the door swings open to reveal him wearing only a pair of flannel PJ bottoms. The aroma of spicy bodywash wafts off him, and for the first time ever, I’m overwhelmed by the sheer size andmalenessof him. Somehow he’s even bigger, half-dressed like this. He always remains fully clothed during our scenes.

“What’s up?” he asks, his voice low as if afraid to wake someone up, even though we’re the only ones here.

“I … um … can’t sleep. I keep thinking about tonight. Can we talk about it?”

He regards me a second, then looks over his shoulder, hesitating. “Do you want to come in, or would you rather talk in the den?”

“In your room is fine,” I say, not sure it matters where we have the conversation until I realize the only seating option in his room is on his bed, but it’s too late now.

He gestures to the king-sized bed and I walk over, climbing onto the end to face him while he sits against his pillows, knees bent with his forearms resting on top. I see a leatherbound journal splayed face-down on his bedside table, a pen on top.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt. I figured you might be asleep.”

“I don’t sleep until you do.”

“H-How do you know?”

He clears his throat and reaches for his phone. “It’s only for your safety. You did give me permission in the contract you signed,” he says, swiping to an app, then showing it to me. It looks like a fitness app, but I realize it has my name at the top and displays my sleep patterns going back several months. Ever since we first met.

“You’ve been spying on my sleep?” I’m incredulous, but he just shrugs and gives me a direct look.

“You know everything there is to know about me; I know Chloe shared my file with you. She shared yours with me too. You really should read the fine print of your contracts more carefully.”

I vaguely remember a set of clauses that gave him permission to do what he saw fit to ensure my safety, within reason. It’s weird, but oddly comforting knowing he takes his job seriously enough to go to these lengths.

I sigh and hand his phone back. “It’s not an issue. But I want to make sure tonight isn’t an issue for you. What I asked you to do… You could have said no.”

“I didn’t want to say no. Gwen, if you ever ask me to do something I don’t want to do, I’ll tell you. That’s how these kinds of arrangements work.”

“You make it sound like you’re my submissive.”

He lifts an eyebrow and smiles. “Aren’t I?”

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