Page 58 of Tamed for Her Pleasure

I bite my lower lip, thinking it over. “I’m not sure,” I say. “He does favor my silk gowns.”

“Oh, yes, my lady,” she says, grinning broadly. “I have noticed as much.”

I am not one for blushing, but my cheeks gain a little heat. Alfred is not a man to be deterred when he has a mind to rutting... And his mind is on rutting most of the time. I’m sure the servants gossip about us. But I have long since ceased to care. I know they are often up to mischief themselves, sneakinginto little alcoves and places that they probably shouldn’t to enjoy a tryst between chores.

So long as they get their work done and are discreet about it, it is fine by me.

Rapid footsteps ring out in the corridor beyond before a breathless Wendle comes to a skittering stop beside the open door, grinning from ear to ear. “Alfred is on his way up!”

Evie emits a squeal and claps her hands together. “Oh, I’m so excited!”

“Quickly, Wendle, Evie, help me gather these spares!”

Both of them are laughing wildly as they leap to assist, and, arms laden, they exit the door, closing it as they go.

I have donned a pretty silk gown this morning, but resting over the bottom of the bed is a scandalous barbarian hide dress.

He is on his way, and I don’t have the luxury of time to debate this more. This has all been planned meticulously. The goods arrived two days ago. I had to hide them, waiting for an opportunity for him to be away long enough for me to implement my plan.

Now it is upon me, I am assaulted by nerves. He loves my gowns, but...

There is no reason why there should not be variety in one’s life, is there?

I tug the little bows on my day gown undone. It slips off my shoulders to pool at my feet. Next come stockings and underthings. Gathering the lot in my arms, I take them to my dressing room and toss them in, then resolutely shut the door.

My heart is thumping out of my chest as I take the dress from the end of the bed, and hold the strange and soft material in my hands. It is a fawn brown color and feels foreign to me as I pull it over my head. There are leather laces at the front, and when I pull it closed, it pumps and squeezes my breasts together. Alfredis a little obsessed with my breasts, and I believe he will like this very much.

I am busy admiring myself in the mirror, turning this way and that, and not at all ready, when the door swings open and Alfred strides in.

The bed is the first thing he sees, as it is closer to the door.

I hold my breath as he steps into the room in a daze, the door swinging shut behind him with a thud. He stares at it for a long while before he blinks several times like it might disappear.

Finally he swallows.

I am frozen in place, but maybe I make a sound, for his head suddenly swings to the side where I am standing.

A mask comes down over his expression, and his nostrils flare.

It is all heat. And it is all for me.

I fight to keep the stupid grin off my face. I give into the need to preen before him and run my hands down my body to straighten out imaginary kinks in the skirt, which scandalously stops above my knees.

“Where did you get all this?” He makes a sweeping gesture with his arm to encompass both me and the bed.

“Your brother,” I admit. “I believe he fleeced me.” I shrug. “I believe I do not care.”

He throws his head back and laughs, and how I love that sound. “Aye, I love that bastard well. Bet it put a smile on his face when you asked him for this.”

My impatience gets the better of me. I pop out one hip and take a deep breath to lift my breasts in my best attempt at an alluring pose. “What do you think? Do you like it?”

“Like it? I fucking love it. It is going to be my greatest pleasure to peel you out of it.”

I believe my plan has worked just fine.

Chapter Twenty

Alfred

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