Page 62 of Black Widow

Cool air caressed her skin as he lifted her skirts, exposing her bare bottom to his touch. One hand gripped her waist as the other caressed and probed. Amelia’s hands tightened reflexively on the screen as his cock parted her heatedfolds.

Thick steel pushed past her constricted entrance. Impatient, she backed against him, urging him inside with a whimper. The sensation nearly made her scream. She had never wanted anyone or anything sobadly.

Gideon pulled her tight against him, pushing and retreating as he stroked faster and faster. Her fingers flexed on the screen and she trembled, moving mindlessly and unconsciously where heled.

Exquisite pleasure pulsed through her. She felt like one of the musical instruments being played just a few feet away. Amelia was a violin, and Gideon was a virtuoso, the master plucking at herstrings.

A swell in the music reminded her she was only a few feet from discovery. What if someone could see them through the screen? It was a heavy grill, butshecould see the ballroom. If one of the other guests focused in their direction they might be able to make out their bodies locked in an illicitembrace.

“Gideon.” Her cry was involuntary and probably much louder to her ears than it actuallywas.

Nevertheless, Gideon chuckled. “You have to be quietlove.”

That was more easily said than done. “I don’t think I can be,” she gasped and moaned when he thrust his full length into heragain.

“Then I’ll help you,” he whispered, covering her mouth with his hand and pinning her against him as he continued to plunder, the relentless drive of his hips into her sheath calling forth an answering throb of primitivejoy.

Amelia was on the edge, clinging to the screen as a sharp hunger swelled and clawed for release. Her backside moved up and down against him, totally under hiscontrol.

Relief finally came when Gideon forced her head back with the hand over her mouth. He stroked in hard twice and then ground hard against her. She shattered, her entire body throbbing and convulsing in his tighthold.

When she recovered, she found herself cradled in Gideon’s lap on a settee she hadn’t even noticed in the dim light. He’d even managed to right her clothing, but she could still feel his shaft, no longer rock hard, but still large and firm against her barebottom.

“Lady Lewin was right. Youareagladiator.”

His deep-throated chuckle sent a frisson down her spine, but it was only an echo of the thrilling and sharp euphoria of a few minutesbefore.

“Does that mean you would have been the proper Roman lady who requested my services tostud?”

She turned to him with wide eyes. “They did not dothat!”

“I assure you they did. High-ranking Roman women could pretty much do as they pleased. They were like men that way. And most of the time, the gladiator was happy to oblige. If the lady was pleased with him, she might intervene on his behalf and he wouldn’t have to fight in the arena again…although I believe men purchased gladiators with greaterfrequency.”

Amelia huffed a light laugh. “Well, of all people, I understand the men’s inclination to do so, but that they actedopenly…”

“In ancient Rome, the sexual arts were not proscribed the way they are at present. One can only hope attitudes will shift once more in the future so people can be free to love as they are wont,” he said, nuzzling at her ear. “In the meantime,yourgladiator serves his lady with discretion. I have my coach waiting on the other side of the garden wall. We can make our way through the adjoining passage and the back rooms of the house without much danger of beingseen.”

“You certainly know this housewell.”

He nodded, taking her hand to lead her out. “I was advised by a friend to become acquainted with the secrets of Mayfair homes before I went abroad. I practiced my intelligence gathering for the war department in these very ballrooms and in my clubs. What I learned served me well on thecontinent.”

With that, he led her to his coach, delivering her to her townhouse via the back alley. The kiss at the back garden door was brief, but he didn’t argue when she bid him goodnight. A little disappointed he’d let her go without a fight, she consoled herself with the lengths he was willing to go to while following the restrictions she’d imposed on theiraffair.

Of course, those restrictions hadn’t done much to quell the rumors about them. If an eccentric like Lady Lewin knew about them, then everyonedid.

Amelia sighed unhappily and prepared for bed in her room before retiring to the empty staff quarters. She had been sleeping in Carlotta’s narrow little room for the past few weeks. It wasn’t the most comfortable of situations, but it made her feel moresecure.

Gideon would laugh if he could see her in this rickety little bed. He certainly couldn’t join her here. Thenagain…

She fell asleep, remembering each of the inventive ways the earl had made love to her all over town. It would not be wise to underestimatehim.

Loud knocking and footsteps played at the edge of her consciousness. Someone shook her by the arm. “Amelia, wakeup!”

Groggily, she shifted and cracked her eyelids open. “Gideon? What are you doinghere?”

Oh, dear God.Something had happened. “Is it Crispin? Or Mr. Clarke?” she asked, her heart in hermouth.

“No, they are meeting us at Flint House. Hurry, you need to getdressed.”

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