Page 38 of Tempted
As Patrick lay sprawled between them to catch his breath, they plied him with drink. He assessed Kat with heavy-lidded eyes. Her hair was a darker gold than her sister’s, and her belly wasn’t nearly so rounded. He decided he hadn’t had such a fine piece in months.
Kat dipped her finger into the alcohol flavored with caraway and painted the head of Patrick’s cock. As it started to rise again, she dipped her head between his legs and licked him, giggling, “Now I know why they call it liquor.”
He groaned. Christ, was he dreaming, or had he died and gone to Heaven? “My angels.” He sighed softly, closing his eyes.
The two sisters exchanged meaningful looks across the bared body of the Earl of Arran’s heir.
The moment Tina returned to the hall she was claimed by Lord Howard. She gave a little sigh of relief knowing she would be perfectly safe in his hands and allowed him to lead her off for a dance. At first she thought she was imagining it, but as his hands became more and more playful, she knew it was not her imagination.
He held her much too close as his hand caressed her bottom. Tina was loath to make another scene, so she said pointedly, “There is Lady Howard. You must have the next dance with your wife.”
He chuckled. “My wife gives all her attention to the younger men, hoping to lure husbands for our six daughters. Younger men, however, do not have the skill and experience of a mature man.” He bent toward her ear. “We make much better lovers.”
Howard was hot for the beautiful young redhead. He thought to follow the king and take a Kennedy lass for his mistress.
Tina’s steps faltered. “My Lord Howard, I promised to look after Meggie Campbell. I really must go.”
He looked down at her with a most understanding and indulgent smile. “What a fool I am. You are reluctant because you are still a little virgin, aren’t you?”
Tina was shocked enough to blurt, “Yes, I am!”
He gave her a quick kiss upon the lips and whispered, “I’ll let you go this time. But when you have lost your little cherry, come back to your uncle Howard and let him teach you all the refinements.”
This time Tina ran from the hall. There wasn’t a man who lived and breathed who wasn’t ruled by his prick! Apparently Englishmen were as lecherous as Scots.
* * *
The next morning, Valentina, thinking there was safety in numbers, joined a merry group who decided to ride abroad. They wouldn’t have much of a gallop in the grounds atop Castle Rock, but fresh air and exercise would be welcome after the dark chambers inside the ancient fortalice.
The king joined Tina and Janet Kennedy inside the long stables and insisted upon saddling the ladies’ horses himself. He ran an appreciative hand over Tina’s damson-colored Barbary. “She’s a rare beauty,” he enthused. James had as keen an eye for a filly as he had for a woman.
“Thank you, sire.” Tina beamed.
He lifted her into the sidesaddle with his own hands, and Tina was quite breathless to be shown such gallantry by the king himself. He brought Janet’s mare from its box-stall, and Tina, eyeing her cousin’s fashionable riding clothes with envy, said, “My habit is sadly out of style.”
Janet lifted the hem of Tina’s cream riding skirt and tore open the small slit all the way up the seam so that Tina’s lacy black stockings and garters showed daringly. “Voilà! Now you are up-to-the-minute.”
Tina laughed down at her, knowing they were sisters under the skin. She raised her eyes as a tall figure approached. “There you are, Patrick. I feared you would stay abed all morning. His Highness had to saddle my mare for me.”
Patrick flushed and murmured a profuse apology. Tina walked her Barbary out into the pale sunshine of the castle courtyard to give the men space to saddle up the other horses. She had not ridden thirty yards when she came face to face with Ramsay Douglas.
He stared in disbelief when he saw the mare upon which he had set his heart being ridden by the spoiled Kennedy bitch. A red mist of rage almost blinded him. He knew exactly how she had come to be in possession of his property. The fucking Gypsy had gone directly from the knife contest with him to steal his prize mare and bestow it upon his fancy piece. He snatched the bridle with a firm hand and ordered, “Dismount!”
The exotic filly’s tail stood straight up, and she danced nervously sideways. Tina looked down into the murderous pewter eyes and raised her riding crop.
Ram’s lips curved downward as he saw her intent, and he wrenched the crop from her fingers—but not before it had reopened the gash upon his cheekbone.
“Take your filthy hands off my Indigo, Hotspur!” she ordered icily.
“Your Indigo?” he repeated incredulously, his eyes raking her shamefully displayed legs and garters. “This horse is mine, stolen from me by your Gypsy lover!” He flung the riding crop from his hand and reached up to drag her from the saddle.
The riding crop hit Archibald Kennedy, Earl of Cassillis, across the chest, and he confronted Douglas with exploding rage. “Ye reiving borderer! I knew it was ye lifted ma horses, ye thievin’ whoreson! I suspected ye from the first, and now here’s the proof the king needed.”
James Stewart, Janet Kennedy, and Patrick Hamilton emerged from the stables to overhear the quarrel. Valentina stood between the two men, who were ready to murder each other. When Ram Douglas pushed her aside, Patrick Hamilton sprang forward, drawing his rapier. Douglas swung around, instantly unsheathing his sword before he saw the king.
The Earl of Cassillis snatched up the bridle of the excited filly, which was now rolling her large eyes in a frenzied panic. “Yer Grace, here is the very special mare I intended as a gift before the thieving Douglas lifted her from under my nose.”
James Stewart was furious at his brawling, uncivilized nobles. He glared at the savage Douglas and Hamilton until they sheathed their weapons. He refused to bandy words with them before the ladies—in fact, he did not trust himself to even speak with them at the moment. But deal with them he would. He took the lovely animal and gentled it with a firm hand and a soft voice. Then he stepped forward and placed the reins into Tina’s hand. “Lady Valentina, please accept my gift to you. None other could grace the lovely creature as well as you, my dear.” He turned to Janet. “Ladies, please take your ride. I have some pressing business.”
