Page 135 of Their Master

Looking into his master’s eyes was like staring into a blast furnace.

“You’ve come to ask my permission to fuck the woman carrying my child.”

Well, when you put itthatway…

“Is that it?” Smith persisted when Luke didn’t immediately respond. His tone was flat and emotionless but his smile was unlike any that Luke had ever seen. Seething and feral andterrifying.

“She is lonely, sir.” It wasn’t what he’d wanted to say, but he’d needed to saysomething.

“Is that why you would accommodate her? Out of pity?”

“No.” He didn’t hesitate with his answer. Maybe because it had been one that occurred to him, as well. Only after a great deal of self-examination had he discarded it. She had always aroused him, but only lately had his arousal been joined with a true emotional connection.

Luke inhaled deeply, opened his mouth … and then closed it.

“Say what is on your mind, Luke.”

Never had his master looked socoldlyat him.

Be a man, Luke.

“You have cast her out—of your heart and your house—do you also believe that nobody else should love her? Do you want her to be alone to punish her?”

They were the hardest words he could recall speaking and—for just a second—something flashed across Smith’s face and Luke thought perhaps he’d broken through the thick wall of reserve.

But then Smith turned and went back to his desk. “I excuse both of you of any contractual obligations you might have. You must do what you feel is best,” he said, opening the ledger on his desk.

Luke opened his mouth.

“I’ll let you show yourself out,” Mr. Smith said, putting on his reading glasses.

So, that was that.

∞∞∞

As awful as Luke had felt leaving Smith’s house, he was pleased about Moira’s reaction to his news.

“Luke!” Moira shrieked, leaping into his arms.

Luke clutched her bottom and hitched her over his hips as she covered him with kisses.

Her body drove him wild, which probably meant that something was wrong with him, because he’d never before heard of a man being aroused by a pregnant woman.

But it had been agonizing keeping his hands off her. And now he didn’t need to.

Smith’s dead gaze flashed through his mind, but he pushed it aside. Being with Moira did not diminish his love for Smith. He would simply need to make the other man see that. He could begin working on him this coming Monday.

“I want you right now, Luke,” Moira said, her voice pulling him back.

“Now? Er—” He glanced out the window.

“I don’t care if is daylight. In fact, I would prefer it; I want to see you clearly when you fuck me the first time.”

Luke’s face heated.

She gave a delighted laugh. “You are embarrassed!”

Was he? He’d shown himself to thousands of people over the years and engaged in every sort of debauchery. Could he possibly be embarrassed to have sex during broad daylight with a woman he cared for?

---