Page 66 of The Beast of Ashwood Manor

I bit my lip and grinned. “I love it. And what of your last name?”

“Lockhart.” When I didn’t respond, he looked at me funny, as if I should already know. “Have you truly never known of the Lockharts? From Remsburgh?”

I thought about it for a moment, and then it came to me, and I gasped. “You’re Lord Alfred’s son!” When he nodded, I went on, “I’ve only ever heard my mother mention the Lockharts in passing. I never paid attention to her talks with others.”

“I hope my father is well.” He frowned.

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you if he is or not,” I said, averting my eyes, wishing I’d listened more to my mother when she talked about the Lockharts. “I’m sorry.”

Gil smiled at me and brushed my hair back, and I ran his name over in my mind.

Gilbert Lockhart.

I wondered what it would sound like next to my own.Cale Lockhart.I wasn’t sure if it fit or not.

“And what about you, my sweet?” Gil moved me over onto my back and leaned over me, his face close to mine. “Did your mother intend to name you after a plant to eat?”

I laughed and covered my face with my hands. Peeking through my fingers at him, I muttered, “My mother is very in tune with nature.”

“Ah, yes, medicines and such.” He moved my hands away. “Did she give you that charm you wear around your neck?”

“Of course.” I picked up the moon charm. “Infused with herbs, so she says. All folly.” I smiled sleepily at him, realizing I might have revealed too much, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Do you have any siblings?”

“I’m the only one.”

“And does your mother know you let strange men into your bed at night?” Gil grabbed me, and I reacted, moving my hips.

“She knew.” I smiled. “And she didn’t care.”

“Good.” His lips grazed mine, and I held him close, pressing my lips against his.

I was very much sore from the night before, so I didn’t mind this. He seemed to know, only paying attention to my cock and nether regions. His mouth found my nipple, and I pressed him against me, wanting to feel his tongue there. His eyes cut up to me as he nipped at my skin, his hand still stroking me.

Then he moved down, removing the blankets, and while the cold shook me, I didn’t care as long as his lips were on me and his hands were touching me. He grabbed my hips as he laid down and kissed the insides of my thighs.

My eyes closed as he took me into his mouth, sucking generously, devouring me whole.

“Gil,” I groaned, thrusting into his mouth. My hands squeezed the muscles in his forearms as he held me, as his palms smoothed over my stomach.

I noticed how dirty his hands were. No, they were stained. From dirt, no doubt. There was a bit of red there, too. What exactly did he do in the woods when he hunted? Surely he didn’t just find forest animals. If such a defense was necessary at the manor to keep us safe, and creatures were well within proximity to attack as the one did yesterday, surely there were other beings he had to take down.

The thought made me think of my dream, of him becoming lost within Ashwood and me trying to find him.

I grabbed him, making sure he was real, opening my eyes to see he was truly here in the moment, pleasuring me. Not because he needed release himself, but because hewantedto. He wantedme,and that alone made my heart leap with something. Joy? Love?

Could it be?

This newfound discovery made me want to tell him, but a part of me was afraid. Even so, I opened my mouth to say the words, but instead, I felt my body stiffen, and I voiced my pleasure as I spilled. Not into his hand or on myself, but against his tongue. Yes, he was swallowing me whole, my seed filling his mouth.

My fingers tightened in his hair, and I held him there as my body convulsed with the remaining tremors of what I had just done. My eyes closed as I gave in to such pleasure.

I leaned my head back and sighed as I felt his mouth still on my cock. Then he slid off the tip with a smack, and when I looked down at him, he licked his lips and gazed up at me seductively.

“You . . . didn’t have to do that,” I whispered.

“I wanted to. You taste sweet, a little tart.”

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