Wicked Temptation Read online

  Pru was well aware of that. She missed Jocey’s company and her friend’s counsel very much, would have liked to talk to the other woman regarding her own recent behavior with Titus. Sensual behavior Titus seemed to feel his friends also indulged in. Pru now wondered if it had happened to Jocey too, and if so, how her friend felt about it.

  Without her sister or her friend to confide in or give advice as to how she ought to proceed, Pru had taken to acting purely on instinct.

  That instinct now told her the possibility of Titus pleasuring her again later tonight would aid in preventing her from causing a scene or any embarrassment during this evening spent at the Duke of Stonewell’s home.

  As Romney, damn him, intended it should.

  “How is your investigation progressing?” she murmured as they disposed of their outer garments into the butler’s care before being shown to the drawing room.

  “Slowly.” Titus’s effort to retrace the steps of the initial investigation was proving more difficult than he would have wished. Partly because he was unsure as to whom he could trust, necessitating he deal with the matter himself, and also because he did not wish Stonewell or anyone else to know of his private investigations. “Nor will we discuss this again here,” he added as their hostess came forward to greet them the moment the butler announced them.

  “How lovely to see you again, Romney.” Angelique Sinclair gave Titus a warm kiss on his unscarred cheek. “And the lovely Lady Prudence. We so appreciate you putting aside your mourning for one evening so that you might join us for dinner.”

  Titus easily felt Pru’s gloved hand tense as it rested on his forearm.

  “I shall never cease mourning my sister, ma’am,” she answered the other woman tautly.

  The duchess blinked at her vehemence. “I meant no offense by the remark, my dear.” She gave Pru’s arm a squeeze before releasing her. “I only wished to convey my pleasure in seeing you here this evening with our darling Titus.”

  Pru was unsure whether to be more offended by Angelique Sinclair’s remark concerning her sister’s death or the proprietary claim she had made on Titus’s friendship. Either way, Pru did not know how to answer the other woman without, as Titus had requested she did not, misbehaving.

  “Romney and Lady Prudence!” The Duke of Stonewell strode across the room to join them, a polite smile curving his sculpted lips and giving a less severe appearance to his austere features. “You are the last of our guests to arrive,” he continued once the social pleasantries of bowing and curtseying had been satisfied. “I’ll introduce you to everyone else.”

  Pru felt a little shy as the duke took her and Titus about the room and introduced her to four more of The Sinners and their wives. All of The Sinners were extremely handsome gentlemen, their wives women with whom Pru was acquainted but did not know intimately.

  Four women who, like her, had been suspected of treason.

  And a fifth, the duchess, who must surely be that traitor?

  “And I believe you both know my mother-in-law, Lady Jacqueline Kingston, and Lord Cedric Holmes.” The duke introduced an older couple standing beside one of the bay windows.

  Lady Jacqueline was an older and slightly faded version of her red-haired daughter, and a lady known in Society for her eccentricities. She had a habit of making completely inappropriate remarks while in company, as well as gadding about the town unaccompanied by a maid or companion.

  Pru recognized Lord Holmes, a gray-haired and portly gentleman, but she did not recall ever having spoken to him before.

  Nevertheless, Pru greeted them both politely before her attention was distracted by the butler offering her a glass of sherry from a silver tray.

  She was barely aware of sipping the sweetness as she shut out the inanely twittering conversation of Lady Jacqueline in favor of once again turning her attention to studying The Sinners and their wives:

  The Duke of Wolferton and his duchess, Beatrix.

  The Duke of Huntley and his duchess, Isabella.

  The Marquis of Deveril and his marchioness, Lady Alys.

  The Earl of Carlton and his countess, Lady Heather.

  Was it possible one of those ladies had been wrongly cleared of committing treason?

  Or that, as Titus now suspected, it might be that none of the eight ladies under suspicion was guilty.

  Titus had been quite right to caution Pru in regard to confronting the Duchess of Stonewell and accusing her of the deed without proof of her guilt. Better to wait until after Titus had completed his own investigations before—

  “Your staring is bordering on rudeness,” Romney cautioned beside her softly.

  Pru gave him an irritated frown, at the same time noting that Lady Jacqueline and Lord Holmes had moved away during her distraction and were now standing across the room talking to the Earl of Carlton and his wife. Possibly because Pru had ignored them both after the initial introductions.

  “I am simply observing the other guests while sipping my glass of sherry,” she dismissed.

  “And imagining each and every one of the ladies as being guilty of treason,” he acknowledged grimly.

  “Yes,” she admitted with a grimace. “But I am also wondering… Do you suppose that Lady Jacqueline and Lord Homes are lovers?” She had observed a certain…intimacy, between the older couple.

  He nodded. “Much to Stonewell’s disgust.”

  “He does not approve of the friendship?”

  He chuckled. “I do not think he will mind quite so much if the affair results in marriage and the removal of his mother-in-law from his home.”

  “I am pleased to see you are now smiling rather than scowling as you were when we discussed the subject of sexual practices earlier,” she teased.

  Titus had been scowling earlier because after their conversation on sexual practices, he would much rather have carried Pru off in his carriage and ravished her until she cried out her release, again and again. With the knowledge of a long and tedious evening ahead of him, he now deeply regretted not having done exactly that.

  Pru was far from the most classically beautiful woman he had ever seen. Definitely not the most charming! Nor were her slightly rounded curves in the least fashionable. But Titus knew he desired Pru as he had desired no other woman. Quite possibly, he might even be falling in love with her.

  He had no experience of the emotion, beyond observing the loving affection of the other Sinners and their wives. Perhaps with the exception of Stonewell, who was polite to his young wife but did not seem to share the same intimacy of manner with his duchess as his other friends.

  Titus’s parents had not married for love but for title and wealth, his mother the former and his father the latter. They had grown to like and respect each other over time, and Titus had never had reason to doubt their love for him, but their marriage was not a love match. Consequently, he had not grown up in a household where affection was openly given or received. Had been taught that duty to one’s family and the Crown was of more importance.

  He had met the other Sinners at boarding school, and over time, the eight of them had formed an alliance which held precedence over any and all other relationships. A brotherly loyalty might best describe that friendship, he believed.

  Love for a woman was not something Titus had any personal experience of.

  He had no idea if that was what he now felt for Pru.

  But whatever his feelings for her were, he felt honor bound to protect her. From herself, if necessary. “Will you at least try to enjoy this evening as merely a pleasant time spent with my closest friends?” he prompted gently.

  “Does that mean you wish me to cease my speculations regarding the relationship between Lady Jacqueline and Lord Holmes?” Pru’s eyes now glowed with humor as she looked across the room to where that lady’s loud conversation with her daughter, and the duchess’s attempts to calm her, showed the effects of the older lady having helped herself to a second glass of sherry.

  Titus grimaced. “Lad
y Jacqueline has lived with Stonewell and Angelique since the beginning of their marriage and is, I believe, the bane of Nik’s existence. He does not say much about the situation out of loyalty to his wife, but it is clear his mother-in-law becomes more eccentric by the day. She even managed to set fire to the library here several months ago when she fell asleep in a chair reading a book and knocked over a candle while sleeping.”

  Pru’s eyes widened. “After what happened to us, are you sure it was an accident?”

  He nodded. “An empty decanter of brandy was found on the table beside her. She was, to put it mildly, more than a little drunk when the incident happened.”

  “Poor lady,” Pru sympathized.

  Titus gave a snort. “Poor Nik.”

  Pru turned to face him. “Will you be seated next to me at dinner, do you suppose?”

  “Why?” Titus became guarded at this sudden turn of subject.

  She linked her arm through one of his. “Because I should like it very much if you were.”

  Which did nothing to alleviate Titus’s wariness. “Why?”

  Pru laughed softly. “For the very reason that it is obviously worrying you not to know what my motives are!”

  “Minx.”

  She maintained a sweet and insincere smile. “Tease.”

  He did exactly that. “I thought you told me in the carriage earlier you had decided not to like me again?”

  “I don’t,” Pru answered lightly.

  And truthfully.

  Because some time in the last few days, Pru had come to realize her true feelings for this man. She was in love with Titus Covington, Viscount Romney. That she had, in all probability, been in love with him for several months.

  A man who did not completely trust her, even though he made no secret of the fact he desired her.

  Chapter 7

  Over the many courses of the dinner that followed, Titus learned what a true tease was.

  It was having the woman you desired above all others putting her hand upon your thigh beneath the table as you attempted, and failed, to eat your dinner.

  It was having that same woman give you an innocently sweet smile whilst doing it.

  Having her fingers lightly caress along the length of your inner thigh.

  The latter while she was conversing politely with Lord Cedric Holmes, seated on her other side.

  Titus gave a groan as those marauding fingers now stroked lightly over his balls as the dessert dishes were cleared away.

  “Are you quite well, Titus?” asked Lady Heather Smythe, the Countess of Carlton, who was seated at his other side.

  He clamped his thighs together, effectively trapping Pru’s hand between them. “Quite well, thank you.” He nodded to the countess. “How is young Ralph?” he enquired after the lady’s five-year-old son, knowing Heather and Carlton were both besotted with the young heir.

  Heather leaned forward to confide, “About to have a brother or sister come the spring.”

  “Oh, that is good news,” Titus said warmly. “Maxim must be pleased.”

  “Very.”

  “You—” Titus gave another strangled groan as those fingers trapped between his thighs began to wriggle, no doubt in a bid for freedom, but instead succeeded in stimulating his balls even further.

  “Are you sure you are feeling well, Titus?” Heather frowned her concern.

  “It is probably a touch of indigestion.” Pru leaned forward to answer the other woman. “I believe it is a fairly common malady amongst middle-aged gentlemen.”

  Titus choked on the sip of wine he had just taken.

  Pru released her hand from his now relaxed thighs to give him several pats on his back. “Poor dear, the drinking of wine also seems to be becoming a problem for you.” Wicked humor glinted in her eyes as she looked at him with feigned innocence.

  Titus’s narrowed gaze promised retribution. “If you will excuse us, Heather?” He pushed back his chair and rose to his feet. “The ladies will be retiring very soon while the gentlemen enjoy brandy and cigars, but I believe I should benefit more from taking a stroll on the terrace. Lady Prudence shall accompany me,” he added in a tone that brooked no argument.

  How Pru stopped herself from laughing out loud at the expression of indignant umbrage on Romney’s face, she did not know. Instead, she continued to smile brightly as she stood to place her gloved hand on the arm he held out to her. She was aware of the interest of his friends and their wives as she accompanied him to the doors leading out onto the terrace.

  Romney barely waited until the door had closed behind them before turning to face Pru. “Middle-aged?” he accused, eyes glittering darkly in the moonlight. “You think of me as middle-aged?”

  “Well…you are fifteen years older than me,” she reasoned, her arm dropping back to her side.

  “That is because you are very young,” he bit out. “I am in the prime of life, damn it!”

  She winkled her nose as she pretended to give the claim thought. “But surely, if we are to believe the allotted ‘three score years and ten,’ then thirty-five is middle aged?”

  Romney looked as if he was about to explode. “Do you really believe I am so old, I cannot have a cock-stand whenever I choose?”

  Her cheeks warmed. “I seem to recall feeling a definite bulge in your breeches earlier.”

  “A bulge in—?” He glared his disapproval. “Pru, you are becoming positively unmanageable!”

  “You are the one who took it upon himself to wake me from my stupor of grief.”

  “And it is something I am seriously starting to regret.”

  She took a step closer. “Do you wish to manage me?”

  “I wish to do more than that,” he rasped. “Indeed, I believe I shall do so.” He grasped her wrist and dragged her down the steps into the garden.

  There were several lamps alight to illuminate the garden. “Where are we going?” Pru voiced her concern as Romney pulled her off the stone pathway.

  “There is a rose arbor through here.” He dragged her through several bushes toward where another lamp glowed in a trellised arbor. “It is still within hearing of the house if anyone should come looking for us, but private enough for what I have in mind.”

  Pru quickly learned exactly what he had in mind, as Romney sat on the stone bench seat within the arbor before throwing her facedown across his thighs. “My bottom is still tender from the last time you spanked me,” she protested as he threw up her skirts.

  He pulled down her drawers. “I do not recall saying I intended spanking you.” His fingers moved between her parted thighs, dipping into the wetness there before he began to stroke the hardened nubbin above.

  “Titus!” Pru’s groan was a cross between protest and a plea for more as those merciless fingers continued to alternately stroke and squeeze that nubbin.

  “I intend to pleasure you until you come,” he stated firmly as he stroked her nubbin at the same time as his other hand slid inside the bodice of her gown and those fingers began to squeeze and flick one of her hardened nipples. “Perhaps then you will concede that with maturity comes experience.”

  Pru was now fully aware of what Romney meant by come for him. It was a response she was unable to stop as his duel assault on her senses brought her quickly to a body-shaking climax. “How shall I ever go back into the house and face your friends, when surely they must know what we are doing out here?” she groaned as Romney pulled her drawers back into place before easing her down until she knelt between his parted thighs.

  He gave a snort. “I have no intention of going back into the house just yet.” He unfastened his breeches, and his cock instantly sprang free of its confinement.

  Pru stared. Long and wide, with thickened veins running along its length, a tiny pearl drops of liquid escaping the slit in its bulbous tip, it was every bit the cock-stand Romney had claimed was at his command.

  “Suck it,” he requested gruffly.

  “Suck it?” Pru was unsure as to whether that b
ulbous top would even fit between her parted lips.

  He nodded. “You seemed to have no trouble discussing the subject earlier.”

  “Talking about it and doing are two completely different things.”

  “Did your books not illustrate sucking a man’s cock?”

  “Well. Yes.”

  “Actions have consequences, Pru, and my arousal is completely the result of our earlier conversation and your outrageous behavior during dinner.”

  Pru moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, unable to take her fascinated gaze from his still-thickening length. “I do not know… I am unsure… Pictures are not the same at all as having a warm and very large cock presented to me.”

  “Then I shall instruct you on what to do.” Romney’s voice was gentle but uncompromising.

  Not that Pru wished him to relent. Indeed, her mouth was salivating at the mere thought of taking his burgeoning cock between her lips. “Like this?” She leaned forward to lick those dewy drops from his cockhead.

  Titus groaned at the flick of Pru’s tongue against his straining flesh. He very quickly decided she needed no instruction from him as she thoroughly licked the head of his cock free of pre-cum before parting her lips and taking that bulbous top fully into the heat of her mouth and began to suck and lick with an enthusiasm that almost caused him to release with the lack of control of a callow youth.

  “Slower.” He placed his hands about the back of her head in order to control her up and down movements as she took his cock deeply into her mouth before slowly rising back up to the tip. “Like that.” He slid farther down on the bench seat to allow her better access and thrust his cock to the back of her throat. “Exactly like that,” he groaned a few minutes later as he felt that familiar tingle at the base of his spine as indication he was about to release. “I shall come in a moment. It is your choice whether or not you take my cum into your mouth or I spill into my handkerchief.”

  Pru had so far acted purely on that instinct which seemed to take hold whenever she and Titus were intimate together, but she had never seen a man’s release, had no idea how much of this cum he was talking about. But she was more than a little curious to find out.