“My father had an inclination for maps,” she explained. “I spent many an hour with him teaching me where everything was.”
A pang shot through her chest as she said that. It was one of the few ways she had discovered to be close to her father. He loved talking about maps and would let her sit on his lap as he taught her all about them.
“A fond memory, I am sure,” Argyle replied.
Caroline nodded, feeling tears threaten to form in her suddenly stinging eyes. She cleared her throat as a way to push them back and took a step toward Argyle.
“I am afraid, though, that His Grace has already retired for the evening, has he not?” she said, returning to the matter at hand.
Argyle frowned.
“He has? Strange. He often keeps late hours in his study,” the man murmured. “Well,” he sighed. “No matter. I shall put this on his desk so that he may have it in the morning.”
“I can put it there for you,” she quickly offered, not wanting to risk losing her chance to snoop through Damien’s study. “I was heading there anyway to borrow a book.”
The lie came out quick and smooth, and Caroline wagered that if she were a better woman, she would feel bad about it. However, years of silence and investigation with Elara into Evander’s disappearance had taken its toll on her, and now lying felt as natural as breathing. At least about certain things.
“Oh, no, I really should take it myself,” Argyle insisted. “His Grace would have my head if he knew I treated you as a mere messenger.”
“Oh, do not be silly,” Caroline urged with a sweet smile. “He does not have to know that it was I who put this on his desk.”
Though Argyle still looked unsure, he returned her smile a second later and handed the portfolio to her.
“Thank you, Your Grace. You are most kind,” he replied.
“And you are most welcome,” she responded. “Good night, Argyle.”
“Good night, Your Grace,” he returned with a bow.
Caroline waited until Argyle disappeared around the corner, then flipped the portfolio over. She tsked her tongue as she found it was sealed with wax, making it impossible for her to open it without evidence of her snooping.
“It is fine,” she whispered to herself, tucking the portfolio under her arm. “Surely there are other letters with their seals already broken.”
With her determination renewed, Caroline continued on her way to Damien’s study and was relieved when she found the door unlocked. She turned the handle, expecting to find the room dark and empty; however, as she opened the door, she found neither to be true.
Her mouth dropped open, taken aback as she took in the sight before her. The room was lit by various oil lamps, and Damien, in fact, was not in his bedchamber as she had thought, but instead was in his chair. His head was leaning back onto the headrest, his amber eyes closed, and his handsome face a mask of pleasure.
It was not his face that caught her attention, but his hand. It was slowly stroking up and down the hardened shaft of his manhood, and seeing this instantly made her body react. It looked so different from the way it had when he was in the lake. She had only glimpsed his member once, and it had hung low, pale, and thick between his muscled thighs. Now, however, it appeared thicker, longer, and erect. Curious veins ran along his deep reddish-purple length, making her mouth start to water.Her lower belly tightened, and something warm and wet spread between her legs as she became fascinated with how he stroked himself.
“Caroline,” he breathed, his back arching as his fist tightened around the dark purple, engorged head of his shaft.
Surprise and satisfaction flooded her at once, followed quickly by another shot of desire.
He is thinking about me?
Transfixed by the sight of him this way, Caroline drew her fingers up to her mouth, nibbling at the tips as her mind exploded with filthy, wonderful thoughts that she had never had before.
Seeing him naked at the pond had been a shock. Every bare inch of him was on display for her to see. Yet now, he was fully clothed, save for his manhood that he had freed from his breeches, and somehow, that was just as alluring as seeing him nude.
“Caroline,” he moaned this time, louder and deeper as his hand began to move faster.
I should leave! What am I doing?
She squeezed her thighs together tightly as another gush of warmth released from her core, and she moved her arm around her waist as if it could stop another one. She should not be there. She should not be watching this. Yet as she moved her arm, the portfolio she had completely forgotten about slipped from under her arm and fell to the floor with a soft thud.
Caroline froze, but as Damien’s amber eyes snapped open and focused on her, she felt a wave of molten heat soothe her rigidstature. She expected him to yell, to berate her for invading his privacy. Instead, a slow, wicked smile spread across his lips, and he gave his shaft another long, slow pull.
“I…” she breathed.
