Page 25 of The Wolf Queen’s Curse

“Gods, you are beautiful,” he says. Then he grabs my skirts and lifts them to my waist and pushes me back against a table.

“Tell me to stop,” he says.

I meet his gaze. “Never.”

He pushes my skirts out of the way, and I think this is how I’m going to lose my virginity, thrust back against a table in a seamstress shop, and I don’t care. I feel his cock between my thighs, and I start to spread my legs, and he gives a low, delicious chuckle.

“You would, wouldn’t you?” he murmurs.

“Absolutely.”

He shudders, his eyes dark with desire, but he presses my thighs together, and thrusts between them instead, and when I wriggle, he gives a ragged laugh.

“None of that,” he says.

“I’m just changing position.” I reach between my legs and take hold of him, and he shudders again, with a low growl that edges into a whimper, and I know if I took him into me, he wouldn’t be able to refuse, not in this moment. But I only press the length of him firmly against me and then rub along it, my eyes closing in pleasure.

“Of course,” he murmurs. “How selfish of me. That is much…” A groan. “Much better.”

He thrusts, and the friction makes me bite my lip to keep from crying out. I bury my face against his shoulder, and he whispers in my ear, telling me I’m wanton and bold and perfect, telling me what he’d like to do to me here, on this table, forget who might be watching, because I’m his and he’ll take me as he likes, and then we’re both reaching our crescendo, mouths against each other to keep quiet. Afterward, we hug and whisper and shudder and then pull apart, and he quickly finds a stray bit of cloth and gently cleans me up before wrapping that cloth in another and stuffing them into his pocket.

“Well, that saved ruining a clean pair of trousers,” I say, and he laughs and kisses me.

“You are a marvel, Mrs. Daniels.”

I shake my head, but only kiss him back and then let him help me get presentable again before we call the poor seamstress back.

NINE

The seamstress is able to alter the travel dress for me immediately. She also promises to deliver a box of “underthings.” Bishop doesn’t question what’s in the box. He knows women require a great many undergarments.

“We can go to an early dinner,” he says. “Or check into our hotel and freshen up for dinner.”

“Freshen up for dinner?” I ask.

“It was a euphemism,” he says, his voice low as he smiles over at me. “Given that we are walking a public street.”

“Ah. Good. Because while I am in desperate need of freshening, I would be disappointed if that was the only thing on the pre-dinner menu.”

“It is not, and that option would be my preference. A snack bought along the way, time in our room and then dinner at the proper hour.”

“What about Julius and Kenric?”

“They will be keeping their own company.”

I glance over at him. “That seems rude. We could meet for dinner.”

“They will be finding their own entertainment this evening.”

“You could just say they’re going to a brothel.”

He chokes on a laugh. “In all honesty, I don’t know. It will depend on Kenric. Julius hopes to spend some time alone with him, get a sense of Kenric’s thoughts and loyalties, possibly once he’s in his cups. That may mean visiting such a house, but more likely, they’ll be going to a gentleman’s club. Gambling or watching a fight or some such.”

“And as a proper lady, I cannot attend.”

He leans toward me, voice lowering more. “You may attend anything you wish.”

“Including brothels?”