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William reflected Kieran’s amazement before peeking back into the room. Analiese was now placing the necklace on Jordan, a gaudy piece of work with a huge stone that snuggled nicely in between Jordan’s bare breasts. He found himself mesmerized by the creamy globes, remembering how sweet they were to his tongue and seized with the urge to bed her that instant.
As good as she looked to him, it occurred to him that Kieran had seen her half-naked as well.
“How long have you been spying on them?” he asked.
“Until you walked up,” Kieran replied, unaware of William’s possessive tone.
William looked at him, his eyes narrowing. “Then you saw everything?”
“Aye, my lord, for you said that those two were never….” He suddenly caught on and was seized with the fear that eyes were about to be gouged out. His eyes widened and he stepped away, but he was grinning. “I saw nothing, my lord, absolutely nothing.”
William put his hands on his hips. “Aye, you did, but from this moment on you will wipe all memory of it from your mind. Is that understood?”
“Aye, my lord,” Kieran nodded, trying to straighten his grin.
William felt like grinning, too, but he bit his lip instead. “Besides, you have got your own to look at,” he hissed at him.
Kieran’s grin broke into a large smile and he laughed softly. “I would like to think so,” he said. “And mine are larger.”
William’s eyebrows lifted in feigned outrage at the insult but he was quickly reduced to a broad grin. “Are you saying that Lady Jordan’s are inadequate? Meager?”
“On the contrary, sire, they are perf….” Kieran caught himself. “I would not know, for I saw nothing.”
William cocked a black brow and nodded faintly before turning back around and resuming his watchful stance.
Jordan and Analiese exited the room twenty minutes later, Jordan still trussing up the back of the surcoat so that it would fit Analiese’s small chest. Analiese stroked and straightened the material.
“Does it look all right?” she asked Jordan.
Jordan gave her a warm smile. “Aye, it makes ye look like a princess.”
Analiese looked at Jordan as if the woman’s kindness had just suddenly dawned on her. She actually returned the smile, albeit a small one.
“Thank you, Jordan,” she almost choked on the words, but it became easier as she went. “You did not have to do this.”
“Aye, I know it, but I wanted to,” Jordan replied. “Besides, gold looks better on ye than it does on me. I look much better in yer blue.”
Analiese looked at her plain blue surcoat on Jordan, the woman’s breasts straining against the material and the clunky jewelry about her waist and neck. Jordan wore it as if it were the most beautiful dress in the world.
“I shall return it to you on the morrow, after my ladies have cleaned it,” Analiese said, turning away from Jordan and heading back to the party.
“Nay, Analiese, do not,” Jordan said after her. When Analiese turned around, Jordan smiled. “Consider it a gift. From one friend to another.
Analiese looked hesitant for a moment, then her shoulders slumped and she nodded unsteadily. With a look Jordan read to be one between guilt and thanks, Analiese turned and walked from her sight.
Jordan let out a long breath and followed, trying to adjust the ill-fitting surcoat as she went. From the shadows, a huge hand reached out to grab her and she squealed in surprise.
“William,” she gasped, hand at her throat. “Ye scared the wits from me. What are ye doing lurking in corners?”
“Watching for you,” he told her with a grin. Then he looked her up and down. “I was told you were wearing an obscenely low-cut surcoat. I will slit the throat of the liar who told me such.”
She shook her head, “Nay, dunna, for it was true. I had Analiese’s seamstress make me a dress of the latest London fashion, but I gave the dress to Analiese.”
“Why?” he didn’t look particularly surprised. Jordan shrugged and took his arm, walking slowly for the hall.
“Because she needed it,” she said simply.
“Analiese does not need any more surcoats,” William said flatly.
