women in various stages of undress sprawled amongst the
low couches and cushions. A few men already occupied some of them. One man had
his hand down the front of a bored-looking woman’s corset as he enthusiastically
pumped himself against her thigh like a dog in heat.
“Ah, Gideon.”
A large elderly lady dressed in a flowing violet bed gown advanced and kissed
Gideon on both cheeks. “We have not seen you here for a long while.” She gestured at
the women who were all staring avidly at him. Antonia noticed that the lady’s French
accent was as false as the color of her hair. “Is there anything in particular you require?”
Antonia cringed as Gideon slapped her hard on the back. “Actually, Madame, I’ve
brought one of my cousins here.” He winked suggestively at the room at large. “He’s
never been to town before. I promised to show him a good time.”
Her cheek flushed so red she could feel the heat. She glared at Gideon but he
refused to acknowledge her.
“I thought perhaps Louise might teach him a few tricks to take back home to Wales
with him.”
A tall red-haired woman rose from one of the cushions and walked across to
Antonia. She studied her for a minute before nodding.
“I would be delighted. Go up to my room at the top of the stairs. I will join you in a
moment.”
Face still flaming, Antonia allowed Gideon to lead her away. “Do you expect me to
watch while you have sex with her?” she hissed.
77
Kate Pearce
“Not at all, I’ll be doing the watching.”
She stared at him openmouthed. “As soon as she undresses me she’ll know I’m not
a man.”
He shrugged. “So?” He opened the door and pushed her inside. The small room
smelled of stale perfume and sex and was dominated by a large four-poster bed and a
floor-to-ceiling gilt mirror.
“Gideon…”
He caught her chin in his hard fingers. “You promised to obey me this evening. If
you refuse to keep your promises then why should I keep mine?”
She remembered her desire to see how far she could push him and licked her lips.
“What if I wanted you to break them?”
He brought his head down and kissed her, the slow sensual attack left her
trembling and wide-eyed. He drew back a scant half inch, his voice a mere whisper of
sound. “I want you to enjoy this. I want to see you come while I watch. Is that too much
to ask?”
She could only shake her head at the sexual promise in his words. So much for
dominating him. All he had to do was kiss her and she wanted to agree with everything
he said.
Before Antonia could form a reply, Louise appeared through a connecting door in
the wall. She wore an open green silk dressing gown, a black corset and stockings. Her
eyes widened as she took in their closeness. Gideon stepped away and bowed.
“My cousin is a little shy. I promised to stay with him and offer my…expertise.”
Louise gave a soft laugh. “You mean that I should treat him just as you tell me to.”
Gideon placed a substantial stack of gold coins on the corner of Louise’s dressing
table. Antonia studied Louise’s face. She guessed the woman was about her own age,
although the lines around her mouth suggested life had not been as easy for her as it
had been for Antonia.
78
Antonia’s Bargain
“I’ve always appreciated your intelligence, Louise, and your discretion.” Gideon
pointed at the red satin counterpane which covered the four-poster bed. “When you
have finished undressing him, I’d like to see you both kneeling on the bed.” He drew
up a chair, placed it at the foot of the bed and sat down.
Antonia’s anger fled and was replaced by anticipation. Was she really so desperate
for Gideon’s approval that she would allow another woman to touch her? Dammit, it
seemed that she was. Every time he asked something of her, he pushed closer to the
wildness that slumbered within her. She had also begun to understand that if she chose
to let it free, he would be there to fan
low couches and cushions. A few men already occupied some of them. One man had
his hand down the front of a bored-looking woman’s corset as he enthusiastically
pumped himself against her thigh like a dog in heat.
“Ah, Gideon.”
A large elderly lady dressed in a flowing violet bed gown advanced and kissed
Gideon on both cheeks. “We have not seen you here for a long while.” She gestured at
the women who were all staring avidly at him. Antonia noticed that the lady’s French
accent was as false as the color of her hair. “Is there anything in particular you require?”
Antonia cringed as Gideon slapped her hard on the back. “Actually, Madame, I’ve
brought one of my cousins here.” He winked suggestively at the room at large. “He’s
never been to town before. I promised to show him a good time.”
Her cheek flushed so red she could feel the heat. She glared at Gideon but he
refused to acknowledge her.
“I thought perhaps Louise might teach him a few tricks to take back home to Wales
with him.”
A tall red-haired woman rose from one of the cushions and walked across to
Antonia. She studied her for a minute before nodding.
“I would be delighted. Go up to my room at the top of the stairs. I will join you in a
moment.”
Face still flaming, Antonia allowed Gideon to lead her away. “Do you expect me to
watch while you have sex with her?” she hissed.
77
Kate Pearce
“Not at all, I’ll be doing the watching.”
She stared at him openmouthed. “As soon as she undresses me she’ll know I’m not
a man.”
He shrugged. “So?” He opened the door and pushed her inside. The small room
smelled of stale perfume and sex and was dominated by a large four-poster bed and a
floor-to-ceiling gilt mirror.
“Gideon…”
He caught her chin in his hard fingers. “You promised to obey me this evening. If
you refuse to keep your promises then why should I keep mine?”
She remembered her desire to see how far she could push him and licked her lips.
“What if I wanted you to break them?”
He brought his head down and kissed her, the slow sensual attack left her
trembling and wide-eyed. He drew back a scant half inch, his voice a mere whisper of
sound. “I want you to enjoy this. I want to see you come while I watch. Is that too much
to ask?”
She could only shake her head at the sexual promise in his words. So much for
dominating him. All he had to do was kiss her and she wanted to agree with everything
he said.
Before Antonia could form a reply, Louise appeared through a connecting door in
the wall. She wore an open green silk dressing gown, a black corset and stockings. Her
eyes widened as she took in their closeness. Gideon stepped away and bowed.
“My cousin is a little shy. I promised to stay with him and offer my…expertise.”
Louise gave a soft laugh. “You mean that I should treat him just as you tell me to.”
Gideon placed a substantial stack of gold coins on the corner of Louise’s dressing
table. Antonia studied Louise’s face. She guessed the woman was about her own age,
although the lines around her mouth suggested life had not been as easy for her as it
had been for Antonia.
78
Antonia’s Bargain
“I’ve always appreciated your intelligence, Louise, and your discretion.” Gideon
pointed at the red satin counterpane which covered the four-poster bed. “When you
have finished undressing him, I’d like to see you both kneeling on the bed.” He drew
up a chair, placed it at the foot of the bed and sat down.
Antonia’s anger fled and was replaced by anticipation. Was she really so desperate
for Gideon’s approval that she would allow another woman to touch her? Dammit, it
seemed that she was. Every time he asked something of her, he pushed closer to the
wildness that slumbered within her. She had also begun to understand that if she chose
to let it free, he would be there to fan
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