Page 124 of A Gentleman's Wager

“You wouldn’t dare,” she spat, reacting exactly as he’d anticipated.

“Oh, Bella.” That was completely the wrong thing to say to him. “Do you truly imagine that would ever dissuade me? You may as well shriek encouragements, for they’re one and the same. I did thoroughly enjoy fucking your bottom when we engaged in that little tableau with Lucerne. I seem to recall you were rather taken with the experience too.”

“I did not enjoy that part of it—”

“Liar.” He idly swatted her cheeks, which made her squeal in indignation. “Shall we see what other lies you feel obliged to spout?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about. I wish you to let me up.”

“You wish me to let you up? No, you don’t. Do you think I don’t smell your arousal? That I don’t know you’re already wet—”

“I am not!”

“What you want, Miss Rushdale, is for me to do this.” He bent his head and pressed his lips to her exposed cheeks. “And perhaps a little of this.” He tickled the seam between those cheeks with the tip of his tongue, pushing deeper when he felt her eager shiver.

“You’re unspeakable,” she gasped, but her excitement was laced around her words like a set of stays. Vaughan licked her in that most unmentionable of areas again, causing her to squirm beneath him. He shuffled back, then pulled up her hips, so that her knees were under her, thus giving him much easier access to all her prizes.

Bella swore at him again, but it only heightened his amusement. She whimpered as he gently pressed his thumb to her swollen puss and moved it about in her wetness. She was sodden and eager, horny for him even though her jaw was stubbornly set. It was one of her more appealing qualities.

Vaughan brought his thumb to his mouth and sucked it clean. “For a wonder, you don’t taste of Lucerne.”

“That’s because last time he came in my mouth. Which part of you tastes of him?”

He laughed. Heartily tickled.

“Perhaps the part of you that’ll soon taste of me.”

Her mouth rounded, eyes too. Then came the lash of her tongue again. “Don’t you dare bugger me you scandalous bastard. Don’t you know that sodomy’s illegal?”

“You’d need witnesses to prove it.”

“Pox take you!”

“That is not the sort of phrase one expects to hear from a lady,” Lucerne said from nearby.

Vaughan had heard his approach. Leastways, he had surmised that was who the comer was.

His shadow fell over them both, prompting Bella to twist and gasp.

“Lucerne. Dammit! Tell him to get off me.”

His lover seemed not to hear. “Where is Charles?”

Vaughan tilted his head to better regard him. The moon was behind him, meaning his face lay in shadow, but his great coat hung open, so that the pistol holstered at his hip was apparent. “Damned if I know.”

“Safe,” Bella hissed.

“Then perhaps we can take this drama back to Lauwine.” He bent and reached for the ribbon binding Bella’s hands. Vaughan caught his wrist. Their gazes locked.

“You’ve made your point.”

“Have I?”

Lucerne pulled his wrist free of the grasp and proceeded to free Bella. She turned over at once and hitched up her borrowed breeches. Then stared at them, as if she wasn’t sure what any of them were supposed to do next. It was a good question, to be fair, and not one he had a ready answer for.

“Let’s go home,” Lucerne insisted.

“A moment, please.” Vaughan caught him as Lucerne lifted his foot towards the stirrup, halting his progress into the saddle.