Page 43 of A Lady Most Wayward (The Queen’s Deadly Damsels #5)

Olivia sat at the table Stokes had arranged in Philippa’s private sitting room.

She jiggled her leg anxiously and looked down at her gown.

She had dressed carefully for this intimate dinner, but still she wasn’t sure the pale-lavender colour was quite right.

The scooped neckline dipped scandalously low, leaving her arms, shoulders, and upper breasts bare.

A skirt of gauzy satin flowed down her body like water, revealing as much as it covered.

Was she being too obvious? Might a more demure ensemble have better suited her purposes?

Extra wood had been laid on the fire as the evening air carried a bite of winter soon to come, but her shiver had nothing to do with temperature and everything to do with nerves.

Of course I’m nervous. I’m attempting to convince the most stubborn woman I know to do the opposite of what she desires. And I’m stooping so low as to use seduction as my tool.

Which was a weapon she’d used often in the past and with great success, but one she didn’t want to wield with Philippa now. It felt horribly wrong.

But after listening to her brother threaten both her daughter and the woman she loved, it became clear Olivia only had one path forward.

She would not sacrifice Hyacinth, Philippa, or her friends in the hopes of evading her brother.

She had tried that course before and failed dismally.

It was time to accept her fate. But before she did, she would have one more night with Philippa.

One last evening to take with her and hold close as her future closed around her like a steel trap.

So perhaps the seduction served two purposes.

Convincing Philippa to see things Olivia’s way and giving Olivia memories to cherish for the rest of her days.

She sighed heavily.

‘It’s all rather depressing.’ She spoke to the empty space.

‘What is depressing? And why is there a dinner table set up in my sitting room?’

Ah. Well. Not quite as empty as I thought.

‘You are entirely too quiet on your feet.’

Yes. Start with fighting words and an arch tone. That will surely have Philippa throwing her skirts up and begging for my mouth between her legs.

Philippa’s pupils darkened.

Olivia reconsidered. Fighting and fucking did have so many similarities. Mayhap it wasn’t such a terrible strategy.

But she wanted to fuck Philippa about as much as she wanted to seduce her.

So what do I want?

To love her. And be loved. To give herself to Philippa. To receive whatever Philippa was willing to offer in return. To melt bodies, souls, and minds together into one perfect union.

How the bloody hell do I accomplish that?

‘You look lovely in lavender.’ Philippa walked slowly toward Olivia, her eyes missing nothing. Olivia’s skin sparked everywhere Philippa’s gaze touched her.

‘I wore it for you.’ Olivia lifted her chin as Philippa stood next to her. She had left her hair loose, and it fell softly over her shoulder, pooling in her lap. She fiddled with the ends.

‘Will you take it off for me as well?’

‘Are you hungry? We could eat first.’ And Olivia could talk. Convince Philippa to give her up to her brother. Submit to his demands and ensure the safety of all those they loved.

But not the innocent children he will continue to exploit.

Olivia pushed the thought away. She could only handle one devastating compromise at a time.

‘I’m only hungry for one thing.’ Philippa reached down, caught Olivia’s hand, and pulled her to her feet.

Fine. Seduction first. Then I shall convince her my plan is best.

Olivia chose the lavender dress because the cut was flattering, the colour suited her skin, and most importantly, it had buttons down the front, making it easy for her to unclasp the little seed pearls until the bodice gaped.

Her corset was ivory, her shift white lace.

She revelled in the gasp as Philippa watched her like a hungry cat, ready to lap up every drop of cream.

‘I need to speak with you.’ Words she hadn’t planned on saying yet spilled forth.

Blast.

She was going to wait. But she couldn’t make love to Philippa without total honesty. And she desperately wanted to have no deception between them for their last night together.

Philippa tucked her fingers in each sleeve of Olivia’s dress and tugged down until the entire thing slipped to floor.

She stood in nothing but her corset and lace shift.

With the fire behind her, she knew Philippa could see the outline of her body.

‘Later.’ She traced her finger over the swell of Olivia’s breast. Warm, wet heat coated Olivia’s core as her belly clenched.

‘Now.’ If she didn’t get the words out immediately, they would be lost forever.

Philippa raised a brow and caught one of Olivia’s curls in her hand, twining it around her finger before she tugged gently. ‘You are very serious.’

Olivia held onto her focus with an iron grip when her body clamoured to forget conversation and give over to sensation. ‘This is a serious subject.’

‘In that case…’ Tangling her hand in Olivia’s hair, she wrapped her strong fingers around the base of Olivia’s head and pulled her close, her lips a whisper away, frankincense and jasmine overwhelming Olivia’s senses.

‘Please, do go on.’ She pressed a soft kiss to her mouth, Philippa’s tongue whispering over Olivia’s full bottom lip.

‘You need to agree to my brother’s terms.’

Her words were akin to throwing iced water onto hot flames. Philippa pulled back, air escaping her in a hiss. ‘I need to what?’

Oh dear. I’ve done it now.

But there was no turning back. ‘You need to agree to his terms, Philippa. Give me over to him at the ball. It is the only way to ensure everyone’s safety. Yours, the Damsels’, my daughter’s. He is right. My life is certainly not worth all of theirs.’

‘How do you know he said that?’ Realisation dawned in her eyes. ‘You were there.’ But her real message was clear. You put yourself in danger.

‘I brought Callum with me. And I came in disguise.’

Philippa rolled her eyes. ‘Yes, because Callum could protect you from a man like your brother.’

‘You were alone,’ Olivia threw back. ‘Who was protecting you?’

Slipping her hand from Olivia’s hair to her neck, Philippa flexed her fingers around Olivia’s throat. A thrill ran through Olivia’s body. ‘I was protecting me.’

Philippa’s pupils blew wide as Olivia pressed forward.

‘And you would have protected me if it came to that. At your own peril. Which is exactly my point, Philippa. I won’t have you put yourself in his path just to try and keep me safe.

You are too dear to me. I love you too much.

I can endure him. I managed to survive him for my entire childhood. I can do it again.’

Philippa froze. ‘You what?’

Olivia tried again. She had to convince Philippa to agree to this. ‘I lived with him for my entire childhood, and despite his best efforts, he did not crush me. I can take whatever punishments he’s devised as long as I know you and Hyacinth are alive and safe.’

Philippa shook her head, a rogue wave of black and silver broke free from her complicated twist of curls and braids. ‘No. Not that part. The other part.’

Olivia frowned in confusion. ‘What other part?’

‘The part where you said you loved me.’ Philippa’s voice broke on the last two words.

Damnation. I did say that. Out loud. To a woman who is terrified to love again after losing her soulmate.

Once more in this conversation, she couldn’t turn back.

The only way through was forward. ‘I do love you, Philippa. Completely and irrevocably. But that does not mean you need to return my feelings. I know what we have is temporary, even if my feelings for you are not. And I can accept that. But you must know, in the moments we have together, I will love you for a lifetime.’

Philippa’s perfect crimson lips quivered.

She pressed them together as her eyes grew glassy with tears.

She tried to speak, but Olivia stopped her with a kiss.

She didn’t want to hear Philippa’s apology, or even worse, her rejection.

Instead, she tested the seam of Philippa’s mouth and thrilled when she opened to her.

Exploring her depths with nips and licks, she grew bolder as Philippa softened in her arms. She might not be able to return Olivia’s love, but Philippa wouldn’t deny her this moment of comfort and affection.

Olivia was certain of that. She took her time removing each of the pins holding Philippa’s hair, revelling in the silky sensation as she uncoiled the beautiful strands and let them fall.

Circling around to Philippa’s back, Olivia cursed how many buttons were required to keep a woman contained.

She worked as quickly as she could, needing to see Philippa undone.

As each inch of skin was revealed, she pressed open-mouth kisses, drinking in the fragrance of Philippa, savouring her silky skin, searing each moment in her memory.

Philippa helped peel her dress away. Unlike Olivia’s, Philippa’s corset was black silk that pressed her breasts high and sculpted her waist. But Olivia wanted to see her true form without the artifice fashion dictated.

She unlaced the corset, pushing it down Philippa’s body so she stood in nothing but her shift.

‘Your turn.’ Philippa spun Olivia, unlacing her just as quickly.

Olivia pulled her shift up, whipped it over her head and pretended not to be insecure as she stood naked in front of Philippa.

The fire was behind her, warming her back, and Philippa’s eyes were just as hot as the flames on Olivia’s clavicles, her breasts, her waist, her thighs, her mons.

She feared she might melt into a puddle of aching desire just from Philippa’s possessive gaze.

‘Now you.’ Olivia needed to see Philippa just as bare. Just as vulnerable.