by Elise Noble
“Please, no.” I downed the Veuve Clicquot before I realised what I was doing. And if you’re wondering how I knew it was Veuve Clicquot, the banners draped over the ice buckets were a dead giveaway. “Have you ever had a sexual experience so mortifying you wished you could sink into the ground?”
“Sure. You want me to go first? A few years ago when I was in France, I met a girl at a music concert, and some privacy seemed like a good idea.”
“I’m not listening. It was a rhetorical question.”
I pressed my hands against my ears, but then just for good measure, I removed one for long enough to grab Alaric’s champagne and knocked that back too. And still he kept talking.
“So we meandered through the woods and found the perfect spot. Quiet, secluded, tucked away off the beaten track… And we got a little busy. Only to realise that nesting above our heads was a pair of ovenbirds, literally the only ones in the country, and what we thought was dense undergrowth was actually a cleverly disguised hide filled with twitchers. Some of them had cameras. Most of them had binoculars. One gent had a mild heart attack, which was how we found out. They all started panicking and someone called an ambulance.”
I gasped and covered my mouth.
“You’re kidding.”
“No, I’m not. If you look at birdguru.com and search for ovenbirds near Antibes, you can still find a picture of my ass.”
I absolutely wouldn’t be doing that…until I was safely tucked away in the privacy of my own bedroom.
“What happened to the man? Was he okay?”
“Fortunately, I underwent a reasonable amount of medical training in a previous job, so I asked around for aspirin and then kept him comfortable until the doctors took over.”
A bridesmaid walked past and gave me an odd look. I realised I was holding two champagne glasses up to my ears and hurriedly dropped my hands. Oops. Alaric was watching me closely, but what could I say? His tale was funny, whereas mine was more… Wait a second… What did he say?
“You were fooling around with a girl?”
He shrugged as I dumped the glasses on a waiter’s tray. “I’m forty years old, Beth. I’ve never been a saint.”
“But…but I thought you were gay,” I blurted. Oh, hell. I clapped my hands over my mouth, then mumbled through them. “Not that being gay isn’t perfectly fine, of course. And I realise some men don’t come out until later in life. My old showjumping trainer, he was married for years, but then he got divorced and moved to California with a guy who made magnetic horse blankets.”
“What makes you say that?” Alaric asked mildly.
“The blankets? They sent me one as a gift.”
“No, why do you think I’m gay?”
Oh dear. Was it too late to drown myself in the swimming pool?
“Because…because you dress well?”
“Beth…”
“Okay, okay. Uh, Judd might have mentioned it. To Gemma. That you were with Ravi. And Emmy said Ravi was gay and so I just assumed… Can I go home now?”
“I’m not gay, Bethany. I’m bi, and so is Ravi.”
“What does that mean? Actually, forget I asked. I sort of know, I mean, logically…”
“It means I fall for personalities rather than body parts.”
“Oh. Oh!” I thought about his words for a second. The champagne was already going to my head, so the cogs whirred kind of slowly. “That really sounds quite lovely.”
“Lately, I’ve been more into women. Well, one woman. And not exactly into her, but…”
“Who?” I asked.
He didn’t answer, just brushed his lips over mine.
“Feel free to slap me.”
No, I didn’t want to do that. I dropped the two champagne glasses into a flower border—they’d done their job now—and wrapped my arms around Alaric’s neck.
“Can I kiss you instead?”
He didn’t wait for me to make the first move. When our lips met, I forgot where I was and who might be watching and melted against him. My head screamed that smooching with my boss was a terrible, terrible idea, but my heart beat it into submission. My toes curled in my shoes as Alaric’s tongue teased the seam of my lips, and I let him in on a sigh. Heat crackled in my veins as long-dead parts of me came to life.
Alaric was the easiest man to kiss. Hard and soft at the same time, gentle and strong. His hands parted, one sliding to my bottom and tipping me against his… Oh, wow. Bigger might not always be better, but I hoped I’d get the opportunity to experiment for myself. His other hand came to the back of my head, tangling in my hair and then tugging it sideways so he could feather soft kisses along my jaw.
Then he pulled away.
“Shall we skip the audience this time?” He glanced at his watch. “We’ve got an hour and a half to fill before the farce continues.”
“You’ve got a sister of the bride to get into,” I murmured, then my brain caught up with my mouth and I screwed my eyes shut, which did absolutely nothing to help. “Can you just pretend you didn’t hear that part?”
“I could, but I’m not going to.”
Holy hotness. I grabbed his hand.
“The stables. We can go to the stables. Nobody keeps horses here anymore, so they’re empty. And I’m quite sure there are no ovenbirds.”
Alaric chuckled. I loved that he didn’t take himself too seriously.
“Lead the way.”
The stable yard had eight loose boxes set in a U-shape, plus a tack room on the end of one row and a feed room on the other. The boxes were all shut up and probably a bit dusty, so I tugged Alaric towards the tack room.
“There might be an old blanket. Or a cushion for my knees.”
“For…your knees?”
His filthy grin said he knew exactly what I was thinking.
“I’m not a bloody contortionist, all right?”
Nor was I very organised. I hadn’t even considered that I might end up screwing Alaric, which meant I hadn’t brought condoms. I was on the pill, but would he…
Alaric reached past me and yanked the tack room door open, and I was so busy imagining him sans clothing that it took a good few seconds for my brain to register what my eyes most definitely didn’t want to see.
Piers’s head snapped in my direction. “What the…?”
Wasn’t that meant to be my line? His disappointing dick hung out of his fly, but I couldn’t immediately see who he’d been boning because of the sheer volume of cream satin in the way. Hold on a second…cream satin?
My sister turned slowly, the shock on her face mirroring mine. “Bethie, what are you doing here?”
Becoming a witness for impending divorce proceedings?
“What am I doing here? What are you doing here? With him?” I pointed at Piers. “He’s engaged. And you just got freaking married!”
“Will you keep your voice down?” she hissed.
“Why should I? You’ve cheated on Tarquin within an hour of saying ‘I do.’”
Why the hell had she even married him? Oh, right, because he was rich.
“If you had to sleep with Tarquin, you’d do exactly the same. He just sort of…lies there. A girl has needs.”
“And you think Piers is the best person to fulfil them? You really need to get out more.”
I might not have been all the way with Alaric, but one kiss from him beat an entire night with Piers hands down. It was like comparing Van Gogh to a toddler with finger paints.
“You’re just jealous.”
“Oh, please.” Hold on, why was I even having this conversation? As a wise man once said, never argue with stupid people. They’d drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience. I couldn’t fix Piers’s flaws, or my sister’s, and I didn’t want to try. “On second thoughts, you know what? I’m done with this family. I’d rather spend time with people I actually like.”
Andromeda knew Piers had cheated on me, and a leopard didn’t change its spots. It shouldn’t surprise her in the lea
st that he was screwing Priscilla behind her back. And Tarquin was a conceited idiot. I turned to leave, but Alaric’s grip tightened on my hand, and he stayed put.
“We’re leaving,” he said. What was that in his hand? His phone? “And I suggest you be very careful what you say about Beth in the future.”
Piers bristled. His dick had gone limp now. Normal service: resumed.
“Are you threatening me?”
“Congratulations. You’re not as dumb as you look.”
“How dare you!”
“You’ve already hurt the woman I love once. Hurt her again and I’ll squash you like the cockroach you are.” Alaric waved a hand at Priscilla. “Please, carry on. Don’t let us stop you.”
CHAPTER 42 - BETHANY
I SNUGGLED AGAINST Alaric in the back of the taxi. Although I wanted to wash my eyes out with bleach, at least catching Piers and Priscilla in the act meant we could escape early. No way would she complain about my absence.
“I can’t believe you got pictures.”
“Video, actually.” Alaric leaned in and kissed my hair. “Definitely the most memorable wedding I’ve been to, for more than one reason.”
And I couldn’t believe he’d said he loved me. Did he mean it? Or was he just trying to hurt Piers? I didn’t dare to ask.
“What happens now?” I whispered.
The driver was wearing headphones, and he nodded in time to the music leaking out. Good old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll. He’d be deaf by the time he hit forty, but at least he wasn’t listening to our conversation.
“Right now? Depends how daring you are.”
Alaric’s fingers crept up my bare thigh, and I gasped and clamped my legs together. “We can’t!”
“Fair enough. Then I guess we talk until we get back to your place.”
Talk. In that situation, teetering on the edge of everything I’d always wanted and despair, it was a word that struck fear into my heart.
“What do you want to talk about?”
“The future. Our future. I’m not sure the whole boss/assistant thing’s going to work out for us.”
“You’re…firing me?”
“Hell no. I very much want you to carry on working for Sirius. But I can’t treat you the way I would any other employee. The thought of you sitting in an office at Judd’s place while I’m in the US… Speaking of which, I’m never going to hear the end of this. It’s usually him who corrupts our staff.”
“I’ll come with you,” I said quickly, then regretted my words just as fast. Did I sound too eager?
“What about your life here? Chaucer?”
“There’s room in my heart for both of you.”
Alaric kissed the corner of my lips and smiled. “Since I don’t have a horse, you get the whole of mine.”
“What about Ravi?” I blurted. “I know you were together recently.”
“Gemma again?”
I was so bad at this. “Maybe?”
“Ravi and I have an arrangement. If we’re both single, we’ll take care of the physical side of things for each other. Since I’ll no longer be single, that ends. But we’ll stay friends, and we’ll work together. Does that bother you?”
I considered my answer for a moment. Did it? Alaric had been honest with me, perhaps brutally so, but better that than the constant lies I’d gotten from Piers. Alaric trusted me with his secrets, and I had to afford him the same courtesy.
“Honestly? I’m not sure, but I like Ravi.”
“Actions speak louder than words. I understand that, and I appreciate your candour.” He barked out a laugh. “Fuck, just listen to me. This sounds like a business meeting, and we’re definitely not working today.”
“What are you doing?” I asked as he wriggled out of his suit jacket and draped it over my lap.
“Shh.”
His hand found its way back to my thigh, and this time, it crept higher.
“I’m not… We can’t…”
He silenced my protests with a kiss. Guess I was more daring than I thought.
Oh, heck, the neighbours… My front door bashed off the wall and slammed shut as Alaric carried me towards the bedroom. After his antics in the cab, I was already hot and bothered, and I needed to get out of this damn dress. And my damp knickers too.
“The tie’s got to go,” I told him, desperately trying to reach my zipper. “And the shirt.”
“It’s all going except for your shoes. You can keep those on. I want the heels digging into my ass.”
When Alaric unhooked my bra, he paused for a moment to study the tattoo over my heart. Piers had been furious when I got the name of my old horse inked there permanently, but Alaric dipped his head and traced the letters with his tongue.
“Usually, I’d hate seeing another man’s name over your heart, but in this case…”—he pressed a soft kiss to the P—“I’ll make an exception.”
“I’ll get yours done too,” I blurted, then we both tumbled onto the bed. Alaric ended up on top. I was kind of glad he was taking the lead because I was way out of practice here. Having to lie back and think of England while Piers pounded away had in no way prepared me for this.
But I must have been doing something right, judging by the tent in Alaric’s trousers. Hell, that was more of a marquee. The marquee… We should have been sitting in there at this very moment, pretending to be happy for Priscilla and Tarquin. A giggle escaped.
“What’s so funny?”
“I don’t know what they’re serving the other guests for the wedding breakfast, but I definitely got the better end of the deal with salami.”
“Have at it.”
Alaric rolled me, and I fumbled with his belt, then cursed the button and the zipper on his trousers when they wouldn’t undo fast enough. Oh, wow, he trimmed down there. With Piers, I’d had to search for the toadstool among the undergrowth. Self-doubt hit, but when I hesitated, Alaric gently guided my head downwards.
“Don’t overthink things, Beth.”
I gave his cock a tentative lick. Then a suck. His groan told me I was on the right track, and for the first time in my life, I actually enjoyed giving a blow job. But Alaric stopped me before he finished, flipped me onto my back, and treated me to the dirtiest grin I’d ever seen.
“This is going to be good,” I said, accidentally using my outside voice instead of my inside one.
“It’s already better than good.”
Holy hell! His tongue hit exactly the right spot, and I screamed as I arched off the bed. My upstairs neighbour banged on the ceiling. Whoops. The stream of filth that flowed from my lips as Alaric went to town would have made a porn star blush, and I ended up stuffing my own knuckles into my mouth in an attempt to stop it. Didn’t work.
“Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I hate you. Just let me… Oh, oh! I adore you. You’re a bloody monster. Don’t you dare, I can’t— Keep going! Stop, I’m— There, there! No! Sweet mother of…”
When I shattered for the third time, he finally let me rest. Every part of me was broken. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to be whole again.
“You’ve got quite a mouth, haven’t you?”
“Sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
“I meant it as a compliment.”
“You’ve ruined me. I mean that as a compliment too.”
“Really? Ruined you?” Alaric nuzzled my neck, sweet and tender. “But I’m just getting started. Care to demonstrate your riding skills, Ms. Stafford-Lyons?”
“Maybe, I…” He flexed his hips, and that glorious cock pressed into my stomach. “I guess I could give it a go.”
“Hold on… Let me find my wallet. I’m kicking myself for only bringing one condom now.”
“I…I’m on the pill.” Was that too forward? “And I got tested for everything after the hooker incident, so if you want to…”
“The hooker incident? Piers?”
Ah, crap. A flood of icy air drenched the room. “I’m not certain whether he did or he didn’t. But probably.”
“It sure felt that way.” Alaric wrapped me up in a hug, and I knew at that moment that he was right. We could talk about anything. I took a deep breath. “It happened three years ago. Our marriage was already on the rocks. We hadn’t had any luck in trying for a baby, and I’d taken to reading self-help books. One of them suggested ways to spice up a stale relationship, so I talked to Piers, and he agreed to give it a go.”
That had been some conversation. A hurried negotiation over breakfast while he answered emails and munched on toast. I should have realised. Realised that if he couldn’t give me his attention for something so important, our marriage was doomed and there was no saving it.
“The book said that we should each tell the other our deepest sexual fantasy, and then we’d act it out. Piers said he’d go first. He…he wanted me to dress up and meet him in a hotel room. Like a prostitute. Trashy outfit, slutty shoes, a coat over the top. And when it was over, he gave me money and kicked me out. I’ve never, never felt as worthless as I did that day.”
“Sweetheart, I’m so sorry he did that to you.”
“Thirty freaking pounds! That’s all I meant to him.”
I loved Alaric’s soft kisses. The fluttery ones that danced over my cheeks.
“You’re priceless, Beth.”
I wanted to believe that. I really did, but… “It gets worse.”
“How can it get worse?”
“Well, it was my turn, wasn’t it? So I confided in him. I told him one of my deepest, darkest fantasies, and he laughed. Said I was disgusting and he wasn’t a fucking faggot.” I quickly remembered Alaric’s sexuality. “Sorry. I’m so sorry. That’s just what he said, and with such venom.”
“From that comment, I can guess what you want, and I’ll give it to you. Not today, but I’ll give it to you. What else?”
“What else? Nothing. That was it. I knew that was the beginning of the end, and I never slept with Piers again.”
“Piers is your past. This is your future. I meant what else did you want to do? You said you told him one of your fantasies?”
