The centerpiece of this exclusive suite took the form of a silk-covered canopied bed that shone in its hue of deep, rich lavender; a heavenly resting place where Cybele planned to lay her head that evening.
First, though, she greatly looked forward to making her appearance at the social downstairs. And she couldn’t wait to see Colton’s eyes light up as they beheld her in the evening gown she’d brought for the occasion; a dress she now admired as it adorned the curves of her full-figured body.
A hand woven work of shimmering pink satin lined down the front with a row of pearls that mirrored its pearlesque hue, this gown did much to illuminate her ivory white complexion and her newly upswept golden blonde hair. A newly acquired pair of sparkling diamond earrings completed this desired effect; one that brought a smile to Cybele’s face as she inspected the results in a corner mirror.
Soon she found herself once again descending the stairs that lead to the resort entryway; a place now filled with laughing guests adorned in their own versions of elegant evening finery. And although she offered greetings and grins to a number of lords and ladies she recognized from previous affairs, her eyes scanned the room for the host of this party; a man who, much to her consternation, was nowhere to be found.
“Have you seen Lord Colton?” she asked a sharp-dressed lass who loitered alone in the corner of the room.
The young woman said nothing, just nodded in the direction of a corner room; a space that Cybele immediately identified as the dining room at the Magnolia Resort.
Offering her thanks, the lady gathered her skirts in her hands and headed in the direction of the specified room; stopping short as she heard some familiar laughter ring forth from its enclosed confines.
She chuckled in spite of herself as she heard the echoing tones of this deep, masculine laughter; immediately identifying their owners as the twin brothers she had met en route to the resort this afternoon.
“I arrived at the resort well before they did, and hoped that I would see them again,” she mused, placing her hand on the domed glass doorknob that accessed the Magnolia dining room.
She froze seconds later as she heard her own name pass the lips of Phillip Barrington; chuckling in spite of herself as she heard him say, “I can’t tell you, Lord Colton, just how delighted we were to meet Lady Cybele Carrington en route to Magnolia this afternoon. I’m sure you know her; she is an editor at her family’s publishing house in Birmingham. She’s so bright and charming too—and she certainly has a way with horses!”
Cybele’s beam broadened as she heard Lord Colton chuckle in concurrence.
“Cybele is indeed bright and charming,” he agreed. “I’ve known her family for years. In an odd sort of way, I suppose that Cybele and I have grown up together.”
“Fortunate man,” Barnaby chimed in, “Phillip and I would love to get to know her better this weekend. And as we were just discussing before tonight’s social, we are amazed that this sweet, enchanting woman has yet to claim a husband.”
Colton cleared her throat.
“Does it amaze you? Really?” he lowered his voice, but only slightly. “I mean, she is not precisely the shapeliest or comely woman—and, although kind, she seems like something of a know it all. And really, what lord in his right noggin would want a working wife? Unless, of course, she happens to be working at preparing your meals and birthing your babes.”
Cybele had heard enough. Her cheeks flushing red hot as she turned the knob in her hand, she charged forthright into the room before her; coming to stand stock still before the trio of males who stared agape at her arrival.
“Lord Colton.” She addressed her host in a hard, harsh tone, planting her hands square on the surface of her satin clad hips. “How dare you discuss me behind my admittedly wide but very sharp dressed back—and in such a rude, disrespectful manner? Do you know nothing of being a gentleman?”
Colton stared at her wordless a moment; shaking his head from side to side as a wave of raw color flushed his carved cheeks.
“Please my lady, I beg your forgiveness. I spoke out of turn,” he mumbled, clutching his hands tight before him as he added, “I had no idea that you were in the vicinity….”
“Well that much is obvious,” Cybele snapped, adding as she inclined her head in his direction, “Could it be, Lord Colton, that you focus so very much on a lady’s looks because your eyes are just a bit sharper than your brain? And could this be the same reason that you may not favor a woman who is brighter and more industrious than you happen to be?”
She lifted her chin as the twins met her words with a shout of hysterical laughter; applauding her words as Colton hunched his shoulders and shuffled his feet beneath him.
“My deepest apologies,” he mumbled, adding as he forced a weak, wane smile, “If it would in any compensate for the distress I’ve caused you, I very much would like to offer you a free evening’s stay this weekend at Magnolia Resort.”
Cybele shook her head.
“Well feel free, if you wish, to give me a complimentary stay this evening,” she allowed, adding as she folded her arms before her, “Beyond that, however, I fear that I will be parting for home first thing tomorrow morning. And in the future, Lord Jones, you may not count on my family or me for our continued patronage at your resort.”
Without awaiting a response, Cybele turned in a swish of her pearl pink skirts and abandoned her befuddled host, the man who she’d never regard with quite the same eyes.
Making her way in a haze of anger through a throng of talking, laughing partygoers, she suddenly and unreasonably willed them to shut their bloody mouths.
Clearing the throng with a haughty sniff, Cybele plopped down on a rose print settee that bordered the entryway of Magnolia Resort; sighing relieved moments later, as the ringing of a dinner bell cleared the room of the guests that were beginning to stare and point at her.
As they headed into the resort dining room to enjoy one of its signature dinners, she contemplated the events of the last few moments; a grand total of five minutes that had dashed the hopes she’d harbored for countless years.
Even as a child she’d harbored a strong infatuation for Colton Jones. And as they both breached their twenties alone and unpartnered, she’d strongly considered the possibility of morphing their friendship into a courtship; one that would merge both a pair of good hearts and two powerful families.
“Or at least I believed his heart was good,” she mused now, cringing at the memory of his insults. “I cannot believe that I, an intelligent, well-bred woman, would be so blind to his falsity—to the truth of his spirit. How could I not see that he was such a vile cad?”
“He fooled us all, Miss.”
Cybele jumped as she realized her words were spoken aloud and overheard by a newcomer to the sitting room; one that she wanted to tell to hush up and go away, post haste.
Her sentiments shifted sharp a moment later, as she identified the source of the intrusive presence; or, more accurately, the sources.
Her smile made an unexpected return as she spotted the two men who she’d stopped to help that day by the side of the road; gentlemen now apparently bent on returning her kind favor.
The Barrington twins came bearing brilliant, white-toothed smiles that immediately lifted her spirits; along with polished rose print china plates and gleaming crystalline goblets.
“Good evening to you, Lady Cybele,” Barnaby greeted her, joining her brother in a deep bow before they joined her on the settee. “May we have the pleasure of dining with you this evening?”
Cybele shrugged.
“Wouldn’t you be more comfortable at the dinner table?” she asked, gritting her teeth as she saw the twins balance their plates uneasily on their knees as they handed her own; also juggling three wayward goblets that splashed unbidden on the floor beneath them.
Phillip shook his head.
“Absolutely not,” he declared, adding with a defined sniff, “We much prefer the company of an earthy, good natured l
ass to the stuffy society mavens we’d find at the table.”
Cybele nodded.
“Well thank you very much,” she told him, cheeks flushing in spite of themselves. “I feel, however, that I must decline the offer of your good company. Not to be impolite, Gentleman, but I truly need to be alone right now.”
She jumped as Phillip met these words with a low, appealing chuckle.
“Well my girl, that is precisely why we have come to you this evening,” he told her, tone low and intimate. “We very much would like to put you in the mood….”
“In the mood to enjoy a fantastic evening, in the company of two gentlemen who enjoy your company and would honor the chance to know your better.” Barnaby completed, adding as he graced her with a referential wave, “And with this in mind, we have three very special activities planned for you this evening.”
The first activity, Cybele soon learned, was the dinner that her handsome young hosts now took great pains to serve her; insisting on spoon feeding her heaping helpings of succulent roast duck, juicy mashed potatoes and delicious steamed vegetables; all washed down with a sparkling glass of luscious crystalline champagne.
The twins, she was relieved to note, made no mention of Colton Jones or his embarrassing comments; choosing instead to heap praise upon her for rescuing them that very afternoon. They also asked her about the nature and content of the latest books that she’d reviewed and edited at Carrington Press.
She in turn quizzed them about their recent travels as a roguish, reveling duo; soon finding herself lost in their tales of journeys to the wilds of the Caribbean and the highlands of Scotland; and, most recently, to the luminous city of Paris, France.
“Oh, I would love to visit Paris someday!” Cybele enthused, her troubles forgotten as she set aside her dinner plate and leaned forward with both ears cocked. “Please Gents, do tell me more about the Eiffel Tower, the River Seine—tell me everything you saw when you journeyed to Paris!”
Visibly touched by her enthusiasm, Phillip graced her with a playful nudge as he said, “We’d love to, my dear, but the time is nigh for your second treat of the evening.”
“Indeed!” Barnaby concurred, jumping to his feet as he offered her his hand, “Now that we have completed our meal, love, we’d very much like to take you dancing.”
Cybele froze.
“Dancing?” she repeated, adding with a shrug, “Well I have noticed that at socials these days, folks do tend to dance in circles. This may indeed be enjoyable!”
3
“So is this what the folks call circle dancing these days?”
As Lady Cybele Carrington flowed across the ballroom dance floor of Magnolia Resort, she recognized at once the elegant interior of this expansive, classically designed room; one characterized by a shiny tiled dance floor, walls of plush scarlet brocade, and low hanging crystal chandeliers that shined in the glow of luminous candlelight.
And while she certainly felt like a dancing princess in her sleek, pearl pink frock, one that rustled as she moved and swayed across the surface of the dance floor, what she failed to recognize was the manner of dance that she demonstrated at this very moment; a slow, very intimate waltz shared with two gorgeous partners who guided and embellished her every movement.
Instead of holding her hands and jostling her about in a fun, frolicsome circle dance, her handsome partners clasped her close between them and swayed her body in a slow, smooth motion; enshrouding her in a hot cocoon of virile masculinity.
This dance, set to the tune of a string and brass quartet that played live at the edge of the dance floor, was ridiculous, inappropriate and bordering on scandalous; and, by gosh, she loved every bloody minute of it.
Oh, she well liked the shocked and delightfully humiliated look that came to her courtesy of the wonderfully scandalized Colton Jones; more than that, however, she outright savored the feeling of being sandwiched between two gorgeous, muscular men; gents who danced her with gentle care across the length of the ballroom floor.
Even through the silk of their fine black suits she could feel the hardness of their toned, young bodies; their strong arms wrapped so tight around her, their muscular chests pressed tight against her, the cradle of their trim, tight thighs as they gyrated slightly against her own, and the length and grace of their agile legs as they glided her with effortless grace through the motions of an outrageous tango that bordered on the erotic.
With Phillip before her and Barnaby at her back, she inhaled their crisp, citrus-tinged scent and giggled in spite of herself as the strands of their long, silken hair tickled and teased her.
“You like, Madame?” Philip whispered in her ear. “Do you enjoy our company this evening? Have we made your worries disappear from that brilliant, beautiful mind?”
Cybele nodded.
“Indeed,” she whispered in kind return, wriggling deeper into the cocoon of warm strength that held her tight and contented in its smooth swaying thrall. “I feel like a new and refreshed woman, as compared to an hour ago.”
She took in her breath as an attentive Barnaby gave her a gentle squeeze from behind.
“This is good, Miss,” he released on a low, sultry growl. “We aim tonight to make you feel wonderful—better than you’ve ever felt. We seek to make you lose yourself to the sensation of complete and unbridled pleasure—and believe us, Darling, this dance is only the first step toward the achievement of that goal.”
“Indeed,” Phillip agreed, releasing his words in a soft, smooth purr that danced across her senses, “Tonight, my lady, is solely for your pleasure—just relax and let us show you all the delightful ways that a lady can be pleased.”
With these seductive words the brothers drew her still closer between them; enveloping her trembling body in a gentle but possessive clench, one that made her heart race as she considered their emboldened words.
“Well you did indeed promise that you had three activities planned this night for my enjoyment,” she released on a nervous chortle, barely hearing her own words above the pounding of her heart. “Now my curiosity is peaked. Just what, pray tell, is the third activity?”
She trembled outright as her dual dance partners hugged her to them in a warm embrace; dancing her toward the door as Phillip whispered in her ear, “Well now that we’ve treated you to dinner and dance, lass…all that’s left, I suppose, is a bit of dessert, that we hope to serve personally to you in your suite.”
4
Lady Cybele was a bit surprised and dismayed moments later, when she discovered that the dessert her companions had in mind took the form of actual food. Yet she nonetheless delighted as she sat perched on the edge of her silken bed, purring outright as an attentive Phillip knelt behind her on the bed, slipping a steady line of chocolate-dipped strawberries smooth and slow between her lips. His brother, meanwhile, sat at her feet, freeing them from the constraints of tight pink slippers and rubbing their soles with his sturdy fingers.
His crystalline eyes seared her with a gaze that dripped seduction, her emboldened masseur leaned forward to suckle and lick her toes; mimicking the movement of her pearl pink lips as they suckled her sweet, sugary treat.
Not to be outdone, her raven-haired tempter buried his hands in her broad, sturdy shoulders; his own agile fingertips rubbing and kneading in smooth, rhythmic motions as his moist, sumptuous lips soon followed suit; kissing and nibbling her exposed neck as the strands of his long, dark hair fell forth to tease her satin-clad breasts.
“Oh my,” Cybele gasped out, their intimate attentions sending a shock of pure arousal coursing wild through her body. “I’m passing sure that, in those bloody long, dense dictionaries I edit on a regular basis, the definition of the word heaven should include a vivid illustration of this very scene.”
She gasped outright as, taking her flushed face in two tender hands, Phillip turned her to face him, capturing her gaping lips in an intense, passionate kiss.
All the while continuing to knead and massage the muscles
of her neck and back, the seductive lord massaged her mouth with his; his smooth, full lips devouring hers as their tongues entangled between them.
Leaning forthright into his kiss, Cybele felt their breaths intermingle as she met his passion in full; all the while arching her eyebrows as an attentive Barnaby continued to suckle her toes and lick the pads of her feet—enhancing his advances by reaching upward to tickle and caress her bare legs beneath the cover of her cotton pantaloons.
“This eve, Madame, my brother and I do intend to show you the full and total meaning of Heaven; a very special Rogues’ Heaven where kind women are rewarded for their good deeds with an even better bit of sin—seeing and feeling their deepest, darkest fantasies come to life,” Phillip whispered a promise against her lips. “Yet we only pledge to do so, of course, with our lady’s full consent.”
“Yes,” Cybele answered immediately, running her fingers through his silky fall of long ebony hair. “I desire you both, Gentlemen—and now.”
“Yes,” Barnaby repeated on a growl, his hard muscled body sliding up her legs as he grasped the border of her cotton pantaloons and swept them down her legs; his crystalline eyes catching fire as his gaze ensnared hers.
Soon her fair-haired lover had stripped away her underthings and deposited them on the floor beside them; next burying his golden head between her eager parted legs to kiss and lick the skin of her pale, fleshy thighs.
“Do forgive my brother,” Phillip whispered, hugging Cybele’s trembling body close and tight to his, “He is something of an animal. Ah but then again, love—so am I.”
With these words Phillip unbuttoned her gown and slid it easy over her shoulders; his fingers working slow and methodic to untie and slip off her confining corset.
Soon a smiling, desirous Cybele lie naked and unashamed in the arms of her lovers; and while Phillip rubbed and caressed her breasts, teasing her tender skin and bringing her nipples to hard, erect points beneath his gentle touch, Barnaby laid a long, resounding lick across the surface of her feminine folds; opening them to receive his attentions as she threw her head back and relished in feelings of forbidden sensation.
ENSLAVED BY SHIFTERS Page 66
