by Lilly Hale
“Not at all.”
Taking her hand, he led her off the dance floor, and to her dismay, escorted her downstairs to a pair of ground-floor French doors that led out to a cozy, walled garden. Elise had latched on to his suggestion because she’d assumed they would part ways in the ballroom. That not being the case, she was now trapped in her own small deception and stuck taking in the crisp October air with her elbow caught up in Mr. Louis Chesterfield’s slightly-too-possessive hold.
“McBride...from Savannah, you said?” Louis mused aloud after a few moments of tense silence broken only by the chirping of the summer’s last surviving crickets. “I have relatives in Georgia--the Atlanta Chesterfields. Do you suppose they’re acquainted with any of your people?”
”I really can’t say. My immediate family members are deceased, and I’m afraid I haven’t kept in touch with all of our distant relatives.” Elise suspected he was fishing for contacts so he could confirm her family’s social and financial standing. She hoped he wasn’t considering pursuing her romantically. She was most definitely taken.
Deciding to put to rest any notions Mr. Chesterfield had of the two of them becoming involved, she sighed dramatically and went on, “But it isn’t for lack of my trying, you understand. I’ve written letter after letter and they’ve all gone unanswered. I suspect Papa’s family are still harboring a grudge over the money he borrowed from them and was unable to pay back. All except Aunt Bessie, poor, sweet thing. She greets me with open arms each time I visit her in the asylum. She’s quite mad, of course, but she’s a dear, and they say I look just like her when she was in her youth.” Louis’ face blanched at Elise’s concocted tale, and after a few more moments of distantly polite conversation, he led her back inside and quickly disappeared into the crowd. Happily abandoned, she set out to find Trey.
A hand gripped her elbow and she turned to see Rad had managed to extricate himself from his latest dance partner. “I would prefer it if in the future you refrain from taking moonlight walks in the garden with other men.” His voice was low and he kept his expression neutral so anyone witnessing their exchange would never suspect its intimate nature.
“I couldn’t help it. He wouldn’t let go of my arm.” His possessiveness sent a little thrill chasing through her. “You’re not really mad, are you? For goodness sake, Rad, we were only out there a couple of minutes.”
“That’s a couple of minutes too long.”
“Listen, Mr. Bossy, I’ve had to watch you draped with drooling females all evening.”
Rad’s mouth quirked and his tawny brows lifted. A sparkle of excitement lit his eyes. “Are you sassing me, Elise?”
Elise smiled. “I am. What are you going to do about it?” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Spank me?”
“Radcliffe Kingston!” A rotund matron lumbered up, dragging along a mousy young woman in a pink gown. “My goodness, I thought I’d never find you. I want you to meet my niece, Miranda Sutcliffe…”
Rad groaned and gave Elise a look that told her they were not finished with their discussion, then plastered a smile on his face and turned to brave the unwanted skirmish with a determined matchmaker.
Elise chuckled to herself and maneuvered her way through the crowd to look for Trey, but saw no trace of his chiseled profile among the sea of heads. When at last she caught sight of him, it was in the refreshment room, with a glass of punch in one hand, a regal blonde in a champagne-colored gown suggestively brushing her gloved hand against the other.
She was a bit shocked at the jealousy that stirred within her. Before now, she hadn’t given much thought about Trey’s romantic life since Elizabeth, but he’d been in New York for several years. He was handsome, successful, a good catch. Was this woman a lover? If she wasn’t, she looked like she wanted to be. Elise marched over, interrupting their conversation. "Trey, here you are. I've been looking all over for you." She forced a smiled for the other woman whose ice-blue gaze rapidly assessed her, crackling with barely restrained hostility. "Oh, hello. I don't believe we've met. I'm Elise McBride."
"Priscilla Spencer," the cool beauty replied. "Charmed, I'm sure."
Trey’s brows drew together for a moment. Elise could tell he was aware of the negative undercurrent vibrating between her and Miss Spencer. “Miss McBride moved here just recently from Georgia and has been a guest at our home. This is her first foray into New York society."
“Ah, a southern belle,” Miss Spencer remarked. “How quaint. You must feel quite out of your element, my dear, so far from the country.”
Elise ground her teeth at the woman’s superior tone. “Why yes, it is certainly different here in New York, but Trey and his family have made me feel very welcome. I couldn’t ask for a more attentive host.” She took Trey’s arm in a not-so-subtle sign of possession and spoke to him in an intimate tone. “Shall we go down to supper now?” At his nod, Elise turned back to Priscilla. “Enjoy your evening, Miss…”
“Spencer.” The woman frostily provided.
“Yes, Miss Spencer. So lovely to meet you,” Elise lied, then subtly pulled Trey away as he quickly said his goodbyes to the fuming blonde.
As they walked, Elise peered out the corner of her eye at Trey, hoping he wasn’t upset by her actions. She’d reacted without thinking, wanting to stake her claim on the man who held her heart. Now that she had time to think about it, she realized Trey probably wouldn’t welcome speculation about the nature of their relationship, especially since it included Rad. It could ruin them socially. When Trey bypassed the dining room where supper was about to be served and led her straight to the plant-filled conservatory at the rear of the house, she began to worry he was doing so because he wanted to bawl her out in private. The air was hot and heavy in the dome-roofed structure, thick with the smells of humus and exotic orchids, silent except for the watery whisper of a nearby fountain.
Making sure they were alone, he closed the door behind them then turned to her. She could see he wasn’t angry at all. “I thought perhaps we could use a few moments alone before supper for me to assure you that my affections are yours alone.”
Elise let out her breath, relieved she hadn’t committed a serious faux pas."I was that obvious?"
"Mmm, very." Slipping his free hand around her waist, he nudged her even closer until their bodies were fitted together from chest to knees. His voice was gentle and tinged with humor. "I could see the green spark of jealousy in your pretty eyes the moment you interrupted us. A wildcat defending her territory." Then his hand slid down to cup her behind and squeeze, and his voice lowered to a seductive drawl. “You make me so hot for you, darlin’.”
Elise giggled at his use of her modern expression of arousal then wound her arms around his waist and gave him a scorching kiss. “The feeling is definitely mutual,” she murmured against his lips. “But do we dare do anything about it now?” Her hand wandered between them to find the hard evidence of his desire.
Trey drew a sharp breath between his clenched teeth. "Dear God, woman, don't tempt me." He firmly set her away from him, then seeing her disappointment, explained gently. "It would be rude to leave before supper, and you know Rad wouldn’t take kindly to us leaving him here to escort Rachael home. And we can't ask Rachael to leave this early...” He sighed. “I'm afraid we'll have to stay a while longer."
“I suppose you’re right. But why don’t you let me help you with that before we go back in?” Elise let her gaze lower to the bulge marring the sharp crease in his pant leg, then pressed up against him once more, caressing his growing erection.
“We shouldn’t,” he protested weakly. “Your gown… it could get stained.”
Elise kissed him then smiled against his lips. “There won’t be a stain. I swallow, remember?” Trey groaned then sucked her tongue deeply into his mouth while she went to work on unfastening his pants.
Chapter Fourteen
“What’s going on here?” A deep voice growled from behind them.
Elise and Trey both jum
ped at the sound, then slumped in relief, seeing it was Rad moving toward them.
“Damn it, Rad,” Trey grumbled. “That wasn’t funny.”
Rad chuckled. “That’s because you couldn’t see the expression on your face. I thought it was quite humorous.” Then he cast a pointed look at Elise. “You and I still have an issue to settle, I believe.”
Elise’s pussy tingled at the tone of voice that indicated he was initiating his dominance play. She knew what he expected, and she rose to the challenge eagerly. “I believe it was settled. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
“The goose will do as she’s told, if she knows what’s good for her.”
She lifted her chin. “You’re not the boss of me, Radcliffe Kingston.”
“We shall see about that.” Rad clasped Elise’s arms and steered her firmly away from Trey toward a nearby bench. She put up a token resistance, but went with him.
“Rad, what the hell?” Trey objected, obviously at a loss as to the interaction that was unfolding.
“I’m disciplining our woman,” Rad explained. “She’s been a very sassy, very bad girl and needs her bottom warmed.” He stopped Elise in front of the bench and nudged her shoulders forward. “Bend over and brace yourself on the back of the bench, Elise. You’d better not be wearing any drawers or you’ll get twice the licks.”
Elise clenched her teeth against the hot rush of arousal thrumming through her blood and settling wetly between her thighs. Rad was going to paddle her in front of Trey! Her legs shook, but she bent over, presenting her backside to both men. Rad quickly lifted her skirts, exposing her bare bottom and dripping sex.
“Stop it, Rad,” Trey demanded. “This is going too far. I’m not going to stand here and let you strike her.”
“You’re too lenient with her, Trey. That’s why she thought she could get away with a secret tryst in the garden with that lecher Louis Chesterfield.”
“Elise? Is that true?”
“Nothing happened, I swear,” Elise pleaded in her best helpless female voice. “I didn’t want to go with him…”
“But you did,” Rad concluded sternly. “And for that lapse of common sense, you will be spanked.” His hand descended. Smack. Smack, smack!
Elise squeaked as the stinging heat she loved engulfed her buttocks. She arched her back, lifting her butt higher in an unspoken plea for more.
“Rad,” Trey barked. “I said stop it!” He moved quickly to Elise and put his arm around her shoulder. “Elise, sweetheart, get up. You don’t have to do this. Rad has no right-” Elise looked up at him with passion-glazed eyes and could see the instant Trey realized she wasn’t doing it against her will. He looked completely shocked, and not in a good way.
Elise’s stomach knotted with shame. She lurched upright and would have fallen backward if Rad hadn’t caught her in his arms.
“Jesus, Trey,” Rad complained. “Relax, man. I’m not hurting her.”
“Yes, I can see that now,” Trey answered evenly, his expression veiled.
“Trey, I-I didn’t mean to shock you,” Elise stammered, his reaction hitting her like a bucket of ice water. “God, I’m so embarrassed.”
Rad’s arms tightened around her protectively. “It’s all right, honey. You didn’t do anything wrong. He was just surprised, is all. Right, Trey?”
Trey looked away, straightened his jacket and started for the door. “We’d best get back to the party. Someone will miss us before too long.”
“Trey, don’t be an ass. You’re making Elise feel bad.” Rad scowled at his brother’s back. “Good God, it’s just love play. Maybe you should get out more, loosen up a little.”
As the door closed behind Trey, Elise turned in Rad’s arms and buried her face against his chest. “What did we do? He was disgusted by me!”
Rad rubbed her back. “Sweetheart, don’t. He wasn’t disgusted by you. Trust me, no man with a pulse could be disgusted by you. He’s just repressed. Spends too much of his time with his head buried in his ledgers, not enough time dreaming up inventive ways to enjoy life.” He cradled his hands beneath her jaw and lifted her face. “Please, don’t worry. I know Trey. He’ll get over it. He loves you.”
****
The ride home was an uncomfortable one for everyone but Rachael, who thankfully was clueless to the tension that lingered between the rest of them.
"For pity's sake, Trey! I don’t see why we couldn’t have stayed longer,” Rachael complained. “The only guests leaving earlier were too ancient to stay awake past supper."
Trey answered curtly, "It's been a long evening and I need to get off my feet. My leg's getting stiff.” Then he changed the subject, hoping to keep Rachael talking so the rest of them wouldn’t have to. “So did you meet anyone interesting tonight?”
"My goodness, yes! You’ll never guess who the first person was on my dance card. Delbert Pennington! You know, that acquaintance of Rad’s who lost his father's yacht last winter on a bet that he could write his entire name in the snow with...well, you know."
Rad cleared his throat, and Trey shot Rachael a look. "Yes, I do know," he said stonily. "And who told you such a crude piece of gossip? Let me guess. It wasn't Rad by any chance?"
"No, it wasn't. And in case it's slipped your notice, I’m almost eighteen. I'm not a baby anymore." Rachael tilted her chin defiantly. "I'm perfectly capable of handling a ribald story now and again without swooning. In fact, I'll wager I know of a lot of things that would shock the life out of you."
Elise shifted in her seat and stared out the window. Even in the dimness of the coach, Trey could see a flush darken her skin. "If you're picking up that much illicit knowledge, you're obviously associating with the wrong sort of friends,” Trey told Rachael. “Perhaps you need to be chaperoned more closely."
Rachael's eyes widened at the prospect of losing her freedom, and she quickly remanded her statement. "I was just joking, for heaven's sake! Don't you know a joke when you hear one?" She turned to Rad. "He has absolutely no sense of humor, you know."
Rad cast him a sharp look. “Don’t I know it. No sense of adventure either, I’m afraid.”
Trey felt like a heel for the way he’d reacted to Rad and Elise that night. Rad was right. He was an ass for hurting Elise’s feelings, especially after he’d encouraged her relationship with Rad. But seeing them together like that, actually witnessing his brother in such an unusual sexual interaction with Elise, and the look on her face that told him without words how intensely she was responding, hit him in a very unexpected manner. He was jealous.
It was insane. He and Rad had spent longs hours asking questions of Trey’s father, John, learning and understanding how two men could share a life with the same woman and make it work. They’d agonized over it, airing their doubts and emotions until finally they made peace with it within themselves. At least Trey thought he had. He knew Rad and Elise had become intimate that past week. On the nights it was Rad’s turn to be with her, he’d tamped down his feelings of possessiveness by focusing on the fact that she would be in his bed the next night. That was the arrangement their mother had with their fathers; the men had discreetly taken turns with her. They hadn’t been intimate with her at the same time, or at least John hadn’t admitted it if they had. Tonight it was different. When he’d actually witnessed Elise with Rad that way, her expression rapt with such intense sexual arousal, it shocked him and shook his confidence in his own abilities as a lover. What if he couldn’t compete with Rad? What if Elise eventually lost interest in the relatively tame lovemaking they shared?
They arrived home, and Trey pulled Elise aside before she could start up the stairs to her room. “I’d like you to join me for a glass of sherry in the library, if you would.”
Her cheeks colored, and she cast a glance to Rad, who gave her a nod then went upstairs. “All right,” Elise agreed and followed Trey down the hall.
Trey poured the drinks while Elise seated herself before the fireplace where a low flame
burned to ward off the crisp chill in the night air. He handed her the drink and took a seat next to her on the settee. There was silence between them for a moment then both of them spoke at once, “I’m sorry-”
Trey stopped Elise from continuing. “No, sweetheart, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have overreacted like that. I just had no idea you and Rad had become that… well, adventurous.”
“You mean perverted.” Elise bit her lower lip.
“No,” Trey insisted, shaking his head. “It’s just when I saw how much you were enjoying it, I… I felt that maybe what we do together wouldn’t be as satisfying for you, that maybe you…preferred Rad to me.” He grimaced at how weak he sounded. “Shit. It was just me being insecure, do you understand? Can you forgive me for being such an ass?”
Elise took the glass from his hand and set it down with hers on the side table, then to his great relief, turned back and smiled softly, slid her hand to the back of his head to gently toy with his hair. “Of course I forgive you. And I don’t blame you, Trey. What Rad and I did, well, it’s unusual to say the least, and you had no idea.” She wound both arms around his neck. “And you absolutely never have to be insecure about the way I feel about you. Trey, I adore you, everything about you. And as a lover… baby, you totally rock my world.”
Her way of speaking was a bit strange since the accident, but Trey concluded that last part was a good thing, since she followed it up by ravishing his mouth with her tongue. His cock responded immediately, eager to finish what they had started earlier that evening. Thank God it was his night to be with her.
He came up for a breath, pressing a light kiss to the tip of her perfect nose. “Why don’t I rock your world upstairs, my little wildcat.”
"Excellent idea," Elise murmured. "But first, I have some plans for you."
Trey grinned. “You’re not going to spank me, are you?”
She laughed as she stood and pulled Trey to his feet. "Mmm, kinky,” she replied with a wink. “No, actually, I had an idea at the party tonight. You'll see. Come on."