voice made Antonia jump as she carefully closed the door behind
her.
“Of course I did.”
“Strange, I thought I might have scared you away last time. Do you normally leave
your companions at a run?”
She forced herself to look at him. “I admit I was a little intimidated. Like all young
ladies of a certain class, I have been kept in lamentable ignorance. Your…” She waved
her hand at his groin.
“My cock? Don’t be missish, my dear. Call it what it is.”
“Your cock, then. It was much more than I expected.”
He sat in a chair by the fire, one elegant booted foot propped up on the hearth. His
black waistcoat was embroidered with jet beads and silver thread which glinted in the
firelight.
“Bigger?”
Antonia shrugged. “Just more.”
He frowned as he ran his hand over the front of his breeches. “You looked terrified
when you saw my cock. Are you sure you are a virgin?”
“Yes.” She stiffened as he got to his feet and sauntered across to her. She should
have realized very little escaped him.
“There are men who are not as careful in dealing with virgins as I will be. There are
even men who take advantage of their own kin.” He halted in front of her, his blue eyes
44
Antonia’s Bargain
serious, his expression remote. “If you have been violated, I would rather know so that
we can deal with it together.”
“I have not been touched, I assure you.”
He studied her for a long while and slowly nodded. “Then we will continue with
our agreement.”
She let out her breath.
“You look more like a man today, my dear.” He flicked his fingers over the front of
her breeches. “You have filled out.”
“I merely followed your instructions, sir.” Relieved that he had changed the subject,
she held her breath as he studied her cravat. “I hope I pass muster.”
His lips parted in a smile. “Show me how a man walks.”
She strolled away from him, mindful of his gaze on her shoulders and carriage.
“That is much better.” She walked back until she stood in front of him. His long
fingers caught a curl of her hair and pulled her close. “You make a very pretty boy.” His
lips brushed her cheek and she shivered. He moved away and resumed his seat by the
fire.
“Come and join me. Tonight we will discuss how to drink and how to gamble like a
man.” A card table sat between the chairs, an unopened bottle of brandy beside it.
Antonia sat down. “I have never touched strong liquor, sir.”
“Are you sure you aren’t a Methodist?”
“No sir, I’m a woman. We are generally considered too weak and feeble to drink
anything stronger than lemonade or ratafia.”
Gideon opened the bottle. “If you wish to visit men’s clubs, you need to drink like a
man.” He frowned at her. “There is no point in pulling a face. I’m not suggesting you
become a drunkard just that you appear to tolerate strong drink.”
45
Kate Pearce
He sloshed some brandy into the two glasses and gave her one. She sniffed it
gingerly and held it away. “Why would anyone want to drink this? It smells like
decaying plums.”
Gideon drained his glass and set it back on the table. “Perhaps I can make the taste
more palatable for you.” He leaned across and set his hands on her shoulders, bringing
her to her knees in front of him. “Taste my lips.”
Carefully she licked the outline of his mouth; the heat of the brandy stung her
tongue and made her own lips tingle. He opened his mouth, offering her more. Greatly
daring, she slid her tongue inside, enjoying the texture of his mouth, the way his
particular spicy scent mingled with the brandy.
He slid his hand into her hair and angled her head, molding her mouth to his as he
stroked his tongue over hers. She allowed him to take control of the kiss, resting her
hands on his outstretched thighs, feeling the hardness of his bunched muscles beneath
the cloth.
When he drew back, she blinked. “Do you always kiss your male friends
her.
“Of course I did.”
“Strange, I thought I might have scared you away last time. Do you normally leave
your companions at a run?”
She forced herself to look at him. “I admit I was a little intimidated. Like all young
ladies of a certain class, I have been kept in lamentable ignorance. Your…” She waved
her hand at his groin.
“My cock? Don’t be missish, my dear. Call it what it is.”
“Your cock, then. It was much more than I expected.”
He sat in a chair by the fire, one elegant booted foot propped up on the hearth. His
black waistcoat was embroidered with jet beads and silver thread which glinted in the
firelight.
“Bigger?”
Antonia shrugged. “Just more.”
He frowned as he ran his hand over the front of his breeches. “You looked terrified
when you saw my cock. Are you sure you are a virgin?”
“Yes.” She stiffened as he got to his feet and sauntered across to her. She should
have realized very little escaped him.
“There are men who are not as careful in dealing with virgins as I will be. There are
even men who take advantage of their own kin.” He halted in front of her, his blue eyes
44
Antonia’s Bargain
serious, his expression remote. “If you have been violated, I would rather know so that
we can deal with it together.”
“I have not been touched, I assure you.”
He studied her for a long while and slowly nodded. “Then we will continue with
our agreement.”
She let out her breath.
“You look more like a man today, my dear.” He flicked his fingers over the front of
her breeches. “You have filled out.”
“I merely followed your instructions, sir.” Relieved that he had changed the subject,
she held her breath as he studied her cravat. “I hope I pass muster.”
His lips parted in a smile. “Show me how a man walks.”
She strolled away from him, mindful of his gaze on her shoulders and carriage.
“That is much better.” She walked back until she stood in front of him. His long
fingers caught a curl of her hair and pulled her close. “You make a very pretty boy.” His
lips brushed her cheek and she shivered. He moved away and resumed his seat by the
fire.
“Come and join me. Tonight we will discuss how to drink and how to gamble like a
man.” A card table sat between the chairs, an unopened bottle of brandy beside it.
Antonia sat down. “I have never touched strong liquor, sir.”
“Are you sure you aren’t a Methodist?”
“No sir, I’m a woman. We are generally considered too weak and feeble to drink
anything stronger than lemonade or ratafia.”
Gideon opened the bottle. “If you wish to visit men’s clubs, you need to drink like a
man.” He frowned at her. “There is no point in pulling a face. I’m not suggesting you
become a drunkard just that you appear to tolerate strong drink.”
45
Kate Pearce
He sloshed some brandy into the two glasses and gave her one. She sniffed it
gingerly and held it away. “Why would anyone want to drink this? It smells like
decaying plums.”
Gideon drained his glass and set it back on the table. “Perhaps I can make the taste
more palatable for you.” He leaned across and set his hands on her shoulders, bringing
her to her knees in front of him. “Taste my lips.”
Carefully she licked the outline of his mouth; the heat of the brandy stung her
tongue and made her own lips tingle. He opened his mouth, offering her more. Greatly
daring, she slid her tongue inside, enjoying the texture of his mouth, the way his
particular spicy scent mingled with the brandy.
He slid his hand into her hair and angled her head, molding her mouth to his as he
stroked his tongue over hers. She allowed him to take control of the kiss, resting her
hands on his outstretched thighs, feeling the hardness of his bunched muscles beneath
the cloth.
When he drew back, she blinked. “Do you always kiss your male friends
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