Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 48853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
An expression of pure fury crosses his face. “Don’t lecture me about trouble, Bellerose. You have no idea what you’re talking about. You happily took their money for all those years. Some of us preferred to stand up to the Party, and paid the price.”
I watch him carefully, wondering if he’s going to go on. What price? And yes, I took their money, but I only did what I needed to survive.
“You seem to be doing all right, now,” I point out.
He glowers at me, gets back into his car, slams the door and roars back up the drive.
I’m retrieving my fork when Aubrey leads Cinnamon into the yard. She seems to have overheard the last part of our conversation.
“Was that Mr. Rasmussen? What did he want?”
“I don’t know. He’s a chip on his shoulder about something, though. He’s as bad as some of the People’s Republic security guards I used to have here, and they were paranoid as hell.”
Aubrey looks thoughtfully up the drive. “There must have been a reason King Anson wanted him in charge.”
That’s their business. All I care about is Aubrey’s welfare and these stables, so that asshole can move right along to someone who’s an actual threat to Paravel.
“Come on, let’s go and eat and talk about how to deal with all these fancy Court people who want to stable their horses here.”
Over sandwiches, we go through the sticky notes and make a plan. Aubrey starts calling people back while I draw up quotes and arrange for horse breeders to bring us their best warmblood stock for test rides.
In the late afternoon, we gaze at the stables, planning who might go where and what orders we need to place. We end up in the stable with Aster, Cinnamon and Ebony, and I can’t resist walking my fiancée into a stall and backing her up against a wall. When my mouth descends on hers, she gives a soft moan and wraps her arms around my neck.
“Are we secretly trysting?” she asks with a purr, as I pull her shirt out of her jodhpurs and off over her head.
“Canoodling, I thought it was called. And yes, I like it in here, and this is probably our last chance. The stables are going to be full of horses and posh families in no time.”
She smooths her hands up under my shirt and runs her nails down my chest. “I’m sorry for it, but I’m not sorry, too.”
I unclasp her bra and take one of her nipples into my mouth, sucking hard and listening to her moan. I’m not sorry for anything right now. Down in the straw, I lay her out naked before me and find her clit with my tongue. She lifts her hips to meet my mouth and buries her hands in my hair, moaning and twisting in ecstasy. When she shudders against my tongue, I grasp her thighs, pull her toward me and penetrate her sweet, tender pussy. I groan as I sink into her and bury my face in her neck.
“I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too, Cassian. Say something dirty.”
I laugh as I push all the way to the hilt, burying myself inside her. “You want dirty talk, you have to bring it, too.”
She gazes at me through half-lidded eyes. “I think about you fucking me so hard that all of Court can hear me crying out your name. I want everyone to know that Cassian Bellerose pounds me so well that I can’t help but come around…come around…his perfect—ah—thick cock.” Her head tips back, and she comes with her nails clenched in my shoulders.
“Jesus fucking Christ, baby,” I growl. “Who taught you to speak like that?”
She takes a gasping breath through her orgasm, her eyes squeezed shut. “You did, you dirty man.”
My climax rushes up, and I slam into her, reveling in the way she squeals my name. I catch my breath and plant kisses against her neck, laughing softly. “My fine lady has learned a lot.”
Aubrey sits up, still naked, and retrieves something from Cinnamon’s stall. It’s a bottle of champagne. “I stashed this here earlier. It’s warm, but it should still taste good.”
She untwists the wire stopper and pops the cork. White foam spurts out and drips over her fingers. She licks her fingers and passes the bottle to me. “Make a toast?”
I think for a moment, watching her sitting naked on the straw and our clothes. “Here’s to the future of the stables, and our future, too.” I take a swig and swallow down the heady, golden liquid.
Aubrey takes a sip and then she kisses me, the champagne warm and sweet on her lips. “To our future. You and me.”
18
Aubrey
“Beautiful, sweetheart. Your riding is even better than it was just a few weeks ago.”
I smoothly dismount from Cinnamon, wrap my arms around Daddy’s neck and hug him. “Thank you, Daddy. I’m so happy you came here to see me.”