Antonia's Bargain (13 page)

She tried to laugh. “But you are not courting me, are you?”

Her question hung in the small space between them as they continued to dance to

the music. All at once, Antonia found it even harder to breathe. A blur of bright colors

swirled around her and the hum of conversation rose and fell like the subdued roar of

an incoming tide. Exactly how would it feel to be courted openly by Gideon? Was she

so frightened by her cousin’s ultimatum that it now sounded like an excellent idea?

“You think I don’t know how it feels to be courted for what I am?” Gideon said.

“My father assures me that despite my reputation, any woman would be grateful to

exchange vows to gain my rank and status even if I admit I will never care for them.”

“Not all women are so desperate.”

He smiled down at her. “Then you see, we have the same dilemma, neither of us

wants what society dictates. Neither of us wants to be married for our money.”

She avoided his gaze, uncomfortable with the direction of his thoughts. He

gathered her closer into his arms, his thigh brushing hers with each step.

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“Apparently even the gossip that I killed my first wife isn’t enough to deter all of

them.”

Bitterness laced his words and his grip on her waist tightened.

“Did you kill her?”

He grimaced. “Who is being direct now? If you mean did I physically slice her

wrists open then of course I didn’t. Do I feel some responsibility for her death? Then,

yes, I do. I failed her. I failed to understand that she was serious when she threatened to

take her own life.”

The music seemed to grow louder, the steady beat echoing in Antonia’s ears.

“My mother killed herself,” she whispered. “For a long while, I thought it was my

fault because she hadn’t wanted to get up and come and play with me at the lake. If I

hadn’t taken her there, perhaps she wouldn’t have thought to simply walk in and let

herself drown.”

She wished she had a hand free to clap over her mouth. Why on earth had she

revealed something so personal in the midst of a dance floor and to Gideon of all

people? She truly had no defenses against him. Her feet faltered and she almost tripped.

He deftly guided her out of the dance and toward a secluded corner.

He turned until his broad back concealed her from the ballroom. She shivered as he

stroked a tear from her cheek with the tip of his gloved finger.

“Perhaps we share more than we think. Guilt is a hard master, isn’t it?”

She drew in a deep breath and managed a smile. “The dance is over. Will you take

me back to my aunt?”

He kept hold of her hand, his expression for once devoid of all humor. “Antonia,

what’s wrong?”

She fought back her tears as he continued to study her. If he didn’t stop being so

kind she would throw herself at his chest and be damned to the consequences.

“It’s nothing, my lord. Perhaps I’m a little overtired.”

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He smiled at her, his lazy grin laced with sensual appreciation. “I’m not surprised.

You probably didn’t get much sleep.”

It was difficult to tear her gaze away but she managed it.

“Will you take me back to my aunt, sir?”

“If that is truly what you wish.” He was still watching her closely as he placed her

hand on his arm. She tried not to dig her fingernails into his flesh. Couldn’t he tell that

she was frightened and cornered and desperate?

It was almost worth waltzing with Gideon just to see the mixed emotions on Flora’s

face when they approached. Horror mingled with pride as she stared at Gideon’s

imposing form. He bowed and released Antonia’s hand.

“Thank you for the dance, Miss Maxwell. It was a pleasure.” He bowed again at

Flora, nodded to Charles and walked away.

“Well!” Flora said as she pinched Antonia’s bare arm. “How did that come about?

He is not the kind of man a young woman of your character should be encouraging.”

“We only danced, Aunt. I was introduced to Lord Harcourt’s father at the

Oakhams. He introduced me to his son who apparently needs a wife.”

Charles stepped between them. “Don’t be too hard on her. Harcourt and his family

have a great deal of political influence.” His gaze became speculative as he watched

Gideon prepare to leave the ballroom. “As Antonia said, there’s nothing wrong with a

dance now and then. I’m sure we can rely on her good sense not to allow any further

liberties.”

Antonia struggled with an insane desire to laugh. If only Charles knew the liberties

Gideon took with her, he would be appalled. She hid her expression behind her fan.

“Of course, Charles. I will do whatever you think is best.”

She watched as Gideon paused to speak to his father and then left the ballroom. The

evening suddenly seemed endless, the company even more boring than usual. She

glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight. Surely she had done her duty by now?

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As they headed for the refreshment room, one of the footmen slid a note into her

gloved hand. With a frisson of excitement, she slipped it into her reticule. With her

aunt’s gaze on her, she would have to wait until she reached the sanctuary of her

bedchamber before she could read it. She reluctantly returned her attention to Flora

who was complaining about an ill-fitting dancing slipper and waited impatiently for the

hours to pass.

* * * * *

By the time Antonia reached Madame Desiree’s it was two in the morning. Arriving

home after one, she’d scarcely had time to read the note and change into her men’s garb

before she needed to leave again. Gideon’s note had indicated she should just come up

to their particular room. Why had he asked to see her? Was something amiss? The

footman on duty simply nodded at her as she headed for the stairs. Her heart thumped

uneasily against her ribs as she paused outside the door. Was this yet another test? How

would she feel if she failed him? With all her courage, she opened the door and slipped

inside.

She inhaled the sharp scent of sex and sandalwood as her gaze fastened on the

ornate bed. A blond man, who she thought she should recognize, and an older woman

lay entangled on the black silk bedcovers with Gideon. He looked up as she closed the

door.

“Ah, Anthony. Please sit down.”

She sat obediently in the chair Gideon indicated and he turned back to his two

companions. Her heart rate quickened as the woman patted his bare shoulder. She’d

never seen Gideon fully naked before. He was magnificent, his chest and stomach well

muscled, his legs long and elegant. To her surprise, unlike the two men, the woman was

clothed. She searched her emotions for a sense of shock at finding Gideon with another

man and found instead intense sexual curiosity.

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She returned her attention to the blond man who lay sprawled facedown on the

sheets. Gideon tugged on the man’s hair and made him sit up.

“This is my friend, Peter. I believe you met briefly at the Oakhams’ party.”

Antonia nodded, hoping her face didn’t betray her confusion. He smiled at her as

Gideon toyed with his pierced nipple.

“I suspect you are the reason why Gideon has been so demanding lately.” He

grimaced as Gideon pinched his nipple. “I didn’t say I minded, did I?”

Gideon knelt behind Peter and wrapped his arms around his waist. “You are

always very accommodating.”

Antonia crossed her legs as Gideon slid his hand down to encircle Peter’s half-erect

cock. The woman crawled across the bed and got off. She winked at Antonia. “Don’t

mind me. I love to watch and I also can provide an alibi if the authorities want to know

what two men could possibly want to do in a bed together.”

She disappeared into the dressing room, leaving the door wide open. “Now that

there are three of you, I’m going to finish the scarf I’m knitting. Call if you need me,

dearies.”

Antonia couldn’t take her eyes away from the swift motion of Gideon’s pumping

fingers as he brought Peter fully erect. One of his big hands moved up over the hard

planes of Peter’s belly and settled on his left nipple. The two men moved together like a

well-matched horse and rider, a combination of mastered strength and restrained

power.

“Fuck me, Gideon, please. I need…” Peter’s voice trailed off as Gideon urged him

forward onto his hands and knees. His arm muscles flexed and quivered as Gideon

drove inside him.

Antonia’s sex pulsed with heat and warmth as she imagined the feel of Gideon’s

cock. She’d only had him in her mouth. Peter seemed to be in ecstasy. Without thinking,

she slid her hand between her legs and pressed hard.

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“Yes, touch yourself, Anthony.” She jumped when she realized Gideon was

watching her. “Share our pleasure.”

With a moan, she undid her breeches and plunged her fingers into the slick wetness

within. As Gideon resumed his powerful thrusts, she worked her fingers to the same

rhythm, wishing they were longer and thicker and more like a cock. She could only get

part of the way in before she met the barrier of her maidenhood and she needed more.

“Come here, let me help you.” Peter’s soft voice intruded on her sexual daze. She

stumbled to her feet and approached the bed. “Take off your breeches.”

She kicked her way out of the confines of her breeches and boots and scrambled

onto the bed.

“Peter. She’s a virgin. Don’t press her too hard.” Gideon remained braced over the

other man, his cock buried deep inside, one hand still grasping Peter’s shaft.

“Put your hands on my shoulders,
Anthony
, and kneel up,” Peter said. She faced

him and knelt within his arms. He grasped her ankles to anchor himself against

Gideon’s thrusts.

She shuddered as Peter licked the tip of her swollen clit and then sucked it into his

mouth. She widened her legs, inviting him to delve deeper, desperate to feel his touch.

He obliged, his tongue sweeping her aroused flesh in hard, demanding strokes. He

shifted more of his weight onto his arms as Gideon worked him harder and faster.

She felt the now familiar growth of her climax as Peter mastered her with his

tongue. She whimpered for his fingers in her sheath and then added her own.

“Gideon, I’ve got to come.” Peter tore his mouth away from Antonia’s sex, his hips

angling sharply forward, now, his breathing uneven.

“You’ll wait until I give you leave.”

Antonia stared into Gideon’s face, noted his taut control, the passion that

threatened to erupt at any moment. She leaned closer and bit his lower lip hard. He

groaned deep in his throat, his thrusts became shorter, his grip of Peter’s cock tightened

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until his knuckles shone white. Her climax slammed through her and Gideon came too.

Peter’s come spurted between Gideon’s fingers onto Antonia’s waistcoat.

She relaxed her grip on Peter’s shoulders and sat back on her heels as Gideon

disengaged himself. Peter sat up, turned to Gideon and kissed his cheek.

“Thank you, my friend. With Valentin and Sara away, I thought I should go mad.

Thank you for sharing yourself with me.”

With a soft smile for Antonia, Peter strolled into the adjoining dressing room and

began to chat with the woman. Gideon sat back, still breathing hard and made no effort

to cover his nakedness or clean the evidence of his passion from his flesh. Antonia

studied his sweat-slicked skin and the solid curves of his muscled arms.

“Do you let Peter do that to you?”

“Fuck me? No, I prefer to be in charge. Surely you have realized that by now?”

His studied air of unconcern struck her as unreal. Was he waiting for her to pass

judgment on him? Had he hoped to shock her by inviting her to witness such an erotic

display of male lust?

“Does it give you pleasure?”

He shrugged, the motion displayed his wide shoulders to advantage. “What do you

think?”

Antonia let out a long breath. “My father…” He still watched her, his expression

unreadable. “My father preferred his valet to my mother. I walked in on him once. His

valet was doing exactly what you were doing to Peter. My father looked ecstatic.” She

pleated the silk cover in her fingers. “I didn’t really understand what I saw. He told me

that if I ever spoke of it he would send me away and never let me come home again.”

Gideon nodded as though she made perfect sense.

“That is probably why your mother was so unhappy then. You should not feel

guilty about her choice to end her life. She obviously thought she had reason.”

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His easy acceptance of her shameful secret made her want to cry. A glow of warmth

eased the clench of long-held pain around her heart. “When did you realize you were

this way?”

He smiled and leaned back against the pillows, some of his wariness disappearing.

“When I was at school. Gervase and I were fags for one of the older boys who liked to

fornicate with his juniors. Gervase hated it. I found that it excited me, the roughness,

the possibility of pain, the sensation of physically dominating another male. As

identical twins it was easy for me to pretend to be both of us.”