Billionaire: Billionaire Romance: Billionaire Tiger (A Billionaire New Adult Shifter Contemporary Romance) (33 page)

Diana dithered whether to put on her underwear or remain bare under her dress. She decided the thrill of removing it would please the Lieutenant more than finding her open so easily. It would excite her too when he pulled the garment down. The white silk knickers with lace edges she chose with an increased beating of her heart. Pulling them up her shaved legs they felt sensuous and cool. She imagined the scene where they would be taken from her.

Next she slipped her white silk Empire style dress up from her feet and eased her bosom over the high line. A pink turban like scarf finished the dressing and a pair of pearl earrings and matching necklace added extra glamour. She was very pleased with what she saw in the full-length mirror.

Mrs Marshall had left a cold collation for one in the kitchen. Diana added to it and found a bottle of wine. She carried it all through to the dining room.

In the corner of the dining room, she heard the grandfather clock strike seven. He would be there shortly.

A knock at the door sent butterflies around her tummy. She glided to the front door and opened it.

Lieutenant Phillips stood looking handsome but serious. “Good evening, M’lady. I hope I am not intruding. I have disagreeable news of your husband.”

“Indeed sir. Then please will you enter. I must apologise, my staff have the evening off. Does your horse need accommodation?

“That would be a boon M’lady. Pray direct me to your stables.”

“Please, follow me sir.”

Diana led the way round the side of the house to the stables where the Lieutenant coaxed it into a box. All the while he could hardly take his eyes of Diana and she knew it.

“Would you not be needing to unsaddle the horse sir?”

“I’m afraid that may not be necessary, M’lady, when I have divested myself of the news that I bear.”

He placed a bucket of water in front of the horse.

“Please, follow me sir.”

Diana led him into the dining room.The long table was set for two with a cold collation and wine. Candles added to the light that still filtered in from the summer’s evening.

“My apologies. But as I said, the staff including the cook are away this evening.”

“I am concerned M’lady that you are unprotected here.”

“From what or whom may I need protection sir?”

“I do not wish to alarm you M’lady. It has been known for footpads and mountebanks to operate in the Kentish countryside.”

“I have a shotgun sir, and I know how to use it. Please, would you care to be seated.”

Instead of sitting down he drew himself up straight as a ramrod and looked at her.

“It may be more appropriate if I deliver my news standing up M’lady but I would be greatly obliged if you would take a seat.”

“Indeed sir? I must own that your demeanour troubles me.”

The Lieutenant held the back of a chair as Diana sat down.

His manner unsettled her. Her plan to seduce him had been fairly obvious, but he seemed restrained and hesitant. Diana thought that the moment had passed, but she would persevere.

“If I may M’lady, I need to divest myself of some bad news for you. This will undoubtedly affect you and the evening, but you can be assured that I shall be here to render what assistance I may be allowed to offer.”

“Then please sir, give me your disagreeable news.”

“M’lady it is with deep regret that I have to inform you that your husband, Sir Reginald, collapsed and died this afternoon while being questioned by the Magistrate in Maidstone.”

Diana thought about her husband. She knew she didn’t hate him. She didn’t like him much with his disgusting manners, boorish behaviour and penchant for actresses. His slave trading offended her morality, but he had always been generous with his money towards her and her parents. His passing did not bring her joy. It did bring a little sadness but not grief. And she thought he would have preferred this end rather than be dragged through the courts and incarcerated for a long sentence.

“That is indeed disagreeable sir. May I ask what caused his death?”

“It is believed that he had a heart attack, M’lady.”

“I do not find that surprising, sir. He has looked most unwell recently and has been under considerable strain.”

“Indeed M’lady. A very sad business indeed. I have come here tonight not only as the bearer of sad news but also to explain the legal position to you. Sir Reginald was under investigation because one of his ships was intercepted carrying contraband, slaves, as you know. The authorities are still sifting through the documents we removed from your house yesterday. He had not yet been charged nor had he appeared before the court. This means that the case against him died with him.”

“Yes, I understand that, sir. Please, will you sit down and take a little sustenance?”

Lieutenant Phillips breathed a sigh of relief and seated himself at the head of the table.

She fixed her eyes on his. He looked back.

“The ship involved in the slave trading will be confiscated but as there is no possibility of charges being brought against your husband, that will be the end of the matter.”

“Sir, are you telling me that my son and I will not lose this estate and Sir Reginald’s business?”

“That is indeed the case, M’lady.”

“I believed, sir, that my husband would be in gaol and his property sequestered. We are to be spared that ignominy, sir?”

“By the Grace of God, that is so, M’lady.”

“It is very kind of you to bring this news to me at this late hour, sir.”

“I am concerned about leaving you undefended M’lady until your servants return. In the circumstances, I shall take myself off to the stables and spend the night there where I may defend you without compromising your position. And in view of the news that must have brought considerable grief to your heart, I do not wish to impose myself on your hospitality at such a time as this.”

Diana looked at the Lieutenant. She did feel a little sad but not much. Her weekly ordeal under Sir Reginald had been canceled for the past six months due to his ill health. She wondered whether it would be wrong to go ahead with her seduction after what she had just heard. She didn’t need a protector now. She had everything she needed except a lover. What would the Lieutenant think of her if she pressed her amorous needs upon on him?

There was only one way to find out. But Diana’s brain was already checking out the advantages and pitfalls of her new found position. Now she was a wealthy widow her position had changed from a hunter looking for a protector to a woman being hunted by men who would seek to take her fortune and that of her son. Diana resolved to find out more about Lieutenant Phillips before opening her legs to him.

“Tell me about your family Lieutenant.”

“I’m from the Devon Phillips. My family have an estate outside Plymouth. I’ve been in the Navy since I was thirteen.”

“Do you have any older brothers?”

“No, M’lady. I have a younger brother and sister.”

“And is there a Mrs Phillips residing at home?”

“Indeed there is M’lady. My mother.” He smiled.

“So in time you will inherit the estate, sir.”

“Indeed so, M’lady. I am the eldest son.”

“Then you are a man of substance and position. A wealthy widow has to be concerned for herself and her son, sir.”

“Indeed M’lady.

She took a piece of ham in her fingers, rolled it into a length and then put one end in her mouth and nibbled it down to half way.

“At a time such as this one often looks for distraction to ease one’s mind, sir. Perhaps a little food and wine will satisfy my needs.”

“Indeed so M’lady. If I may say, I had not relished the onerous task of bringing such sad tidings to your door. I feel in need of some distraction myself, M’lady.”

He reached for a peach, held it in his hand and twisted so it came apart to reveal the stone. He removed the stone and put the inside of the peach to his lips and with his tongue licked out the soft flesh.

She wiped her hands on her napkin and then ran her finger down her cheek to her neck and then her chest before letting it hover over her décolletage. “It’s rather warm for this time of year don’t you think, sir.”

He looked at her finger and her breasts only just covered by her dress. “Indeed M’lady, I do believe it is getting warmer all the time.”

He shuffled on his seat.

Diana could guess what caused his discomfort and smiled.

“Please, pour a glass of wine for me, sir.”

He filled his glass and then hers. He took a sip.

“A very agreeable wine M’lady if I may say.”

“Yes, rather full-bodied with just a hint of spice I would say, sir.”

“Absolutely M’lady. I must say I enjoy the full body when accompanied by a little spice.”

“Indeed sir. Sometimes it can be a little rough. I don’t mind that providing it is accompanied by a smooth and mellow component.”

“Yes, M’lady. Variety adds to the overall enjoyment, in my opinion.”

“I can hardly leave you to take brandy and a cigar alone, sir. Should you wish to smoke, I have no objection. Would you care for brandy?”

“Thank you, M’lady but I have no penchant for tobacco and this excellent wine satisfies my palette.”

“Is there anything else I may offer you sir; anything to further satisfy your needs? I must again apologise for the lack of a decent dinner but as I said, my staff are away and shall not return until late tomorrow morning.

“I am replete with regards to the food and wine M’lady; thank you.”

“Then perhaps we should repair to the drawing-room, sir.”

“Indeed so, M’lady.”

He stood and held her chair while she rose.

He followed her to the drawing-room.

Diana mulled over in her brain what to do next. She hoped he would take the initiative.

In the drawing room, she sat on a four-seater settee. He sat beside her but at a discreet distance.

A painting of a red-coated Huntsman on his horse with his hounds in full pursuit hung over the marble fireplace. “Do you ride to hounds, M’lady?”

She looked at him. Her eyes ran over his face, down his chest and down his legs. They returned to his face and she smiled. “I enjoy the chase, sir. It is what happens when the chase is over and the prey is at the mercy of the pursuer that I enjoy most. Of course, sir, it is not always clear who is the hunter and who is the prey.”

“Perhaps, M’lady, it is a symbiotic relationship that juxtaposes the position of ascendancy when required.”

“Indeed sir. As a newly widowed woman, would you say I was the hunter or the prey?”

“M’lady, what would you care to be?”

She lowered her eyes in mock submission.

“I see M’lady.” He moved closer to see if she would move away.

Diana stayed in her position.

He moved closer.

She looked at him and smiled.

“I am about to get my face slapped or experience a moment of bliss, M’lady.” He leant forward and kissed her lips gently.

When he pulled away, he looked into her eyes to see if the slap or something else would result.

“Would you take advantage of a defenceless widow, sir?”

“Tonight, indeed I would, M’lady.”

“Good! Follow me, sir.”

Diana led Lieutenant Phillips by the hand from the drawing-room into the wood-panelled hallway. She took him across the black and white tiled floor to a carved wooden staircase that rose six steps to a small landing where it turned at a right angle to continue upstairs.

At the top of the stairs, she led him along a corridor carpeted in red. They arrived at a varnished oak door. She pushed it open and stepped inside with the Lieutenant following with some eagerness in his step.

The last rays of the summer sun shone through a leadlight window that looked out over the rear of the house across the lawns to the distant hills.

Diana’s four poster bed took centre stage in the wood panelled room.Its tapestry roof displayed a fox hunting scene. She looked at the bed. Her heart beat with lust at the thought of having a real man make love to her in that bed; the scene of so many Thursday nights of unpleasant and boring sexual experiences with her husband.

She stopped at the foot of the bed and turned to the Lieutenant with a smile. He smiled back and placed his hands on her shoulders. His lips touched hers and his hands slipped around her back, lifted her dress up from her shoulders and deftly let the sleeves slide down her arms while the rest of it fell slowly to the floor. She stepped out of her dress.

He looked at her naked breasts, silk knickers and socks. His lips closed around one her nipples and she gave a little groan of ecstasy.

With one arm under the back of her legs and the other supporting her upper body, he lifted her onto the quilted bedspread and laid her down. She lay on her back with her legs slightly open as he kneeled alongside her. The Lieutenant was still fully dressed in his blue tunic, white breeches and white stockings. He even had his shoes on.

She looked up at him. His handsome face smiled down as he threw off his wig and shook his blond hair so it hung loosely.

He took hold of her silk knickers with both hands. She felt glad she had worn them. As he pulled them down she could feel the effect between her legs and in her bosom.

He brought the knickers to her feet, lifted them off and dropped them ceremoniously on the floor beside the bed.

Now Diana lay on her back naked save for her silk stockings. His hands went to the right leg and was about to lower the hose.

“No, leave them on, sir.”

He smiled. “Yes, M’lady.”

The Lieutenant stood up next to the bed and removed his tunic to reveal his white shirt and cravat under a white waistcoat. Then he removed these items to expose his strong torso that rippled with muscular tone.

His next act was to unbuckle his belt and then undo the buttons on his breeches.

“Stop,” said Diana.

The Lieutenant looked at her in surprise.

“Don’t take off your breeches, I want to feel the roughness of them on my skin when you plough my furrow.”

He grinned. “Whatever you say, M’lady.”

The Lieutenant opened his breeches and pulled out his erection that Diana could see was ship shape and ready for action.