Simply Forbidden (6 page)

He groaned out loud as she expertly shifted her grip to the base of his cock and cut off his spasms, leaving him suspended somewhere between pleasure and pain.

“Please …” he whispered. She let him go and Marie-Claude spoke again.

“Finish yourself. Come for her.”

He replaced his hand on his cock and with two savage jerks, he came hard, his cum pumping over his fingers to drench his fist and his stomach. He didn’t watch himself, he watched her, the woman who had wanted to see him like this, half naked and willing to let himself be touched by anyone who wanted to.

“Thank you, monsieur. You may go now.” Marie-Claude paused as the woman whispered in her ear. “Madame requests that you return to this room tomorrow night and meet her again.”

Gabriel nodded and shoved his limp cock back into his pantaloons. It was time for him to go home and perhaps he would sleep for what remained of the night, his cock now sated, his unsavory appetites indulged. He bowed at the two women
again and retreated through the servants’ door. The mysterious woman had obviously enjoyed the show, and, to his shame, he had enjoyed it, too. Despite his self-disgust, he couldn’t help but wonder what she would ask of him on the morrow.

Lisette waited for the door to shut behind Lord Swanfield before throwing back her veil and pulling off her gloves. Marie-Claude smiled at her.

“Did it go as you wish? He has a fine cock,
non
?”

“He does.” Lisette could only agree, and she pictured Lord Swanfield coming in front of her, his face contorted in a grimace of pleasure as his cum released all over his fingers. She’d wanted to lean forward and lick it up, had almost done so before she’d remembered that would make it necessary for her to remove her veil.

“Does he have sex with the guests?”

Marie-Claude looked thoughtful. “Not full sex.”

Lisette wondered why that made her feel a little better. “Does he service men?”

“Yes, but with his hands and mouth. I don’t believe he enjoys male penetration either.”

Lord Swanfield was proving to be more of an enigma than Lisette had expected. She frowned up at Marie-Claude. “Then why does he do this?”

“Play the role of a servant?”

“Yes, and allow himself to be fondled and touched by complete strangers.”

Marie-Claude shrugged. “Perhaps it is the only way he can find sexual release, or the only way he
allows
himself to find sexual release.”

Suddenly Lisette remembered Lord Swanfield’s comments about not taking her to bed even if she’d wanted him to. “That might be true. Perhaps he really is saving himself for marriage or someone special after all….”

“Do you know him then, Lisette?”

“I’ve certainly met him before.”

“And you like him?”

Lisette stared at the older French woman. “I’m not sure.”

Marie-Claude’s brown eyes narrowed with amusement. “You like him. You were practically salivating when he revealed his cock.”

“Weren’t you?”

“I’ve seen so many.” Marie-Claude winked. “Although I must admit he certainly is large. What do you plan to do with him tomorrow night?”

Lisette smiled properly for the first time that evening. Major Lord Gabriel Swanfield, finally in her hands and at her mercy. “That remains to be seen.”

Gabriel spent much of the next evening searching for the woman in brown silk, not that any fashionable woman would wear the same dress twice; even he knew that. But he still hoped to seek her out. Something about the tilt of her head and her calm demeanor had seemed familiar. He hardly needed any of the guests to touch or stimulate his cock tonight. He’d been half erect since he arrived.

He endured the other guests’ fondling and groping, but turned down all the offers for further exploration. Somehow, keeping himself in readiness for the unknown woman appealed to his perverted sexual desires and made him even more aroused. When the clock struck eleven, he found Marie-Claude in front of him again.

“Come along, monsieur. She is waiting.”

Gabriel entered the room and saw the woman sitting, as before, in a high-back chair in front of the bed. Tonight she wore black, her bosom spilling over the top of her low-cut gown, her face still veiled beneath the high sweep of a Spanish mantilla
and veil. Her gloved hands lay together in her lap, her fingers entwined. He nodded at her but she didn’t offer him anything in return. He took up a stance in front of her, feet slightly apart and hands behind his back.

“The lady would like to see your cock.”

Gabriel unbuttoned his pantaloons to display his shaft. He wasn’t as desperate as he had been on the previous night, but knowing she watched him quickly dispelled any notion that he wouldn’t come at her slightest touch.

“Touch yourself until you are almost ready to come.”

Gabriel applied himself to the task, no hardship for a man who deliberately sought out this particular form of sexual torture at the pleasure house. The only sounds in the room were his ragged breathing and the slick, wet sound of his cock sliding between his fingers. He just remembered to stop before he came and waited to be told what to do next.

The woman removed one of her gloves and leaned forward to scoop a bead of pre-cum from the tip of his cock. Gabriel shivered as she sucked the finger into her mouth and beckoned him closer.

“The lady wishes you to put your hands behind your back and close your eyes.”

Gabriel did what he was told and groaned as he felt her hand on his cock and then the unexpected coldness of metal. He opened his eyes and looked down. The woman was busy wrapping his cock and balls within a supple spiral of braided metallic wire. When she reached the tip she angled the metal coil over the slit of his cock.

“Monsieur, you were not supposed to look,” Marie-Claude said. “Do you wish to punish him, ma’am?”

Gabriel’s cock swelled at her words and his tender flesh pushed against the metal, hot against cold, yielding flesh and unresisting silver. He wanted her to touch him again so much it
hurt to breathe. She shook her head and he tried to relax, found it impossible when she lowered her head and she blew a stream of air onto his beleaguered cock.

“Close your eyes, monsieur, and keep them closed this time or I will blindfold you,” Marie-Claude said.

The threat of that was enough to make him obey. After the long months in the unlit cells of a French prison, he hated not being able to see properly. Even the mask he wore at the pleasure house was almost too constricting. He braced himself for what would happen next, groaned out loud when the unknown woman’s tongue flicked over the silver constraints and delved deep to delight his flesh.

He squeezed his eyes shut as she continued to torment him with her tongue, and he fought the urge to slide his hands into her hair. What color was her hair? He was aware of his hips rocking gently with the rhythm of her licking, his buttocks flexing with the need to shove himself deep into her mouth and beg her to take his cock, to take all of his cum.

“Let me help you, ma’am,” Marie-Claude murmured.

He flinched as he felt movement behind him and then realized it was Marie-Claude, pushing his pantaloons down further to expose his arse. Her warm hands cupped his arse cheeks and then he felt her fingers stroking the sensitive flesh between his arse hole and his balls.

God, he wanted to die, wanted the subtle torment to end, but never end, wanted it harder and rougher, wanted to come … but could he come within the restriction of the silver coils? It felt as though his cock would always be erect and trapped. The woman’s tongue probed his slit, and he bit down hard on his lip, enjoyig the slight pain with the edge of pleasure.

She sucked him into her mouth, silver rings and all, and just held him there. Gabriel tensed as Marie-Claude’s now-oiled finger circled the tight bud of his arse hole and then eased inside.
He held his breath as she went deeper and deeper and then he forgot anything but the desperate need to come as pleasure narrowed to a point so clear and sharp that he felt as if he was about to fall.

Cocooned in the woman’s warm mouth, his cock gave up the struggle and he started to come, each shuddering wave swallowed down her throat, his hands gripped together behind him, his nails digging deep into his own flesh. When he stopped shuddering, the woman had sat up and replaced her veil. Marie-Claude, however, still knelt on the floor. She glanced up at the woman and removed the silver bands. Gabriel sighed in relief until her heard her next question.

“Shall I make him hard for you again, ma’am, or have you seen enough tonight?”

The woman whispered something in French and Marie-Claude smiled. “Of course, ma’am.” She looked up at Gabriel. “It seems as if my lady approves of you. Now keep still.” She knelt up and cupped his balls in her hand. “I’m sure you can do even better than that.”

Marie-Claude winked at Lisette as she sucked Lord Swan-field’s cock for the second time. They’d played with him endlessly, licked him, sucked him, tormented him until his cock streamed with pre-cum and he was begging hoarsely for release. It was time to end the game now, and for that, she needed his full attention.

When Marie-Claude stood up, Lisette whispered in her ear, “This time we let him handle himself and when I nod, you will open the door so that we can make a quick exit.”

“Agreed, Madame.” Marie-Claude raised her voice. “Monsieur, you may pleasure yourself. We will watch.”

His long elegant fingers dropped to cradle his balls and curve around his cock. He was careful with himself this time,
obviously feeling sore and well used. Lisette nudged Marie-Claire and frowned. “Tell him to do it faster and when he comes I want him to look at me.”

Marie-Claude relayed the message in flawless English and Lord Swanfield complied, his hands moving more quickly, his motions rougher. Lisette licked her lips and tasted him in her mouth, knew she wanted to taste him again at some basic uncomplicated level where he simply appealed to her most vital needs.

She watched his face through her veil, her hands ready, and waited for him to look up as he came. He started to pant, his hands gripping and releasing his thick, straining cock, and started to come, looked up at her as instructed. She raised her veil and let him see her, watching the horror and sexual high collide on his face as he realized exactly whom he had been performing for.

Before he even finished coming, Lisette blew him a kiss and left as fast as she could, making sure Marie-Claude locked the door behind her just in case Lord Swanfield tried to come after her. She wasn’t ready to go home yet, so where should she go? Her heart was beating so hard she feared she might faint, and her body was screaming for release.

The solution was obvious. Her old room in the private part of the pleasure house was still available to her. She would take herself to bed and worry about exactly what Lord Swanfield would do on the morrow.

“Damnation!” Gabriel fell to his knees, his hands cradling his still-spurting cock, his teeth clenched against the onslaught of pleasure. He stayed down, his head bent, and tried to breathe properly, to collect his scattered thoughts and make sense of what had happened. But it was impossible. His two worlds had finally collided. What the devil was a well-brought-up young lady like Miss Ross doing in the pleasure house?

He gave a shuddering sigh and tried to pull up his pantaloons, aware that his cock was now sore and throbbing from overuse. Normally he liked the sensation, but this time there was only pain. There had always been a risk that someone he knew would recognize him. He’d seen several of his old army colleagues at the pleasure house, and none of them had seemed to know him, not even his cousins.

Miss Ross had not only known him but made sure he knew it, too. He groaned and strode toward the door. What would she do with that information? She hadn’t struck him as the type of woman who enjoyed humiliating a man in public. But she had reason to believe he had deceived her, and that made any woman dangerous.

The door refused to open, and, after trying it several times, he slammed his fist into the wooden panel. She obviously didn’t want him to follow her. And what would he do if he caught her anyway? Wring her neck or shove his cock deep inside her and finish what she had started. God, he still wanted to fuck her, wanted it even more than he had before….

Shame washed over him, along with a sickening sense of his own stupidity. Why would she want him? With a groan, he retreated from the locked door and focused on washing himself clean and planning his next move. She couldn’t avoid him forever. Even if she never came back to the pleasure house, he knew exactly where she lived.

“G
ood morning, Swanfield.” Lisette’s father smiled at Gabriel across the breakfast table where he sat conspicuously alone. “What brings you to my house so early in the morning?”

Gabriel bowed. “I apologize for disturbing you, sir, but I was hoping to invite Miss Ross to ride with me.”

Philip Knowles looked surprised. “Lisette isn’t known for her love of riding. She doesn’t even have a horse in London. Are you sure you mean her?”

“I spent some time with her at Knowles House helping her regain her confidence. I thought she might like to continue our lessons.”

“That is very thoughtful of you, Swanfield, but she isn’t here. She spent the night at her mother’s house.”

It belatedly occurred to Gabriel that he had never met Lord Knowles’s wife. Was there some scandal about their relationship he had missed?

“Her mother doesn’t live here?” He cringed at his own words and braced himself for Lord Knowles’s wrath.

Amusement glinted in Lord Knowles’s eyes. “She lives here sometimes, but I don’t want to bore you with our complicated domestic matters.”

“Ah, exactly.” Gabriel tried hard to think of what to say next. “Do you have Miss Ross’s direction, sir?”

Philip’s eyebrows rose. “You seem remarkably anxious to see her, Swanfield.”

Gabriel met his gaze. “I am, sir.”

“Then perhaps you might care to leave a message, which I will endeavor to deliver to her on her return.”

It was said gently enough, but there was no mistaking the implacable note behind Lord Knowles’s words. Gabriel sighed and realized he was beaten. If he kept pressing, Lord Knowles would grow suspicious and pass his concerns along to his daughter and that would lead to him being barred from the house.

“That is an excellent idea, sir. I’ll ask her to ride with me on the morrow. I’ll supply her with a horse.”

Lord Knowles stood up and held out his hand. “There is paper and ink in my study. Please feel free to use them before you leave.”

Gabriel shook the proffered hand and allowed the footman to lead him into Lord Knowles’s study. He wrote an innocuously polite note, informing Miss Ross that he would call for her at eight in the morning unless he heard otherwise, and left it unsealed on Lord Knowles’s desk. As he replaced the pen in the inkwell, he noticed a collection of miniature paintings on the polished wooden surface. He recognized Lisette instantly. The others eluded him, apart from a vaguely familiar blond woman, although he guessed they were pictures of Miss Emily and her brother when they were younger.

He nodded his thanks to the footman and was shown out the door. He put on his gloves and then his hat as he strolled down the steps. It was only after he mounted his horse that he
remembered where he might have seen the other blond woman. Whoever she was, she also frequented the pleasure house. He clicked at his horse and started moving. Was that the connection between Miss Ross and the erotic club? Did she have an older sister or a mother who visited the place and thus had entry?

He had no idea, and could only hope that Miss Ross would be brave enough to face him tomorrow. There was little he could do to her while she was on horseback in the middle of a public park, although several scenarios involving dragging her out of the saddle and putting her over his knee had presented themselves to his fevered imagination…. His cock stirred pro-testingly and he shut down that line of thought. There would be time enough to gauge the state of their “relationship” tomorrow without inviting trouble.

“Swanfield!”

Gabriel looked to his left and saw an all-too-familiar figure waving at him. He guided his horse to the edge of the road, and looked down unsmilingly at his cousin Lieutenant Michael Granger. Michael was neither as tall nor dark-featured as he was, and his eyes were a pale gray. His older brother, William, was far more like Gabriel in looks and temperament.

“Good morning, Gabriel, and how are you?” Michael’s smile seemed genuine enough, so Gabriel forced himself to respond.

“I’m well, thank you.”

“Are you back in Town for good, then?” Michael swallowed hard. “I hadn’t heard that you were opening up Swanfield House.”

“I’m not.”

Michael looked confused. “Why not?”

“Because it seems an unnecessary extravagance just for one person.”

“But you’re the earl and it’s your home. People will expect you to live there.”

Gabriel shrugged. “I’ve never felt that way about it, Michael. I’ve only been there twice.”

“Well, at least you should go and see the old place. You might like it.”

“I doubt that.”

Michael sighed. “Still as cantankerous as ever, I see. One day you’ll have to accept who you are and let the past go.”

“Like your brother William has?”

Michael’s cheeks flushed. “William is a fool and you know it.”

Gabriel inclined his head. “It was nice to see you again, cousin.”

Concern flashed across Michael’s face. “Don’t go yet. I have no idea how to contact you, or where you are living.”

“Why would you want to contact me? I’m not exactly welcome in your family, am I? Seeing as I ‘stole’ the title from your brother.”

“That’s not true. We all … became accustomed to that disappointment years ago.” Michael persisted, his expression pleading. “Perhaps we could meet at my club?”

Gabriel allowed his horse to back up two steps. “I don’t frequent the clubs. I’m still considered a disgraced man, remember?”

“But we could help you with that, show some family solidarity for once, rebuild your reputation.”

Gabriel almost smiled. Unlike his fiery brother William, Michael had always been a peacemaker. “I fear it is too late for that. Good-bye, cousin, and take care.”

He moved off even as Michael continued to speak, and threaded his way back into the stream of traffic. The encounter had unsettled him. He preferred not to think of his father’s relatives and the hopes he’d dashed by daring to be born. The Granger side of the family had treated him appallingly as a child and he’d never quite forgotten that. Even during the investigation
in Spain, his cousins hadn’t quite bestirred themselves to argue his case. He’d heard Michael tried, and as for William … Gabriel hadn’t expected anything from him at all, and, from all reports, William hadn’t surprised him.

Guilt stirred low in his gut. He might say that he wanted nothing to do with his father’s family or the land and houses that now belonged to him, but he still took the income from the estates and used it. He wished he had the ability to throw it back in his solicitor’s face, but he had nothing else to live on, and so he lived as frugally as he could, his only extravagance his horses.

Gabriel drew his horse up behind the house where he rented his lodgings and dismounted. Mather, his groom, came out to take the horse into the mews and they spent a few minutes discussing the new stock and made plans for Gabriel’s ride in the morning. He had the perfect horse in mind for Miss Ross and his groom was in agreement.

Satisfied at least with the progress of his campaign to see Miss Ross again, Gabriel headed into the house. At the bottom of the stairs, Captain David Gray and his valet were just about to leave through the front door. Gabriel found them easy company and wasn’t foolish enough to inquire too closely as to their relationship. He had a sense that the two men were far more than servant and master, had seen them together at the pleasure house.

Captain Gray saw him first and smiled. “Good morning, Swanfield. Lieutenant St. Clare was looking for you earlier.”

“Good morning, Captain, Mr. Brown.” Gabriel nodded to both men and paused on the first step. “Is he still here?”

“I believe he is, sir.” Robert Brown, Captain Gray’s softly spoken Welsh valet said. “I saw him going up the stairs to his rooms.”

“Thank you.” Gabriel watched the men leave, noticed their
ease with each other and the sense of closeness between them. Since enduring the hellish nature of captivity, he didn’t begrudge anyone happiness, even if it was with another man.

He climbed past his extensive set of rooms on the second floor and went on to the more cramped quarters of the old attic level, where Lieutenant Paul St. Clare lived when not on duty. Gabriel knocked on the door and received an invitation to enter. He opened the door and recoiled at the smell of cabbage.

“Good God, man, whatever are you eating?”

Paul grinned at him. “It’s soup. My aunt sent it over for me.” He held up the spoon. “Would you like some?”

Gabriel shuddered. Since his captivity, he’d become a fastidious eater, his stomach no longer able to tolerate rich food, but the cabbage soup didn’t appeal to him either. “Why don’t you come down to my rooms and share some luncheon with me? Keyes was preparing something with beef, I believe.”

“Thank you, I will. I wanted to talk to you anyway.”

Gabriel turned back down the stairs and found his door key. “So Captain Gray said.” He went to unlock the door, only to have Keyes sweep it open instead. “Well, come on in.”

His space was in immaculate order. He liked it that way, everything in its place, no surprises, and no dark corners. Keyes bowed and led the way into the dining room.

“As soon as I heard the lieutenant was looking for you, sir, I made enough for two.”

“Thank you, Keyes.”

Gabriel sat down and surveyed the plates piled high with slices of beef and plain boiled potatoes. Despite his slender form, Paul usually ate enough for three men, so there should be plenty. Keyes poured them both some ale and left them be.

“What did you want to talk to me about, Paul?”

His companion paused to drink some ale and then put down his tankard. “Nothing too extraordinary, more of a coincidence,
really. I’ve heard your name being bandied around rather a lot recently.”

“Really? By whom?”

Paul chewed slowly on his beef and swallowed. “There have been a couple of questions asked about you in the officer’s mess. One of your cousins was after your whereabouts, I believe. I didn’t tell him anything.”

Gabriel nodded. That might explain Michael’s unexpected appearance and far too pleasant manner. Was there some family matter Michael was loathe to bring to his attention or was he simply sounding out his cousin for his own benefit? As a younger son, Michael was always short of ready funds.

“And who else was asking after me?”

For the first time, Paul looked uncomfortable. “I’m not sure who was seeking information about you in the gentlemen’s clubs; I didn’t run into any of those people personally, just heard the rumbles.” He pushed his blond hair back off his face. “I did, however, share some information about you with a young lady of my acquaintance. I’m still not sure if I should’ve done so.”

“Let me guess.” Gabriel knew his smile wasn’t pleasant. “Was the young lady called Miss Ross?”

“Ah, you know her then?” A relieved smile appeared on Paul’s face. “I assumed you did, but after all the other inquiries as to your whereabouts, I became a little alarmed.”

“I know her.” Gabriel fought a shudder as he pictured her tongue probing the crown of his cock, her mouth drawing his shaft inside and letting him come down her throat. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell her anything else.”

Paul paused, his knife halfway to his mouth. “You don’t like her?”

“At this precise moment, I’d like to wring her neck.”

“Then I can only apologize. I wanted her to hear the truth
about your unfairly gained reputation. She seemed shocked that you had been treated so badly.”

“She did, did she?” Gabriel swallowed down more ale. “Don’t worry, Paul. I’ll take care of Miss Ross. She won’t be a problem for much longer.”

“I’m not sure I like the sound of that. She seems to be a very pleasant young lady.”

“Aye, she does.” Gabriel’s thoughts dwelled lovingly on the image of Miss Ross over his knee, her skirts thrown up to her waist, and his hand as it connected with her bare arse. Paul’s worried voice jerked him out of his daydream.

“Are you concerned about all this renewed gossip?”

“I’m not sure. As you know, I’d prefer to let matters lie and hope that eventually everything is forgotten, but I sense someone doesn’t want me to succeed.”

“That was my thought, too.” Paul leaned forward, his hands clasped together on the table. “Are you certain that you don’t wish to revive this matter with the military authorities? I have friends who could help us, could make sure that this time you receive a fair hearing.”

Gabriel sighed. “We’ve been over this a thousand times. What’s the point? I don’t care what anyone thinks of me anymore. The people who really know me know I would never betray my country like that, so who gives a damn about the others?”

Paul sat back, his brown eyes troubled. “I was there for most of your captivity. I know what really happened and I would be honored to speak for you.”

“I know that and I appreciate it, but there is no need.”

Paul persisted. “But in the future, for the sake of your family name, for your heirs …”

“I don’t intend to have any heirs. I’ve almost decided that the title should die with me and revert back to the Granger side of the family.” Gabriel grimaced. “They’ll be delighted.”

“That’s very generous of you.”

Paul’s dry tone made Gabriel look up and smile. “I thought so, too.”

Paul reached across for another slice of beef and winked at Gabriel. He still ate like a man who never knew where his next meal would come from, a legacy of their shared captivity that Gabriel had fought hard to shake. “Perhaps you’ll change your mind when you meet the right woman.”

Gabriel didn’t bother to reply. He feared he had already met the only woman who interested him, and the odds of Miss Ross agreeing to be his wife were too long for even the most optimistic of bookmakers to offer them. His amusement dimmed as he contemplated their meeting the next day. He suspected that escaping with any shred of dignity was the most he could hope for. Asking her to meet him again so that he could have her naked and writhing in his arms until they were both sated was a very distant possibility indeed.

Lisette studied the stark strokes of Lord Swanfield’s handwriting. His note was as short as most of his spoken sentences and just as infuriating. He wanted her to ride with him on the morrow and he would arrive at her house at eight, presumably with an extra horse.