A Rose Between the Thornes (6 page)

To her relief, or perhaps disappointment, the pressure on her mound ceased as the hand moved and she realized she was no longer fixed in one position.

“Harsh, but true. So my dear, as they say, anticipation is good for the soul.” A hand flexed over her mouth. “If I keep my hand away from you, will you stay silent? Wait to let me release your ties, move you from here, and see what ill you have given my b...compatriot? Nod if you agree.”

She nodded. His hand moved a little.

“Good, now love, we will begin to move somewhere more convenient for our activities.”

“And your soul needs all the goodness it can get,” she said. “You and your conspirator should be shot.”

“I was.” There was humor in the voice, and with a blinding flash of clarity, she knew.

“I might have known! No one else would have the audacity to try such a trick except the Thorne’s. So who did I shoot and where? I can but hope it means I have curbed your excesses.” She heard a dry laugh.

“Not really, love, just made our engagements a little more adventurous.”

Why, why, had she not understood who was behind this earlier?
Did her wits leave her along with her consciousness
? Another thought struck her. “My coachman and footman, what did you do to them?”

“They are safe.” One of them, she thought it was Jasper, reassured her. “Nothing harmed except their dignity. They will already be sounding the alarm for you. Not that it will be of any use. We hide our tracks well; we have had plenty of practice.”

Hmm, although they may well be practiced, his previous statement rings false.
Her new coachmen’s faces flashed through her mind.
They substituted my men. How I don’t know, but by god I will find out, and someone will suffer.

“So, who did I hit and where?” she persisted. “Do untie me so I can see.”

She found she could move forward, but not her arms or legs. Damn them; did they not trust her? With an inward smirk, she didn’t blame them. She would have moved, fast. Instead she leaned toward where she sensed someone was sitting? Standing? In her unsighted state she could not tell.

“You hit my arm, luckily, not my cock, or my balls. They are still in good working order.”

Even in her trussed up state she could not help but laugh. “Damn. My aim is not usually so poor. I aimed for your balls, Nathaniel,” she lied, and hoped he did not know.

“Nat. And how do you know ‘tis I?” He sounded genuinely interested. “People know neither our voices nor our features apart.”

“I do,” she said positively. “You eyes give you away in your
features
, and your cadence in your speech. As I cannot see your eyes, I listened, and knew by your voice.”

There was silence. What was happening? She heard a groan, a quiet laugh, and then she was swinging through the air, a hand caressing her naked arse, as she felt her body put over one hard male shoulder.

“Waaa? Put me down, what are you doing?” Her ankles may be tied but she could drum them hard on a hard male chest. “Stop it, Jasper, for if Nathaniel is injured ‘tis you who is subjecting me to this indignity.” Once more she moved her feet. Immediately they were held firmly. Before she had time to recover from that shock her arse was soundly spanked. Twice on each cheek.

Sophia gasped and tried to ignore the gush of arousal that flowed into her. Her heart beat erratically, and the fine hairs on her arms stood on end. “How dare you. Unhand me this instant.” Her voice was nowhere near as steady as she would have liked.

“Oh, we dare, my love.” Again she felt the sting of his hand on her, and to her dismay, she felt her juices gather.

Jasper laughed. “You like that. I can feel your agreement as you dampen my hand.” His finger slipped between her legs and touched her nub. “Are you wet and wanting, Rose? Ready to feel us in you?”

Her body slid down his, and judging by the hard cock she rubbed over, he was more than ready.

“Sadly, that delight need wait.”

Dammit is he a mind reader as well?

“Will you give me your word not to move from where I put you, whilst I go to help Nat?” he asked.

She hesitated. The fact he would trust her made her be truthful. Because he did it changed her intended course of action. “No,” she said baldly. “But I give you my oath, I will not run, hide, or seek help until I have looked at Nathaniel’s wound. As I also promise not to do anything to hinder his progress. But not to move? It can not be so. I am stiff, tired, and
bloody angry.
Of course I will move. Now remove my blindfold, untie me or not, as you choose, but let us move forward and end this charade.”

What would he do?
Sophia held her breath, and felt he did the same.

“Soon,” he said finally. “Trust me for one more short period, love, and then we will all be open and free with each other.”

Ha, he thought she’d believe him?
Sophia had no belief in fairytales. “Why not now?” she demanded. She heard his sigh, it seemed heartfelt.

“Because I am in charge. You chose to agree, and eventually find out all we can be together. As we do not know how you will choose...” He stopped speaking.

Sophia lost her patience.
If they still mistrusted me what hope had they?

“My lords, I have been open and honest. I will not tell a lie. And until I have checked Nathaniel’s wound I will be all compliance,” she said. “Unless you decide to take my instruction further, and choose not to tell me how and why. Then I assure you I will rebel. I may be interested and intrigued, but not in ignorance.”

The silence to her while still unsighted was unnerving. As she supposed it was meant to be. In spite of the butterflies in her stomach, and the spiders crawling up her spine, she refused to be the first one to speak.

Hands brushed the nape of her neck, and Sophia blinked as the covering was removed from her eyes. She looked about with interest. They were in an elegant bedchamber, its decorations sumptuous. On the far wall stood the biggest bed she had ever seen. It was easily large enough for three people to sleep, or she thought, make love in, comfortably. Beside her, Jasper watched warily as she looked from him to the bed and back again.

“For us?” she asked.

He nodded

“Together?”

He nodded again. “It was to be for us to fuck and sleep together. Now we may have to curb our excesses a while. I must bring Nat in and tend to his wound. I am taking you at your word you will not try to escape, or leave.”

Sophia curtsied mockingly, not an easy feat with her hands and legs tied. “Will you help me to sit?” she asked.

Jasper raised one eyebrow. “I will do better than that.” With ease he lifted her and put her flat on the bed before raising her head and putting a pillow beneath it. “I trust you will rest comfortably until I return.”

“Still trussed up like a bird for the table?” Her words were scathing even as her body responded to the desire in his eyes that he took no pains to hide.

He laughed. “Trussed up as I hope to see you at a later date, though on that occasion without the scraps of clothing you wear now. In fact...” He moved forward and the air around her stirred as his hands brushed her chest. He took hold of the neckline of her gown and with a swift movement tugged hard downwards. She watched, fascinated. There was a harsh ripping noise and a sudden cool breeze over her already tight nipples as he exposed her breasts to his view. If it was possible, her nipples responded by hardening even further, to the point of pain.

Jasper grinned, and Sophia’s heart lurched. It was a grin of devilment, enjoyment, and lust. He bent his head and took each hard nub into his mouth in turn, sucking and nipping. Sophia’s body responded with a surge of moist heat between her thighs and a tingling awareness of his masculinity. Her clit clenched, and a rapid pulse beat its needs inside her cunt. It took all her willpower not to demand he allow her to open her legs wide and beg him to seek entrance to her honey pot. Instead, she did her best to regulate her breathing and just enjoy the moment.

“There, that will be a welcome sight for Nat as I carry him in. Something to take his mind off his discomfort.”

“I aim to please,” Sophia responded with sarcasm.

He bowed and moved to the door. “For that, my dear, we will be ever grateful. I look forward to experiencing your pleasure. Rose?” His voice was serious. “I will be but a moment, and once back we need tend to Nathaniel. It is as well your aim was not true.”

The assumption that she had a poor aim stung. “If I had not been attacked, my shot would have gone precisely where I wished it to go. Not, sadly, in his cock, which perchance I now feel I should have aimed for. Or his balls as I first said, although perhaps with hindsight I should have done. No, I had aimed exactly as I meant, and if you had not grabbed me, the shot would have missed him. His prick and ballocks might well be shriveled with worry, and his trousers be singed, but he would have been unscathed. By a scant inch, but my shot would have missed him nevertheless.”

Jasper paused by the door. “You are that good a shot?” Interest and surprise colored his voice.

“Oh, yes, one day I will challenge you. There will be no cheating there.” She could not keep the satisfaction out of her voice. “And I wager I will win.” As the words left her mouth, Sophia groaned. When would she ever learn to think before she spoke? It was all the Thorne twin’s fault. They addled her brains; she hadn’t meant to use the word wager. Of course he picked up on it.

“Another wager? I look forward to it. And remember, pride comes before a fall.”

“Oh go and get Nathaniel,” she replied crossly.

Chapter Four

Nat waited in the darkness of the coach and pondered on all that had occurred.
Damn woman
. Who would ever thought she had a pistol, a Manton no less, if his brief glimpse was correct. Not only that, but have the wisdom to use it? He chuckled and it became a gasp and a wince as his movement stirred up the pain in the arm. He moved it carefully. In truth he was sure it was but a mere graze, but if it suited him and his twin’s purpose to play on the fact he was injured, he would do so with gladness. All was fair in love and war after all.

Footsteps outside heralded the return of Jasper. Nat struggled to sit up. There was no way he would submit to Jasper carrying him over his shoulder, and holding him by the arse. They may enjoy sharing a woman; they did not share each other.

He said as much to Jasper when he opened the door and set the lantern he had brought with him onto the carriage floor. Jasper laughed, and even Nat could hear the relief in it. “Good grief, never. I can think of nothing more abhorrent. If I choose to utilize my predilection for a hot male arse, ‘twil be with your knowledge, even your voyeurism as it was in Paris, but never your participation.”

Nat nodded. Although they had seen such activities between siblings, it was not for them. “I envisage neither one of us will have a need to indulge so if Rose Sophia is inclined to indulge
us.
” He thought for a moment. “Is she so inclined do you think?”

Jasper sighed and put his arm under Nathaniel’s to help him stand. “Who knows? She had promised not to run, or extract retribution for our activities until you are well. I fear you may need to suffer a relapse once she is at your side.”

Nat gave a chuckle, which became a groan as he began to get down from the carriage and hit his injured arm on the edge of the door.

“Bloody woman, I’ll look forward to spanking her arse when I’m able. It will be a pleasure to add imagined injury on her behalf.”

“If you continue to act so careless it will no longer be imagined,” Jasper remarked as they made their way to the lodge. “Your arm needs to be cleansed and bound, not knocked and reopened.”

Nat didn’t bother to answer. His arm, even though he knew it was a mere flesh wound, was on fire. His head was spinning in a most unpleasant way and the remnants of his lunch were threatening to part company with his stomach. All he wanted was to be in a warm bed, preferable with a warm body next to him. Not, he admitted, for anything other than comfort. His cock may be willing and eager, pressed so hard up against his breeches it threatened to pop over the top to greet anyone who was watching. The rest of him was sadly not of the same inclination. Although he was, he conceded, ready to lay back and let others do the work for him.

Jasper helped him over the threshold and up the stairs to where their room was. Decorated with care and considerable forethought a few weeks earlier, with the hope of Sophia occupying it with them, they had chosen colors to compliment her. Nat was able to admire the way the deep golds and greens were indeed a perfect foil for her dark beauty. Her bound arms and legs glistened in the lamp light as she rested on their bed. Her uncovered body made his pulse jump. Heat as hot as any inferno spread through him.

Damn my arm, I don’t need it to fuck. For that I have my cock. I deserve to be able to plunge myself inside her warmth.

“Lie on the bed, Nat, and allow our lady to attend your wound.” Jasper guided him to the edge of the overlarge bed, and sat him down. “Let me remove your boots first. I don’t wish to bring any valet in here. Not at this moment.” He turned his back and took Nat’s legs between his to drag each boot off in turn.

“You might take his uninjured arm out of his jacket before he stretches out,” Sophia said. She wriggled, and every inch of her shimmered. It was the most prick-arousing sight anyone could wish for. Her eyes sparkled with an indefinable emotion and the pulse in her neck beat out an erratic rhythm. As she moved her legs, her quim called to him to plunder and enjoy her. With what seemed deliberate wantonness Sophia ran her tongue around her lips. Nat could imagine her doing the same thing to his or Jasper’s cock. She smiled and looked at the bulge in his breeches. “It will be easier to remove the garment or cut it off then.”

Nat wasn’t sure if her speculative glance was good or not, and the way she said
it
made him shudder. He was not sure what
it
she meant and had no desire to ask.