“I don’t think any man wants to be chased and hunted in quite this manner, Leila,” he told her sourly.
“Oh! Is that what’s bothering you?” she said, smiling wildly behind the fan. “Then by all means, chase me.”
Etienne made a sound. “What you need is a spanking!” he said sharply.
Leila smiled. “I agree entirely. A spanking is exactly what I need.” She licked her lips provocatively.
He smiled as well and stood up. He moved toward her in a solicitous manner and pulled her up by her right elbow. He didn’t want anyone watching to think there was something wrong. He moved away from the railing and behind the chairs, taking her with him. There was a piece of drapery that could be used as a divider between the chairs used for the entertainment and the area behind the curtain, where there was a small couch and table for relaxation after the concert.
Etienne moved the drapes over to secure their privacy. He turned on her and his face was a mask of anger. “Leila, I swear on all that’s holy, I’ve had enough of your taunts and torments.” Etienne was being pushed to the breaking point.
He had pressed her up against the wall and held her slim forearms in his hands. “Have you?” She smirked.
“Yes. I want everything to stop. If you continue to tease me like a little slut I’m going to tell Sebastian everything.”
Leila blushed at the harsh word he used because they both knew she had only known one man intimately. But she was behaving like a trollop with him.
“Everything?” Leila gasped.
“Everything,” he confirmed.
“How many times did we make love at the chateau?” she asked, playing dumb.
Etienne closed his eyes. Even now he wanted her. “Leila, you can’t do this. We can’t do this.”
“Do what?”
“This. There are rules.”
“Rules can be broken.”
“No, they can’t. You can’t ask me to find us a room. We can’t meet. Nothing can happen. The chateau was a mistake.”
“No. It wasn’t.” She moved her lips to his ear. “Even now I remember you inside me. I want you so badly.”
Oh Jesus. He was fighting a losing battle. Why was he fighting? He growled.
He took her mouth with his and the minute he released her arms, she was pulling him tighter to her. She was so luscious and sweet he couldn’t stop. Lord help him, he couldn’t stop. He was pulling up her skirt and petticoats and pushing her against the wall at the same time he was opening his breeches. Suddenly he was pressing into her tight, wet core as she was wrapping her legs around his waist.
He took her against the wall like a common slut even as she moaned in his ear. He anchored her to the wall, pushing into her again and again. Her breathy sighs and moans filled his ear but no one past the drapes could hear them over the din of the loud audience. She climaxed with a breathy sigh in his ear as he emptied his seed deep inside her.
She closed her eyes as she felt his thickness still within her but Etienne felt nothing but shame after the climax. He had taken her again. It was against everything he believed. He was not behaving honorably. He had soiled an innocent virgin and the sister of his friend, no less. It was only a few minutes later as the music began that Sebastian joined them and Etienne excused himself. He needed to get away from Leila.
***
Sebastian had not planned to speak with Sophie until the ball, but when he saw her outside with her friend during intermission, he knew he must take this opportunity. The subject would place her on the defensive, so this was as good a time as any.
“Mademoiselle Gauvreau.” He nodded to Sophie and to her friend, who he remembered as Lizette Robidoux. “Mademoiselle Robidoux.”
Lizette nodded and politely excused herself. It was obvious that Sebastian had sought out her friend to speak with her.
“Sophie.”
“Yes, Sebastian?”
“I think you’ve completely lost your mind.” He would not mince words.
“Do you?”
“Sophie, what are you doing?” Genuine concern showed across his face, and suddenly she knew what he was talking about.
“I’m not a child.”
“Does your father even know?”
“Of course not.”
“So you aren’t a child, yet you hide your writings.”
“He wouldn’t understand.”
“Half of France will not bloody well understand.” He cursed his English side and the words he had picked up from there.
Sophie saw other couples out enjoying the evening air during intermission and she turned to Sebastian. “I won’t be silenced.”
He felt himself drowning in her hazel eyes. “This is dangerous. Do you know there is an inspector who is searching for you?”