Chapter Twenty-Two

T he Right Honorable Bernice Natham

I flipped the last page of the manuscript, my eyes strained from reading in the dim light. The weather had turned brisk right after Moran left, and I glanced at the clock, shocked to see it was seven in the evening. Timmy usually came to walk me home, but I hadn’t heard any knocks on the door. Overcome with worry, I went to the window to look outside. My jaw dropped. Snow was everywhere I looked. No wonder Timmy didn’t come; he’d probably stayed home because of the weather. Moran’s warning returned to me, and I shook my head, my stomach dropping.

The book had enthralled me so much that I couldn’t stop reading it. I put chilly hands to my warm cheeks, shocked by what I read.

The chill in the reception area was equally as pervasive as in Moran’s office. The radiator had stopped working earlier, and he had told me to leave early if it snowed. The book had tied me to his desk. It was at once enlightening and shocking and had a way of igniting my emotions. It also sparked my blood, and more than once, I squirmed in my seat, delicious little ripples going across my pussy, but I was unable to relieve them. I didn’t have a Lord Golden or a Dark Knight to pleasure me the way they’d pleasured Lady X.

Of course, if the book had come to life, I would have cast Moran in the role of the Dark Knight and Ash as Lord Golden. Although, reading about their characters, the Dark Knight was more like Ash, and the Golden Knight like Moran. Either way, I wanted them to come to life. It was silly, but a good book did that for you.

I grabbed my coat and slipped my arms into it. Slipping my hands into the gloves, I went to the back stairwell. If I didn’t get home, the girls would worry. Luckily, it was supposed to be a rare night off for Eloise.

A flash of white startled me, and I grabbed my collar, laughing with relief at the sight of the beautiful white cat. Glittering green eyes stared at me before it rubbed against my leg, purring rather loudly. This was Moran’s cat and I reached down to pick it up, petting its soft fur. It butted its head against my chin, and I smiled. “You sure are a friendly lot.”

The cat struggled to get loose, and I put it on the ground. I couldn’t dawdle anymore. I needed to get home. I stepped farther into the stairwell and music drifted down from the flat above. I halted mid-stride, my stomach tied in knots. Moran was at home. My knees began to feel weak and I grabbed onto the banister, relieved that he hadn’t come into his office and seen me reading the manuscript. Licking my dry lips, I went to the outer door and opened it. A strong wind buffeted me, the chill in the air stealing my breath. I stepped out and sank into the snow almost to my knees. There was no way I could walk home in this weather.

The sourness of my stomach increased, hunger driving me even more than my desire to go home. I bit my bottom lip, tears threatening to fall. With a reluctant sigh, I returned to the building, closing the door behind me. Mrs. Paul lived off-site, and it was too cold outside to stay downstairs. My only option was to interrupt Moran. I stood in the stairwell staring upward, dreading the upcoming interview but excited to see him nonetheless. This was a mistake of my own making, but I couldn’t stay in the hallway all night long, nor could I stay in the reception area with no heat. Or food. With a sigh of resignation, I cursed my own negligence and took the stairs up to his flat.

The music was louder, and I lifted my hand to knock on the door, but no one answered. The cat rubbed itself against my leg, startling me once more. “I want to go inside as well,” I told the animal. Dare I be bold enough to just open the door and go in? Standing in the hallway wasn’t doing me any good, and I might as well face the music, so to speak.

My hands shaking, I turned the knob, surprised to find it open. I knocked on the door again for good measure and waited a breath. Still no response. Would I find Mr. Moran in a state of dishabille again? Stifling a giggle, I cracked the door, debating the wisdom of attempting to gain his attention. He might be asleep.

My stomach growled, and I pushed my hand into it.

The cat butted his way into the room, taking the decision from me. With a soft whoosh, the door swung open to reveal a rectangular room with polished wood and maroon accents. There were two chairs and a sofa...

I gasped at the sight of Moran and Ash on the sofa, half-clothed and kissing, their hands on each other’s privates.

“Lord Golden and the Dark Knight!” I put my hand to my mouth as soon as I realized I had spoken aloud. Mortified, I tried to leave before they noticed me.

“Bloody hell, Mrs. Worth,” Moran yelled, his eyes locked with mine. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Head down, I said, “I, um, sorry, I well, I was caught in the snow and, well, I will just go now.” I shut the door, my cheeks burning. The book had come to life.

No sooner had I reached the lower landing than Moran appeared, his clothing awry. Fury brightened his eyes, and he glared at me. “Mrs. Worth, a word.”

“That isn’t necessary. I will gather my things and leave.” What else could I say? I was obviously fired for intruding on his privacy. If he knew the entire truth, he would be even more livid.

Ash stepped behind Moran. Unlike his friend...er lover, he seemed calm given the situation. “You can’t leave. There’s a blizzard outside. Come in. We need to talk.”

Indecision weighed on me, but there was no practical solution other than to stay. If I went out in the snow, I would freeze to death. With a reluctant nod, I went back up the stairs. Moran stormed into the flat. Ash took a more sedate pace.

The heat in the room seemed stifling after spending most of the afternoon in the cold. Moran paced back and forth like a caged tiger. I clutched at my gloves, unable to look at him. He was furious, and with good reason, I suppose.

“Would you like a sherry?” Ash moved to the cabinet to pour the sherry. His coat and neck cloth were gone, his waistcoat hanging open. I hadn’t exactly seen him completely unclothed, but I had seen parts I’d dreamed about seeing. The heat rushing up my neck added to my awareness of the absurdity of the situation.

“Yes, that would be lovely.” I kept my gaze locked on the floor. If I had listened to Moran in the first place, I would be home with my sisters instead of losing my job because I couldn’t tear myself away from the manuscript.

“Mrs. Worth,” Moran said, his harsh tone startling me. I snapped my head up to meet his glittering gaze. “Sit.”

With a nod, I perched on the edge of a wing-backed chair, my gaze darting across the room. Heavy curtains framed the window where the cat sat, its reflection showing in the glass. The music still played, adding to the room’s coziness. The bookshelves overflowed, and if I hadn’t been about to lose everything, I might be eager to peruse the titles. “I would like to start out by saying I am sorry to have interrupted your evening. Time slipped by, and I, well... I am sorry.”

Ash brought over the glass and pressed it into my hand. He offered me a quizzical smile, studying my face for an uncomfortable moment. He didn’t seem concerned that I had seen him and Moran together.

“You...” Moran trailed off, starting to pace once more, his hands on his hips. His shirt collar was open, exposing his chest to my view. I tried not to stare, but it was hard not to admire his muscled body. “I am very upset with you, Mrs. Worth. I told you to go home, and you didn’t listen.”

A tear fell before I realized I was crying. “I was reading a manuscript, and I lost track of time.”

“Don’t cry,” Ash whispered, wiping the tear with his thumb before scowling at Moran. “It was an honest mistake. Stop glowering at her Moran, it isn’t helping.”

Moran deflated the slightest bit and threaded his fingers through his disheveled hair, reminding me of what I had seen. “I am sorry.”

“I understand you are upset with me.” I glanced from one man to the other. If I was to be fired, I might as well be open and speak my truth. “I am not offended if that is what you are worried about. I, well, I rather suspected there was more between you than friendship, and after I read Kneeling at the Altar of Adonis —”

“—You read Lilian’s manuscript? That was in my safe. My locked safe?” The rage returned, Moran’s face turning a dangerous shade of red.

He had a safe. That would explain why I never saw the forbidden manuscripts. One mystery had been answered. “In my defense, it wasn’t locked away. It was sitting by the typewriter, and I, well, I went to get some paper and saw it.” The lie came easily, which added to my shame, but he didn’t need to know the entire truth. It wasn’t relevant.

“That isn’t helping matters.” He continued to tug at his hair.

Ash took my gloved hand between his warm ones and knelt in front of me. Up close, I could see the golden lashes around his arresting blue eyes. His pupils were a velvety black, and I wanted to lean in and stare deep into their depths. “What did you think about the relationship between Golden, Dark Knight, and Lady X?” he asked.

Angling my neck, I composed my response. I was a virgin, pretending to be a widow. Modesty told me to say that I was appalled. I wasn’t, nor would I ignore my growing lustful feelings. “The story was engaging, and the characters believable. Frankly, I couldn’t stop reading it.”

“So you weren’t offended?” Ash asked. Tension rested between us. Moran stopped pacing, the silence deafening despite the music in the background.

Honesty had done me well thus far. “No. I think it is very titillating, if not complicated.” I kept my gaze locked on his understanding face when I wanted to look at Moran to gauge his mood. He had the power to ruin my life.

“Yes, it is both.” Ash slipped my gloves off my hand, his touch gentle. “You are wet from the snow.”

I hadn’t realized my skirt was wet until he brought it to my attention. My feet felt like ice, but my body was overly warm. “I thought to walk home but got no further than a few steps.”

“It is a good thing you didn’t.” Moran huffed out a long breath and took the seat across from me. Outrage faded from his countenance. He clasped his hands together with his elbows on his knees, looking resigned. “I wouldn’t wish your death on my hands.”

“No, I echo that,” Ash said. “However, we need to discuss what you saw. If anyone finds out that we were physically involved, we could be jailed, or worse.” Ash continued to kneel before me, the heat of his body filtering through my clothing. His calmness in the face of tension was reassuring.

“I understand that, and I can assure you that the secret is safe with me.” I meant it sincerely because I had secrets I didn’t wish to share. Even without the lies I’d told, I tried not to judge others. “But I do have questions.”

“Of course you do.” A smile tilted the side of Moran’s mouth. With his hair and clothing in disarray, he looked much younger and, if possible, more desirable.

“The two of you were engaged. I thought, well, is that why the two of you aren’t married?” While I was innocent, it didn’t take a genius to figure that out.

The two men shared a look before Ash shook his head. “That’s not necessarily true. There are men like Moran and me who enjoy intimacies with both sexes. It’s more about who that person is than whether it’s a man or a woman.”

“Like Lady X.”

“Like Lady X.” Ash’s gaze drifted to my mouth, and my nipples pushed against my shirtwaist, the sensation shooting straight into my core. “You are a widow and free to follow your desires.”

“Ash...” Moran said in warning.

“No, please let him finish.” No matter how foolish the proposition was, boldness had taken hold of me. I had resigned myself to being a spinster, but wanted to experience passion’s kiss. If I could do so with these two handsome and appealing men, why not? I had nothing to lose. Well, my virginity, for one, but they didn’t know that.

“I have made no secret that I find you very appealing, and while Moran is too stubborn to admit it out loud, he desires you as well.” Ash stroked my finger with his thumb, the caress gentle and full of promise.

“That’s not what he told me. He said he wasn’t attracted to me at all.” I glanced at Moran, my heart racing. “Is that true?”

“What?” Ash gripped my fingers and stared hard at Moran. “You are such a prat.”

Moran had the grace to look embarrassed. He lowered his head, hiding his expression from view. “You are taking it out of context. She had just seen me in my office without, well, at the boxing bag, and I didn’t wish to give the impression that I was a degenerate like so many other men who’d take advantage of a pretty woman.”

“You think I am pretty?” I gripped the glass in my palm, waiting for his response, the tears back for a different reason entirely. I hadn’t wanted to develop deeper feelings for either man, but I realized that it was too late for that. Every morning I looked forward to work, not because of the work, but because of him.

“Very.” It came out so quiet, I wasn’t certain whether I heard him at all.

“Now that we have established that, we are all consenting adults,” Ash said. “What say you, Birdie? Would you care to recreate a scene?”

I could barely think over my pounding heart. Dare I say yes? If I did, it would be an awakening. There was also the matter of my virginity. From all accounts, pain was involved the first time. Nor could I let on that I was a virgin. I had a sense Moran would refuse to go any further.

A part of me rebelled at the idea. I could decide my own fate. With a nod, I exhaled. “I think I would. I, well, it has been a while since Frank died, and I, well, I am afraid I might be a bit out of practice.” I hoped I sounded mature and knowledgeable. Reading one book didn’t an expert make.

Ash responded by cupping my jaw. Tilting my chin, he brought his mouth to my parted one. “You need only say the word if you are uncomfortable.”

With a nod, I leaned in and met his lips halfway. The tingling sensations flamed into an outright need. Tonight, I would explore my passions and allow myself to follow my yearnings. I had a feeling I would never forget this night.