I, Claudia Read Online Free PDF Page A

at her either. She was certainly a woman to love, was Claudia Seferius, rather than a woman to merely make love to. She’d make a man possessive and if she was in Marcus Orbilio’s bed he wouldn’t want her underneath him. Oh no! He’d want her on top, straddling him, so he could see every luscious curve of her body. It would be daylight, too. He’d watch her arch her back and thrust out her breasts. She’d throw back her head and… Realizing the prospect was arousing him, he turned on to his side and cupped his hand over Vera’s breast. Claudia’s breasts were fuller and rounder.
    ‘Marcus, I’m trying to sleep.’
    His hands began to explore.
    ‘Leave off.’
    Vera shrugged her shoulder but he pulled her roughly on to her back. Yes, much fuller and rounder. His mouth closed over her nipple. Underneath that brittle veneer he was sure he could sense a pulsating passion in Claudia Seferius.
    ‘Marcus, stop it!’
    ‘Claudia!’
    ‘Who?’ Vera tried to roll over on to her side, but he pinned her down. Claudia had long legs, they would be slender like her arms and neck. She would call out his name.
    ‘Claudia!’
    He climbed on top of Vera, who was frantically pushing at his shoulders. ‘Get off me, you self-centred, two-timing, double-crossing lizard.’
    If he closed his eyes, he could pretend it was Claudia wriggling underneath him in the throes of passion, not Vera fighting him off. Except with Claudia it would be long and slow, not a few quick thrusts like this. It would take from midnight until daybreak just kissing and arousing her, then when dawn finally broke, when sunlight flooded the room, the rhythm would begin. The age-old rhythm that would have them sweating and groaning and panting and screaming…
    ‘Oh, Claudia, Claudia!’
    The last words Orbilio heard before he climaxed was a woman’s voice snapping, ‘I’m Petronella, you stinking, slimy bastard.’

V
    Sliding into her seat, Claudia felt the same old sensations take over. The racing pulse, the trembling hands, the brightness in her eyes. A ripple of pleasure shuddered her body as she surrendered to the excitement ahead. Good old Apollo. Eight delicious days in his honour. The last games, the Fishermen’s Games, were a month back and a decidedly inferior affair too, lasting one mingy day. High spots of colour rose in her cheeks as the babble around her increased. The raucous chuckles of the men, the high-pitched giggles of the women, the delighted squeals of the children. Well, if any one of them extracted a mere fraction of the pleasure Claudia would get, they could count themselves jolly lucky. She smiled to herself. That Gaius was beside her, unaware of her cravings, added a certain piquancy, to the occasion.
    ‘Seferius!’
    One of his business associates clapped him on the back.
    ‘Seeing as how you’re here early, I don’t suppose you could spare me ten minutes?’
    Gaius and his colleague settled into an animated discussion about wine—quantities versus price—while Claudia absorbed the atmosphere of the amphitheatre. It was filling up now. Amazing how so many working people still managed to squeeze in the time to attend these lavish spectacles and she wondered whether that ferreting investigator Orbilio had found time to indulge himself today. Probably not, he’d be too busy grubbing around in filthy tenement slums to relax with simple pleasures. She wished him joy.
    While musicians sought to make themselves heard above the din of the crowd, Claudia adjusted her cushions and drummed her fingers, impatient for the entertainment to begin. Gaius had secured seats near the front, reflecting his privileged status, but not for Claudia the savage thrill of the bloodlust. She began tapping her foot and glanced round for the seventeenth time to catch the eye of her slave, Junius. As usual, the muscular Gaul was watching attentively and signalled acknowledgement with a slight incline of the head. He was a good boy, was Junius. Knew