maid.â
âWhat lady?â
âThe Lady Isabel, Lord Kendrickâs wife. Sheâs ill and never leaves her apartment.â
âWhatâs wrong with her?â
Isabel realized he might be afraid she carried the same illness. What can I say to soothe his fears enough so that he will continue having sex with me? Kendrick often isolated her as if⦠âLord Kendrick is ashamed of his wife. Sheâs not right in the head. Thatâs why he never has guests. Youâre the first in a long time.â
âSo, you jumped into bed with the first man who came your way?â
Isabel took a deep breath, and wracked her brain for a believable explanation for her behavior. Looking up at Daniel, the flickering firelight emphasized his bronzed features and wavy golden hair, she realized how truly handsome he was. Surely he was accustomed to women being attracted to him. Sheâd play to his vanity. âItâs my duty to stay with Lady Isabel all day lest she wander away and do harm to herself. I saw you on the night you arrived and thought you the most comely man Iâd ever seen.â
One corner of his mouth twitched. Was that a hint of a smile?
She hurried on. âI feared such a grand gentleman would want nothing to do with a mere maid, but I knew I might never have another chance to be with a man like you.â
Daniel found flattery a far preferable form of seduction. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body against his. âFoolish girl, no man with blood in his veins would turn you away.â
She trapped his erect cock between their bodies and writhed against it. Obviously Kendrickâs servants werenât as morally upright as he thought. But Daniel had no intention of questioning his good fortune any further. He dropped his arm under her buttocks and lifted her away from the floor. With a giggle, she wound her legs around his upper thighs.
As he staggered toward the bed, he said, âLet me show you how much better bedding can be when the man is fully awake.â
He dumped her onto the bed, pulled his cock through the opening in his brais, and fell on top of her. She seemed almost surprised by his hurried efforts to enter her, but after a moment of uncertainty, opened the way for him. As he sank into her with a bold stroke, her hands clutched at his back. She met his thrusts with her own and they merged into a hurried pursuit of physical pleasure.
As he emptied himself, he realized heâd been too quick for her. No matter. He had hours to bring her the mind-numbing pleasure sheâd brought him. They were lying across the bed, so he tried to turn her so her head would rest on the pillows.
âOh, sir, donât make me get up just yet.â
âNever fear, sweet Tess. I merely want you to be more comfortable before I go on.â
âOn?â She looked at him with eyes that seemed strangely innocent.
With both arms wrapped around her body, he moved her. When her head was on the pillow he began to explore her body much as she had his on their previous encounters. Her firm young breasts cried out for his attention. The nipples became rock-hard when he touched them. He began to suck and fondle them and she soon arched her back and moaned softly.
He reached down to the apex of her legs and found the nubbin of flesh that would give her release. As he rubbed it, he felt the tension in her body increase until she pushed her mound against his hand while her heels dug into the mattress. Her body went rigid and then collapsed. He raised his head and saw her totally relaxed expression and grinned wolfishly as he felt his cock stirring to life. This woman wasnât a succubus, but she was a temptress who had cast a spell over him.
* * * *
Kendrick pulled away from the peephole and fought to catch his breath. First heâd been shocked at Daniel being awake and then even more taken aback that Isabel had kept her head and lied her way out of