Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Since the big Brute seemed distracted, I felt free to study the front of his trousers to see if what my maid had said was true. I knew it wasn’t very ladylike, but I couldn’t help myself—I was consumed by curiosity. I think I was fascinated because I knew I would never actually see a male shaft in person, owing to the fact that I was forbidden to wed.
So I took my time, eyeing the definite bulge I could see in the tailored light gray suit trousers he was wearing. Slade’s suits always fit him like a glove, molding to his muscular body in a way that was extremely distracting.
It wasn’t that I found him attractive, I told myself. It was just that I was curious about what he looked like under his clothes. I knew it was scandalous but I couldn’t help wishing that just once I might get to look at a naked male and see for myself what all the married ladies at Court whispered and giggled about.
I don’t know how long I stood there, staring at his crotch from across the room—much longer than was in any way proper, I’m sure. But when I finally looked up, I saw that Slade was staring right back at me.
His golden eyes met mine and I bit back a gasp. Then his gaze dipped to his crotch and came back up as he arched an eyebrow. His message couldn’t have been clearer—Like what you see?
I felt my cheeks going hot with a blush but somehow I felt powerless to stop looking at him. Then Slade let his own eyes wander—I could feel that glowing, golden gaze traveling down the bodice of my dress, lingering on my breasts, and then dipping lower to where my skirt mercifully hid the tender V between my legs.
When his eyes came back up again, they were burning—filled with a dark lust that made my heart bang against my ribs and my breath come short. Oh Goddess, was he thinking what I thought he was thinking? It seemed likely because he held my gaze brazenly with his own.
He didn’t lick his lips or blow me a kiss or make any kind of lewd or rude gesture, but he didn’t have to. That burning, half-lidded gaze said it all. It said he desired me—that he was dreaming of what he would do to my body if he ever got the chance.
At last, my father—who was still speaking to both Slade and an advisor—said something that distracted the big Brute. He ended our staring contest to turn his attention back to the conversation and I was finally free.
My heart racing in my chest, I hurried from the Throne Room. I was mortified that the huge Brute had caught me staring at his male-hood. And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking of the way he had looked at me. That heated, half-lidded gaze…the way his glowing, golden eyes seemed to burn into my very flesh.
For months afterwards Slade’s face with that hot, lustful expression kept popping up in my mind’s eye at the most inconvenient times. For instance, when I was washing myself in the shower. Or when I was touching my secret place beneath the covers at night.
I knew it was wrong to do so, but I couldn’t help myself—there was something inside me that begged for pleasure. So when Slade’s darkly handsome face and golden eyes appeared as I was stroking my little pleasure button, I felt doubly guilty for the impropriety I was committing.
I felt so guilty, in fact, that for the next few tribute days, I attempted to avoid him and made sure to stay far from the Throne Room when I knew he would be there.
But eventually, my curiosity drew me back. There was something about the huge, alien Enforcer that tugged at me. I felt like a moth drawn to a dangerous flame. Though we never spoke outside of a few stilted pleasantries when my father drew me into the conversation, I felt that Slade knew me somehow…that he saw me in a way no one else in my life cared to or dared to.
Which again, made no sense because I had never even had a real conversation with him…
A trumpet blast interrupted my train of thought and a courier entered the Throne Room.
“Announcing Lord Slade, Clan Cruel Enforcer here to visit King Roderick,” he called out after lowering his trumpet.
“He’s here!” Roderick exclaimed, suddenly going extremely pale. “Oh Goddess of Mercy—what are we going to do?”
“Just what we said.” I straightened my spine and fingered the fake tiara in my hands. “We’ll offer him the Crown Jewels and promise to pay the tribute soon. Hopefully we can get them back before he has them appraised.”
“All right, fine.” Roderick sat up taller on the throne, though I could still see the panic in his eyes.