Bound by Bliss (Bound and Determined #2)(25)
“I do not know what her tastes are—I doubt that she does. But, yes, marriage is my goal,” he answered. “I am working to persuade her of the wisdom of the match.”
“You have an interesting way of handling that. But then I imagine that you brought her here to see if she has an interest in…?”
“No,” he cut her off. “I plan for her to be my wife, not my…”
This time Ruby stopped him with a held up hand, her lips quirking up. “I listened to this foolishness from Swanston. I do not need to hear it again. I will leave the door to the secret hall open once I have talked to the gentlemen in question. I will trust you not to look through any but the peepholes I specify. And there will be a room available should you need it. No, I know you don’t, but you never know when the young lady may need to freshen up. Simms can tell you which room it is.”
He nodded. “Thank you.”
“Now, why don’t you and your young friend finish your drinks and then I will have Simms come and fetch you.” Ruby turned and strolled from the room with a sway of her magnificent hips.
He strolled back across the room to Bliss. She lifted her head, eager to hear about the coming adventure.
Bending low, he described what would happen, what they would see, what they would do. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of her skin as his lips paused inches from her delicate ear. She’d left off perfume. Did she think it made her smell any less feminine? His body would certainly disagree. There was nothing like the honest smell of woman.
“The Binkshaws?” she asked, her breath caressing his cheek. “I don’t know how I feel about watching somebody that I know. And I have a very hard time picturing Mr. Binkshaw doing…Isn’t he a little portly?”
“I’ve never heard that to present a problem.”
—
Bliss wasn’t sure she would ever pull her eye away from the peephole. It should have been disgusting. Well, it was kind of disgusting, but it was even more fascinating—and also strangely erotic. It had taken her a few moments to find the courage to peek in, unsure if she could watch such a thing with Duldon in attendance, but from the moment she’d put her eye to the opening she’d been captured. If anyone had ever told her that watching the Binkshaws have marital relations would be erotic she would have fallen to her knees in laughter. Even the thought of Mr. Binkshaw without clothing would have caused her to chuckle. But she would have been very wrong. Not that he wasn’t portly with an out-of-proportion belly, but somehow none of it mattered as she watched him with his wife. Every glance he gave her, every touch bespoke years of caring and tenderness.
And Mrs. Binkshaw was a story by herself. It was clear that she must once have been a great beauty, but now the breasts had fallen, the hips had widened, and deep lines of worry and trial marked her face. Bliss didn’t know what their story was, she’d only met them in passing, but it was apparent that there must have been great difficulties at some point over the years.
But from the moment Duldon had rapped on the wall over the peephole and she’d become aware that she had a watcher Mrs. Binkshaw had changed. She’d begun to glow, her cheeks had gained color and she held herself straighter, angling her body to give the best presentation to the peephole. Bliss had wondered at first why Duldon had rapped upon the wall. Surely there was as much thrill in knowing one might be watched to actually being watched. Evidently that was not the case based on Mrs. Binkshaw’s reaction.
“Do they come here just to be seen?” she whispered to Duldon, who stood behind her leaning against the wall.
“Given that they’re married and have quite a lovely townhouse of their own, I can’t think of another reason. Although some find simply being at Ruby’s adds a tinge of excitement to any encounter.”
“Hmmmm, I am not sure that I would like being watched. How would one concentrate on what one was doing if one knew there was a watcher? I think I’d be far more worried about how I looked than what I was doing.” Bliss glanced over her shoulder at Duldon and then turned back to the peephole.
“Then I think it would be up to your partner to distract you.” Duldon came to stand behind her and she could feel the heat of his thighs through the back of her skirt. A small tendril of excitement sprang from even the slightest brushing touch. Yes, she could see how distraction might work.
She did not answer, her entire focus on the couple in the next room. Up until this point it had been mostly cuddles and kisses. Naked cuddles and kisses, but still cuddles and kisses. It had all been very sweet and almost as romantic as erotic, if that were possible. Now, however, Mrs. Binkshaw moved to position herself by bending over the bed in a way reminiscent of how the woman, Julianna, had bent over the library desk at the Evanstons’ ball. She did not stand straight on to the peephole, but rather positioned her hips at a slightest angle away. Bliss caught a hint of the pink flesh glistening between her legs but her gaze swiftly turned to Mr. Binkshaw, who had come to stand to the side of his wife. He had not stripped completely down, still having his breeches on, below his bare chest and belly. His eyes became more heated as he stared down at his wife’s behind. Reaching out he placed a hand on each of buttocks and began to massage and squeeze. His wife’s hips eased farther back, seeking further contact. His fingers worked the lightly muscled cheeks, massaging and separating, his entire focus caught by the pink flesh beckoning him.