Bound by Bliss (Bound and Determined #2)(29)

“And you?” Duldon asked after a moment, his breath tickling the back of her neck, heating her further. “Do you want more and more?”

“Of course,” she answered without thought. “I am a Danser. I must want more and more.”

She felt his body stiffen and she turned back to peer at him. His lips appeared tight for the briefest of moments and even in the dim candlelight she thought she saw a myriad of emotions flash behind his eyes. “You should look again. I cannot imagine that Mr. Binkshaw can last much longer.”

Taking the escape his words offered, she pushed her face back to the wall.

“Oh, it’s over. How did I miss that?” She hoped she kept the disappointment from her voice. “They are lying there in each other’s arms. It really is quite sweet and darling.”

“I am not sure that any man would want to be described as sweet and darling after such a performance.”

She giggled and let the mood between them shift again. She tried to ease her body away from Duldon. It was better this way. She did not wish to feel those things. She might be curious but that didn’t mean…“It was a wonderful performance, although I don’t know why I am attempting reassurance when he cannot hear and it looks like he has not a care in the world. I wish you could see the look on his face as he looks at his wife and the care with which he has her cocooned in his arms. Perhaps they should have two peepholes here. Do you think we should suggest it to Madame Rouge? Would you like me to move so that you could take a look?” There was no way that she could move away from the peephole unless he moved first. Although perhaps she could use it as an excuse to back into him. The places where their bodies did connect were so delicious that she could only want more.



No, that was not what she had meant to think.

She did not want more. She should not want more.

Only…

“No,” Duldon replied. “I think I shall force myself to be content with your words. I have to confess that I have never found pleasure in watching another man, or watching in general. I will trust you on their expressions. I have on occasion seen that look myself.”

She was not sure whether he meant on himself or that he had been in circumstances where he had observed it on another couple. A part of her, deep in her gut, hoped that he had not looked at another woman that way. What was she thinking?

She must remember that he was not what she wanted, what she would ever want.

Only those were just words, an effort to not look too closely at what she knew must be true, what she had always known must be true. She did want him, want to feel his body pressing to hers—and she wanted so much more. No. She would think of that later, not now.



“Well, what about more holes? Is there a reason that they only have one?”

Duldon leaned forward, his lips brushing against the back of her neck. “I believe Ruby tries to discourage watchers. There are only a few couples that invite voyeurs. She may think that having more holes would only encourage patrons to sneak back here even when they were not wanted.” His breath vibrated upon the small hairs at the nape of her neck.

She was getting breathless again. Blast. Breathless and confused. How could the mood keep spiraling between them? One minute charged with energy and want and desire. One minute serious as she told him things she could not remember ever telling another. And the next a hint of humor would slip in, a giggle, a chuckle, a lightness of spirit that she rarely felt when not twirling upon the dance floor. She must work to keep herself level. “If she wishes to discourage viewers why have peepholes at all—or could she not just have them in rooms for patrons who wish to be watched?”

“The house has been here longer than Ruby has been running it. I believe it used to be called Madame Noir’s. And Ruby does use the holes. She is very protective of her girls and likes to be sure that all is as it should be. There can be great danger to those in their profession.”

“Oh, I suppose that is true. If young ladies are taught how dangerous men can be, I can only imagine how much greater the risks are to those who have no protection.”



“And so Ruby does her best to provide that protection.” Again his breath rustled the hairs on her neck.

Why did he not just kiss her there? Lick her? Taste her?

Was she really having these thoughts? Yes, she was. The hall was dark and narrow. No one would ever know what they did here. Perhaps she should just turn and kiss him, lick those hard lips, stroke the rough skin of his chin, run her tongue along his teeth…

Only she would know. He would know. And given that her feelings on marriage had not changed…No, it was better to keep things as they were, as they had been.

“I suppose we should be going now. The Binkshaws are done and you have fulfilled your promise.” She forced herself to sound calm and accepting as she spoke, ignoring his hand that still pressed her tight, awaking those delicious tingles of sensation.

She felt his hesitation, was not sure that he had made a sound, and yet she knew he was debating. “There is another room, if you are so daring. I am not sure that I have yet shown you what Madame Rouge’s is really about.”

—

Was he actually going to show her a homosexual encounter? When Ruby had first suggested it Duldon hadn’t taken the idea seriously. He assumed that Bliss would be horrified, as would most young gentlewomen. Even the idea was unimaginable to them. But having watched, and felt, Bliss’s response to the Binkshaws he could only wonder how she would feel about something even more risqué. He needed to know, to understand her response to each stimulus. He pushed down ruthlessly the thought that she would be interested in…But her eyes did darken whenever he gave her a command and she had seemed intrigued by the Binkshaws’ spanking play. But that didn’t matter. She was going to be his wife. He was merely indulging her desires, not satisfying his own curiosity.