Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Barbara’s blood hummed in excitement.
It was almost midnight and the rest of the household was asleep. She’d been impressed that she’d managed to sit through the evening meal without the rest of her family sensing the change in her.
Last night had shifted her view of the world in the most magnificent of ways.
She’d known that experiencing pleasure would be…well, pleasurable. It was in the name, after all. But Kenneth’s expert skills, and the affection she held for him, had made it truly remarkable—and to know that tonight he was including her in what could be the finale of his case?
It just proved that he was as fond of her as she was of him!
The nap she’d taken this afternoon had been a pleasant way to ensure she wasn’t too tired tonight, although Mother had asked if she was feeling ill. Apparently Barbara’s enthusiastic denial had been enough to waylay suspicion, and she’d been able to sneak away.
This was it! Tonight she and Kenneth, working together, would solve this case!
Without bothering to light the lamp, Barbara slipped into her simplest day gown, one she could tie herself. While she wanted Kenneth to think her beautiful, she told herself they would be in darkness tonight.
Besides, he’d seen her in a lot less.
Unfortunately her twisted foot made it impossible to tiptoe barefoot through the halls, but she took her softest steps in her boots. At the door to the library, she paused, her senses searching for signs that Kenneth had beaten her there.
No, she was alone.
Years of habitation of this space helped her navigate in the darkness. Early that day, she and Kenneth had worked together to remove her most valuable antiquities—including Khedebneithirbinet’s canopic jars—and shift around the remaining antiquities to fill the space.
Still, she felt her way gingerly across the room until she reached the small writing desk.
Ah, her letter to Mr. Sinter was still here—she’d never sent it after the excitement of the realization she would be targeted.
Tomorrow she wouldn’t need his help, for they would have the guilty thieves in custody!
With measured steps, she crossed to the large desk in the middle of the room.
Yesterday this desktop held the canopic jars she’d proudly displayed.
Now it was the home of her most useful tomes and the bric-a-brac of a normal working surface; paper weights, letter openers, a funerary ornament from ancient Greece.
Normal, everyday items in the Fokette household.
“Barbara.”
The breathy whisper had her whirling around, gasping as she clutched her chest. “Kenneth? God in Heaven, I hope it is you.”
Sure enough, she could see his ghostly shape moving through the doorway toward her. “If it hadnae been me, ye would have some explaining to do to whomever it was.”
“True.”
Grinning, she met him in the middle of the room, and was surprised when he didn’t immediately return her embrace. Well, perhaps he was distracted by the coming confrontation. She certainly was.
“Did you have any issues entering the house?” Not for the first time, she was grateful that her library was set away from her family’s other chambers.
“I picked a lock at the rear,” Kenneth murmured, glancing around the room. “A handy skill.”
Standing there in the darkness, hearing him speak so nonchalantly of something she could only dream of, spiked her excitement again. This was really happening! She was a part of his adventure!
“Will you teach me?” she blurted out. Barbara felt him still, could feel his gaze on her.
“There are more important things for a lass like ye to learn, I’m certain.”
She knew he wasn’t speaking of watercolors and embroidery.
“I havelearned so much from you already,” she quipped in a teasing voice.
But remembering the way he didn’t respond to her attempts at seduction earlier, because of course he was working, and this was serious, she tried to drag her attention back to the task at hand.
“But I would like to learn how to defend myself.”
Kenneth reared back. “What?”
She clutched his arms. “When they come—hopefully through the window, as planned—I know you will be here to confront them. But what if there are too many for you?”
His voice sounded oddly raspy as he said, “I have my knives. Ye’ll no’ be in danger, love.”
She smiled at the sweet endearment, wondering what it would be like to have him actually care for her the way she cared for him. Love.
“I know you will keep me safe, Kenneth.” She slid her hands up and down his arms. “But I would still like to know how. Just in case.”
Was it her imagination, or did he shudder slightly?
Kenneth pulled her hands from him, cradling them in front of her. “If ye’re ever in a situation where ye fear for yer safety, Barbara, ye throw anything ye can get yer hands on, aye? Ye scream, ye yell, shout fire, shout anything to get attention.”
Wide-eyed, she nodded, pleased by the way his thumb was rubbing circles against her wrist, despite the seriousness of the topic. This was the Kenneth she adored.
He took another shuddering breath. “And ye run. Run, scream, and throw things. But if ye must stand and fight, then swing something at yer attacker—an umbrella, a stick. Something to make yer reach longer than his.”
She nodded as his hands slid up her forearms, lifting them.
“If all else fails and ye are left with nae other options but to get close enough to him to hit, curl yer fists like this.” He showed her. “Squeeze tight, and punch from yer shoulder. Here.”
Kenneth shifted so he stood at her side, drawing her around so he could hold her fist and demonstrate the punching method. She tried to pay attention, she really did, but was distracted by the deliciously hard and warm body cradling hers.
His breath tickled her ear as he continued.
“Cock yer third finger out so that knuckle becomes a point. Aye, like that. Anywhere ye punch will bruise with that. And remember yer legs—kick a man in the bollocks, love, and he’ll go down hard.
His crotch and his throat are his most vulnerable spots.
Dinnae punch a man in his face—ye’ll just hurt yer hand—and ye lack the strength to do damage against his torso. ”
Oh, my.
This was serious.
“Throat and crotch.” Barbara rocked her hips back so she could brush against his pelvis. “Breath and balls. Yes, that makes sense.”
Except she wasn’t really paying attention any longer.
That brief brush had told her Kenneth very much enjoyed having her in his arms. Suddenly the seriousness of the situation didn’t matter quite so much any longer.
Barbara was only half paying attention to his instructions, while the other half of her calculated the likelihood of repeating last night’s pleasure.
Would the desk hold her? Hold them?
“I like this,” she blurted, and Kenneth interrupted what he was saying.
“The punching?”
“I like this position.” Barbara turned in his arms and lifted her hands to his stubble-grazed cheeks. “I can kiss you.”
Stretching up on her toes, she demonstrated exactly what she meant, but Kenneth seemed…distant. Stiff, yes, but not a good kind of stiff. He was aroused, yes, but distracted.
“Kenneth?”
His hands went to her hips. “Barbie, I dinnae think—”
“Then do not think,” she whispered against his lips.
With that she pressed forward, remembering the layout of the room well enough to be reasonably certain they were only a few steps from her chaise-longue.
Sure enough, after a few stumbling steps, the backs of Kenneth’s knees hit the piece of furniture and he went down. Barbara followed him down, and from this position, could kiss him far more easily.
There was a moment when she really thought he was going to succeed in resisting her clumsy attempts at seduction…but with a groan of surrender, Kenneth gave in and leaned up into the kiss.
On the chaise, his legs splayed in front of him, his arms locked around her. She shifted, pulling her skirts aside without breaking the kiss until she was straddling his thighs.
Barbara, straddling Kenneth, felt a thrill of power as desire pulsed through her body. The kiss deepened, their tongues entwining in the exhilarating dance he’d so recently taught her. She could feel the rough stubble on his chin grazing her skin, a contrast to the softness of his lips.
Oh, I love him…
His hands, strong and sure, began to roam over her body, and she squirmed against him encouragingly.
They slid down her back, pulling her closer, before moving up to cup her breasts through the thin fabric of her gown and complete lack of stays.
The sensation was startling, sending jolts of pleasure coursing through her.
He rolled her nipples between his thumb and forefinger, tugging slightly, just the way he’d learned she liked the night before. Each tug sent a wave of heat straight to her core, making her gasp into his mouth.
Yes, yes—more—
Kenneth’s mouth moved from her lips trailing hot, needy kisses along her jaw and down to her ear. His tongue darted out to caress the spot just beneath her earlobe which had her squirming against him, aching for pressure against her core.
Barbara was lost in a haze of desire, her body aching for more.
She could feel the hard length of him pressing against her through his breeches and she rocked against him, desperate for the friction.
His eager hands moved to her skirts, pushing them aside, his fingers sliding up her thigh.
She whimpered, desperate for his touch, her body tensing in anticipation.
Yes.
His fingers found her core, brushing through her curls, causing her to moan and arch in his hold.
“Ye’re so wet for me, love,” he murmured against her throat, his voice a low growl of pleased surprise that vibrated through her.
Yes! “All—” she gasped. “All for you, Kenneth.”
Always. Forever.