Lady Laugherty's Loves (4 page)

“I wouldn’t undo their choice,” Olivia
said. “And I love Avery with…” She stopped talking.

“You love him with all your heart.”
Ellis finished her thought.

She looked up at Ellis quickly,
emotion shining in her eyes. “No, I love him with half my heart,
because the rest belongs to you.”

Avery wanted to punch the air and kick
up his heels, and he watched as Ellis drew her into his arms, and
she went willingly.  Thank God. He’d never hoped this would be
so seamless. There were still some issues to work out, but they
weren’t insurmountable.

Avery left them and returned to the
archery competition, already plotting ways to make this
work.

***

Olivia toed her slippers from her feet
and tucked them beneath her skirts. Her settee in her own sitting
room was one of the only places in the entire house she could relax
and take a deep breath. There were no men lurking in the shadows
with the intent to overwhelm her senses.  No one making her
heart pound. No one making her desire things she couldn’t
have.

A scratch sounded at the door. Olivia
groaned beneath her breath and hung her head back in
defeat.   “Enter,” she called weakly.

The scratch sounded at the door again.
Certainly, the interloper could open the door without assistance.
With a grunt of disgust, she crossed to the door.  The scurry
of little feet as they ran down the hallway caught Olivia’s notice.
She placed a hand over her heart and breathed deeply.  Olivia
followed the child around the corner and ran headlong into what
must be the child’s mother, Lady Southerby.  Her given name
was Morgana if Olivia remembered correctly. Of course, with all she
had on her mind, that could be completely wrong.

“My apologies, Lady Laugherty,” the
woman sang out over a giggle. She bent down to the little girl and
whispered to her vehemently, and then thrust her into the care of
her nurse who pointed and squealed with excitement, then darted
down the corridor herself.  The little girl followed. “I’m so
sorry if she bothered you,” Lady Southerby apologized.

“She’s no bother,” Olivia admitted. A
conundrum, but not a bother.  “Where are they going, if I may
ask?”

The lady pressed her lips together as
though suppressing a giggle, but it eventually burst forth. “You’ll
be scandalized by the very thought of it. But she has lost her
pet.” She pointed a thumb down the corridor where the nurse and
child had disappeared. “They saw it go that way, though, so I
imagine they’ll have it corralled in no time.”

“The child or the pet?” Olivia
couldn’t help but ask.

“Both,” her mother admitted with a
grin.

“I’m afraid to ask what kind of pet it
is. Perhaps you can tell me over some tea?” She led the way back to
her sitting room. It wasn’t until she returned to the room that she
realized she was still out of her slippers. “My sincere apologies,”
she said as he moved to slide them back on.

“Oh, thank heavens,” Lady Southerby
said as she toed her own slippers off and let them thud against the
floor. “I feel like I have been on my feet all day.” She shot
Olivia a sly glance. “You certainly know how to keep your guests
occupied.”

“Feel free to forego any of the games
you like. I certainly am not one to judge,” Olivia said as she
gestured to the room they were in. She, of all people, should be
the last one to hide in her sitting room. “I’m a terrible hostess,”
she groaned.

“Oh, posh. You’re no such thing. We
all need a break every now and then. Particularly someone in your
situation.” She lifted her teacup to her lips and regarded Olivia
over the rim.

“My situation?” Olivia queried. “I’m
not certain what you’re referring to.”

Lady Southerby sat forward. “May I be
frank, Lady Laugherty?” 

“Olivia,” she corrected. “And I’d
expect no less.”

“They’re waging a war against your
sensibilities. The two of them.” She sat back against the high
backed chair and regarded Olivia stoically.

Heat crept up Olivia’s neck. “I beg
your pardon?” she croaked out.  Someone had noticed? Someone
was aware of her situation? Of her husband’s odd desire to share
her with his best friend? Of her very real feelings for said best
friend?

“There is no pleasure quite as great
as what they propose to offer you. But only if you wish it. And you
must wish it for yourself. You cannot want it for them, because
they want it. You have to want it in your heart and in your soul or
you will regret it. And regret makes for a nasty bedfellow.” She
winked at Olivia. “I’m certain you’d prefer your bedfellows to be a
little more pleasurable.”

Olivia’s voice only cracked a little
when she replied, “Does everyone know?” She’d have to send them all
home. Every last one of them. Even Ellis. If anyone found out about
it, they’d all be ruined. They would become
unrespectable.

“I know because I
know
them
,” Lady
Southerby admitted. 

Olivia choked on her tea.

Lady Southerby just looked at her
quietly as she found her breath. “You know them?” Olivia finally
found enough wits to ask.

“Not them specifically, Olivia. But I
know men like them.” She didn’t flush or blush or stammer at all as
she continued. “My own husband is like them. As is his best
friend.”

“And you…?” Olivia couldn’t even voice
it.

Lady Southerby shrugged. “I love them
both. I admit it freely. In closed circles, of course, in places
where I feel safe.  I’m safe with you, aren’t I,
Olivia?”

“Absolutely,” Olivia blurted out.
She’d never breathe a word of it.

“I remember when my husband brought up
the idea. My upbringing made me fight it with all that I am and all
that I have. But, in the end, I couldn’t keep rejecting the love
they both offered so freely.” She shrugged, a smile upon her face.
“I am proud to have two men in my life who love me and will take
care of me, no matter what. I will always be safe, as will our
children.”

Olivia thought back to the little girl
who’d streaked down the hallway. “Who is her father?”

“They both are.”

Olivia must have looked as dumbfounded
as she felt. “I have overstepped my bounds,” Lady Southerby said as
she leaned forward and placed a hand on Olivia’s knee.  “And
you have much to think about, so I’ll leave you to it.”

A scream sounded from the corridor.
“It appears as though they’ve found my daughter’s ferret,” she said
with a laugh. Then she slid her feet back into her slippers and
ducked out the door as quickly as she’d arrived.

Olivia raised her hand to her mouth
and nibbled her fingernails. Lady Southerby had two lovers. And
wasn’t ashamed to discuss it. A most delicious shiver crept up
Olivia’s spine.

Four

Olivia reclined in Avery’s arms, his
rock hard shaft against her naked back.  He’d been hard most
of the evening, even before they’d left the revelers downstairs.
Even before he’d started to whisper in her ear about the gothic
novel he’d picked out for her pleasure. He fluffed the bedclothes
around them and reached to the bedside table to retrieve the book.
“Read to me,” he said as he poured her another glass of wine. She
was a bit foxed. But not completely.

“Now?” She couldn’t keep the pout from
her voice if she tried. She’d been on the edge of her seat the
entire day, her undergarments soaked with desire more often than
not. She simply could not get enough of him, not since he and Ellis
had began their sensual assault.

“Don’t be so impatient,” he teased as
he tweaked her nose. “Read,” he prompted, with a nudge of his
knees.

Olivia grunted with displeasure but
she opened the book and began to read.  The gothic tales that
Avery bought for her were romantic and touching and usually had a
sensual feel to them. They were perfectly sinful, a delightful
pleasure that she shared with Avery. Or read on her own. He didn’t
seem to mind if she read about lusty women and gentleman rakes,
even when she wasn’t sharing the experience with him. In fact, he
encouraged it.

Within moments, she was so swept into
the pages that she nearly jumped when a knock sounded at the door
that attached her suite of rooms to Avery’s. Avery called out,
“Come.”

Olivia squealed and dove quickly
beneath the covers as the door opened.  “Avery!” she hissed at
him. “I’m naked.”

Avery popped his head beneath the
covers quickly and grinned unrepentantly at her. “I am well aware
of that, Olivia,” he said, his voice heavy with desire all of a
sudden as he appraised her body slowly with the small bit of light
that filtered around the edge of the blanket. Then he pulled his
head back and addressed Ellis. “Did you need something?”

Olivia could very nearly hear the
teasing sound of his voice. He was enjoying this. She’d give him
something to enjoy. Olivia wrapped her hand slowly, finger by
finger, around his still-raging cock, knowing full well that it
would get his attention as her offended shriek had failed to do. He
sucked in a breath and she gloated from her position of
power.

“If I came at a bad time,” Ellis
hedged. Something changed in his voice, but it wasn’t laughter as
she’d expected. It was heat. His voice was very-nearly gravely as
he continued. “If you’re indisposed, I can come back later. But I
stole down to the kitchen to see if there was anything to pilfer,
and I found some of that wonderful raspberry cream that was left
from dinner.” She heard the clank of a tray as he sat it down. “I
thought I’d see if you wanted some. But I can see that you’re
busy.”

“I’m not busy,” Avery said quickly.
“Bring that over here.” 

How dare he?
She was naked in his arms, had been reading an
erotic novel to him aloud, and he’d been hard for hours. Yet he
wanted to
eat
? To
continue as though nothing was happening while she was, in fact,
mortified about the entire situation.  His best friend was in
the room and she was completely unclothed, for God’s sake. Oh, he
would pay.

Olivia bent closer to his cock and
placed a small kiss against the head, still holding him tightly
within her grasp. His hips shifted and rose to bring him closer to
her mouth. He groaned. “That is the best I’ve ever had.” Was he
talking about her actions, or the raspberry cream? Blast and damn
him. Olivia closed her eyes and took the head of him into her mouth
and sucked lightly as she flicked her tongue against the slit. The
salty taste of him reached her tongue. The clank of silverware
reached her ears. He was still eating? And Ellis was still in the
room?

“You had better save that one for
Olivia,” Ellis warned. “You know how she loves her
sweets.”

***

It was all Avery could do to maintain
his nonchalant air as Olivia ran her tongue across the head of his
cock. She stayed absolutely still as she did it, so as not to draw
attention to her actions, but if the look on Ellis’ face was any
indication, he knew full well what she was up to, the naughty
little tease.

Avery patted her shoulder from outside
the blankets. “Olivia, did you want to come out of there and have
some dessert? Or do you plan to stay down there all night? It’s
fine with me if you decide to do that all the night through. I’ll
just enjoy your treat.” He grinned evilly at Ellis who shook his
head and grinned. He knew his wife so well.

Her tongue stopped its slow stroke
across his cock. “What kind is it?” she asked, still gripping him
hard within her fist. He nearly winced at the pleasure of
it.

“Berry,” Ellis supplied quickly. “I
believe it’s your favorite.”

“It is,” a small voice chirped. She
was obviously warring with herself about whether or not she should
vacate the bedclothes and pop her head out long enough to eat. “I’m
not coming out until Ellis is gone.”

“Oh, come now, love,” Ellis said
smoothly. “You’re all covered by the blanket. And I’m well aware of
what you’re doing down there. So, you popping your head out long
enough to smile at me and thank me for the sweet will not be nearly
as shocking as you down there tormenting Avery. The poor man is
about to lose his mind, by the way.”

Avery was. He most certainly
was.

Olivia flipped the edge of the blanket
down quickly and blew a lock of hair from her eyes with a sigh. She
narrowed her eyes at Avery to let him know he would pay for this
scenario later. She held out one hand. “May I have it, please?” she
asked nicely.

But Avery could tell she was
discomfited by the situation. And he loved it. “No,” he said
quickly. “Sit up like a good girl and he’ll give you the treat.” He
patted her bottom from outside the coverlet.

“You act like I’m a hound you’re
training, Avery,” she grunted. But he could tell she wasn’t angry.
She sat up and tucked the coverlet beneath her arms, so that her
bare shoulders showed and nothing else. That was a step. A small
one. But still a step. She’d never been one to back down from a
challenge. And she was taking this one up with poise. Aside from
the fact that she was naked, of course.