Текст книги "Bad Grace "
Автор книги: Annabel Chant
сообщить о нарушении
Текущая страница: 12 (всего у книги 12 страниц)
Forty Four
Him
‘Tell me your mine forever,’ I said, as I lay enwrapped in her, spent, her sweat mingling with mine.
‘I’m yours,’ she said, softly but with so much force. ‘Forever.’
‘If you give yourself to me, you do it willingly, do you understand?’
‘I understand.’ She traced a line with her tongue along my jawline.
‘No coercion, no second-guessing, no way back.’
‘No coercion...’ Her tongue had reached my ear, and her words came soft and breathy into it. ‘…no second-guessing, no way back.’
I pulled her down next to me and cradled her, like a baby, in my arms, until she was asleep. My Angel, fucked-up no more, but wrapped up, instead, in silken sheets. A precious treasure, gift-wrapped just for me.
I fell asleep to the soft hush of her breathing, still entwined in her arms.
It was gone nine when I awoke the next morning. I looked at her, lying there so soft and sweet, the locks of her hair drifting across her face in waves, and I didn’t care. I could stay in this bed, with her, forever and never come up for air.
Strange how a day ago, twelve hours ago even, my whole life had seemed like a crock of shit. Now it felt like a Gene Kelly movie – that was the difference she made to a man, and she just didn’t see it.
After laying there a while, watching the sweet secret of her sleeping, I got up, still musing on the glorious strangeness of the previous day. I threw on jeans and a shirt, and went to the kitchen. I made a pot of tea, grabbed some pains au chocolat, and brought everything back to the bedroom. The whole place was still and quiet, but for the sound of a car on the gravel in the driveway.
‘Wake up, Miss Anderton,’ I said, kissing her awake. ‘I’ve brought breakfast. I may be a bastard in the bedroom, but I’m fully house-trained.’
She came to, rubbing her eyes against the sunlight filtering through the trees outside.
‘What time is it?’ she muttered. ‘Oh, God – work!’
‘It’s Sunday,’ I said, kissing the back of her neck. ‘We’ve got all day, and I never did get round to what I’d planned for this bed.’
‘Why?’ she said, sighing with pleasure. ‘What were you planning?’
‘Do you really not know?’
She shook her head.
‘I was going to tie you up.’ I ran my fingers down the bedpost. ‘This bed was made for it. It seems a shame to waste it.’
She rolled over to face me. ‘Oh, God, Nat,’ she said. ‘Is this really happening? I’ve never felt so…it’s…I love you.’
‘Not as much as I love you,’ I said.
She put her finger to my lips. ‘Don’t even think it,’ she said.
‘It’s true.’ I couldn’t find the words to explain it. ‘It’s…beyond love.’
‘It’s perfect,’ she said. ‘Things couldn’t get any better than this. I’d die of happiness.’
From the corridor, I heard the sound of heavy footsteps growing closer. It was odd because the servants were usually at pains to move quietly.
The sounds died away at the door to my quarters, where they were replaced by a loud rapping. I got up, throwing Grace my dressing-gown before going to answer the door. Just as I reached it, it flew open.
Ronnie was standing there, wringing her hands. I heard Grace coming out of the bedroom behind me.
‘I’m sorry, my love,’ Ronnie said, standing back to let two stern police officers through. ‘I tried to stop them – make them wait downstairs – but they insisted on coming up.’
The officers were apparently getting sick of Ronnie interfering. One of them stepped forward, handcuffs at the ready.
‘Mr Nathaniel Fforbes?’
I nodded. God, what the hell has Charlotte done now? Or have they somehow found out I was with Rick?
‘Mr Nathaniel Fforbes, I am arresting you for the murder of Miss Christine Fielding, and the suspected murder of Miss Aimee Maitland. You do not have to say anything, but if you do not…’
The words faded away into white noise.
Charlotte and Aimee; that was all I could focus on. Charlotte. Aimee. Dear God.
As they led me away, cuffed, for the second time in as many weeks, I cast a backwards glance at Grace. She was looking back at me, and I managed a smile. I hoped she’d understand from it that I was innocent, but she didn’t smile back. She only stared at me in horror, as I was dragged out the door.
Book 3 Disgraced Coming soon
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading Bad Grace. If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to let others know via a review on your local Amazon, such as Amazon.com or Amazon UK.
For ARCs (advance review copies), release dates and launch offers, please join the Fan Mongers newsletter. Then, I can email you on release day so that you don’t miss out.
If you want to connect with me, I’m @AnnabelChant on Twitter, or you can find me on Facebook. I’d be excited to hear from you!
Once again, thanks for taking the time to read Bad Grace. Book 3 – Disgraced – will be out shortly.
Annabel x
Copyright
Kindle Edition
Copyright © 2015 Annabel Chant
BAD GRACE
Copyright: Annabel Chant
Published: 24th August 2015
Publisher: Glitz City Press
The right of Annabel Chant to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, events or businesses are entirely coincidental.
Cover design by Stefanie at Beetiful Book Covers.
Find out more about the author and upcoming books online at www.annabelchant.com or @AnnabelChant.
Dedication
A huge debt of gratitude goes to those closest to me. I couldn’t have done it without your continued support.
Many thanks, also, to my wonderful beta-readers, Jane and Sheila. The fantastic feedback from neutral people continues to spur me on.
Finally, muchos besos to Frank Tayell (author of the Surviving the Evacuation series) for the photos and to Stella Wilkinson for her behind-the-scenes help (check out her Flirting Games YA series). Also to my author buddies in our Romance group for making writing a less lonely business. You rock.
About the Author
Annabel Chant has always loved reading and writing stories. She lives in village about half an hour from London, with her family, her dog and a vastly over-stuffed library that no one appreciates except for her.
She was seized one day with the idea for an erotic short story. She wrote the first pages, about a woman getting dressed up to go to meet a guy that called himself only The Filth Monger.
Then, she put it aside without ever looking at it again but, from that seed, this whole series developed.
She has lived in Nice and Belgium, as well as all over the UK. When she’s not writing, she enjoys nothing more than curling up with a steamy read.
Annabel also writes YA romantic comedies.
Contents
Blurb
Dear Reader,
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty One
Twenty Two
Twenty Three
Twenty Four
Twenty Five
Twenty Six
Twenty Seven
Twenty Eight
Twenty Nine
Thirty
Thirty One
Thirty Two
Thirty Three
Thirty Four
Thirty Five
Thirty Six
Thirty Seven
Thirty Eight
Thirty Nine
Forty
Forty One
Forty Two
Forty Three
Forty Four
Dear Reader,
Copyright
Dedication
About the Author
Contents
