Page 27 of The Captain Claims His Temptress

He caressed her cheek as he stared into her eyes. “We cannot do this now.” When he made love to her, there would be roses, sweetmeats, and a big bed. And he would not share her with Hugo Adams or any other men drooling after her.

That was non-negotiable.

“Just one kiss?” she asked. “Please.”

One kiss would be sweet torture.

“One,” he whispered, unsure if he could stop himself from stealing hundreds.

Their lips touched just as a female screamed.

Madalene jumped and stepped back.

It took him a moment to switch from lover to soldier. He blinked, then groaned.

Myrle and Diggins, arms folded across their chests, smirked as John Gracey tried to shove his prick into his trousers and the maid rearranged her bodice.

“What the devil?” John bellowed. “Who in the hell are you two?”

“Just enjoyin’ your show with the pretty miss,” Myrle said.

“How’s about a toss, beautiful?” Diggins’ thrust his pelvis forward a few times as he grunted.

The maid whimpered and tugged at John’s arm.

“It’s those men from earlier today,” Madalene whispered. “Where did they come from?”

They’d probably crawled out from beneath a termite-infested log.

“Madalene. Oh, Madalene,” someone called from the upper gardens.

“It is Mr. Adams,” she mouthed.

What an absolute mess. Why in the hell had Stephen let down his guard?

“Madalene, are you out here?” Hugo Adams called.

Stephen pinched the bridge of his nose, then pointed at the quartet in front of the fountain. “I need to take care of this.” His next statement made him ill. “Call to Adams and then get to him as quickly as you can.”

“Why?” she asked.

He didn’t have time to explain, but he needed to keep her safe. “Go to Adams. Now.”

She didn’t move.

“Now!”

She took a few steps, then looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes wide with terror.

He spoke softly this time. “Go, Madalene.”

She grasped her skirts, hiked them until her emerald slippers showed, then sprinted up the stairwell, calling, “Mr. Adams, I am right here.”

When Diggins and Myrle turned to see who was yelling, John and the maid, who clasped her undergarments to her chest, flew past them. Taking two steps at a time, they scampered behind Madalene.

Stephen reached for his pistol and hesitated, leaving it in its holster. Then he stepped out of the shadows.

A flat-faced gargoyle and a troll in a tricorn hat grinned at Stephen.