Read Compromising Prudence Online
Authors: Marguerite Butler
Compromising Prudence (12 page)
“Long enough.”
“I should have taken you to see the jackdaws and not Phoebe the cockatoo,” he said, his voice muffled between her breasts.
“How can you think about birds now?” she gasped.
“Ah, but jackdaws are my special interest. Other than my wife of course.” He raised his head, his eyes shining with love. “They’re most unusual birds.”
“I thought they were rather common,” she said and began unbuttoning his shirt.
“But they are unusual for the animal kingdom. Bright. Clever. Devoted parents. They have a complex social structure.”
“Fascinating.” She slipped his shirt from his shoulders. He shrugged the rest of the way out and tugged on a boot.
“They mate for life,” he said looking up at her.
“Do they?”
“Absolutely faithful.” He tossed the boot and tugged on its mate. She reached down to help. “When a jack finds a female he fancies for his partner,” the boot came off, “he begins an elaborate courtship ritual.”
She reached for his trousers. “Courtship is very important.”
“He showers her with gifts.” Charles kissed his way down the side of her neck. “Bits of food and nesting materials and shiny things. Dash it!” He pulled back.
“What is it?” she cried in alarm.
“Stay there. Just like that.” He dashed naked over to the window and knelt down to retrieve the velvet pouch he had thrown earlier. She had the most admirable opportunity to examine his lean physique in full daylight.
“What do you have?”
“Hold out your hand,” he instructed. She did and he dropped the pouch in it. “A shiny thing for my lady love.”
She loosened the drawstring and drew out a necklace. Two doves intertwined around a ruby heart. “Oh Charles, it’s beautiful.”
“Please say I didn’t damage it. Had a bit of a tantrum and threw it when I thought you were leaving me.”
She examined it. “Nothing that cannot be fixed.” She stood and turned so he could finish loosening her stays.
“Good then.” His voice was husky. He kissed the nape of her neck. “I have a mind to court my wife. We still have much to learn about one another. There is so much I want to share with you, Pru.”
She shivered and her dress fell to the floor with a whisper. “I think I like jackdaws very much.”
His hands came around to cup her breasts. “Wait until I tell you about how the Silky Bower bird courts his mate. You see, he has this enormously long tail feather…”
About the Author
Marguerite Butler believes that life is simply better with a little mystery and romance added to it. If it weren’t for her pesky day job as a lawyer, she would spend her entire day spicing up life with her stories. Marguerite lives in Texas on a farm where she raises dairy goats, poultry, little boys and a variety of other critters. When she isn’t writing or tending to the critters and children, she is usually curled up somewhere with a book.
MargueriteButler.blogspot.com
