Her Grace's Stable: A Jane Austen Space Opera, Book 2 (22 page)

Arthur bowed low and accepted the baton. “I’m honored, Your Majesty. We shall win Iberia for you by the end of the year.”

“I’ll hold you to your husband’s promise, Blackmyre.”

Violet lifted her chin and tucked her hand around Arthur’s arm. “The sooner we sail, the sooner Iberia is yours, Your Majesty.”

Majel smiled, sending chills down Violet’s spine. “Your ship awaits. Your honeymoon will be a fortnight on a warship.”

“No more than a week, Your Majesty,” Arthur’s voice rang in the chapel. “We’ll break every record getting to Iberia.”

“Indeed.” Violet tightened her grip on his arm, whether to hold him back from saying something alarmingly stupid…or herself, she wasn’t sure. “The sooner we reach the front, the sooner we’ll be home.”

“Excellent. I expect a full report as soon as you arrive. As for the extraction we discussed, I believe we ought to wait until you return.”

Violet wasn’t thrilled with the idea of those nanobots living in her body for months, though she couldn’t deny that she felt incredible, even beyond the healing of her ravaged lungs. Her knee hardly pained her at all. It might be her imagination, but even the decade-old scar on her face seemed less prominent.

“One never knows what manner of weapons the Francians may throw at us,” Queen Majel continued. “You might need the additional help. Dottham.”

Dottie took a step forward to stand beside her best friend.

“I expect you to be next.”

“Oh, dear, Your Majesty, I have no military knowledge whatsoever, but if Lady Blackmyre has need of me, I’ll set sail with her this very day.”

“That’s not what I meant, Dottham.” The Queen tried for severity but the twinkle in her eyes betrayed her. “Your head’s on the chopping block next. Or should I say leg? If they’re winning me Iberia by the end of the year, then the least you can do is shackle yourself to a suitable husband. Your House needs an heir.”

Dottie’s hand fumbled out and latched on to Violet’s arm for support, but her voice was stoically resigned. “I’ll do my best, Your Majesty.”

The crowd dispersed with the Queen’s departure. Wellington kissed Arthur’s cheek and shook Violet’s hand, while Violet congratulated herself on not sucker punching the old hag. Garrett pounded his brother on the back and tried to steal a kiss from his bride. Violet tipped her mouth aside and allowed a puppy kiss on the cheek, although Arthur scowled mightily.

She smoothed her hand up Arthur’s chest to his neckcloth. Beneath the tight linen wrapped about his neck, she could feel the slight ridge of the chain he wore, a matching twin to Cole’s collar. “After last night, I didn’t think you’d ever be jealous again.”

“I’m not jealous, merely discouraging my silly brother from embarrassing himself.”

Cole waited for them at the door. “Our trunks have been sent ahead to the ship.”

“Thank you, Cole.” Smiling at him, she took his hand and tucked him on her other side. They walked down the path, lined on either side by Blackmyre staff. Somber Mr. Chumlee shocked her by stepping out and hauling her into a bear hug. “We’ll return home before you know it, Mr. Chumlee.”

“I know, Your Grace.” He sniffed, and for such a reserved man, he might as well have burst into dramatic tears. “Blackmyre shall be kept in perfect working order, ready for your rapid return, and I’ll have Caesar waiting for you in his stall as soon as he’s recovered. I have utmost faith in your ability to kick that miserable Francian monarch’s motley crew all the way back to Parisii.”

“Bonaparte won’t know what hit her.” She squeezed him again and laughed. “After we return home, I’m filling the stable with the fastest racehorses I can find. Caesar will be so happy with all his new mares he won’t know where to begin.”

“To help in your search, we packed your tack and riding equipment and had them sent to the
Dreadnought
.” With a perfectly straight face, Mr. Chumlee added, “You won’t want your riding skills to grow rusty from disuse.”

Arthur’s ears turned red and even Cole had the grace to look abashed, though he flashed a dimpled grin at the butler. Dottie laughed so hard that Violet had to catch her and keep her from sprawling on her back. “I’m sure I’ll have the chance to use my whip a time or two.”

Dottie choked. “You never know when you’ll stumble across a naughty pony.”

About the Author

Joely always has her nose buried in a book, especially one with mythology, fairy tales and romance. She, her husband and their three monsters live in Missouri. By day, she’s a computer programmer with a Masters of Science degree in Mathematics. When night falls, she bespells the monsters so she can write. Read more about her current projects on her website,
www.joelysueburkhart.com
.

Look for these titles by Joely Sue Burkhart

Now Available:

A Jane Austen Space Opera

Lady Doctor Wyre

The Connaghers

Dear Sir, I’m Yours

Hurt Me So Good

Yours to Take

All fire and gunpowder need is a stray spark…

Yours to Take

© 2012 Joely Sue Burkhart

The Connaghers, Book 3

The day one of her old clients gunned down a cop, former defense attorney Vicki Connagher lost everything—her passion for justice, and her lover, Detective
Elias Reyes. The dead cop’s partner.

Even though she’s following her dream to start her own fashion line, it’s tough with heartache as her only companion. Until she brings Jesse, a wandering street artist, in from a freak Texas snowstorm. His submissive flirting brings out dominant tendencies she never knew she possessed, yet she hesitates to let him take her as far and as hard as she wants to go.

Some homeless junkie in Vicki’s house? Not on Elias’s watch. Pride kept him away, but as long as Jesse is staying in Vicki’s downstairs shop, he’s staying with Vicki. On the couch, but it’s a start.

As the days go by, the three work out an uneasy alliance. But Vicki’s joy at having Elias back in her life is tempered with a growing desire to have it all. Elias in her bed, and Jesse under her command. The only question remaining is if her tough alpha cop is willing to embrace
all
that she is…

Warning:
Explicit sex, BDSM, a tough alpha cop, a reluctant Domme, and a smoldering submissive street artist willing to do anything to belong to her.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Yours to Take:

“You make me quiver every time I see you. You’re one hell of a woman, Vicki Connagher. I’m glad you and your brother beat that punk up. I’m glad you’re a strong, powerful woman who’s willing to go up against anyone and anything to make sure the law is followed. You were one hell of an attorney, and if I were ever on the wrong side of the law, there’s no one else in the world I’d want defending me.”

Cupping her cheek, Elias kissed her so tenderly her eyes burned again. Tenderness from him—or her—was as rare as her phone calls to Mama in the last few years.

Jesse sat up, a sheepish look on his face. He scooted away and began to stand up, but she turned and reached for his hand. “Where are you going?”

“It’s late. I ought to leave you two alone.”

“Not without a kiss goodnight.” Elias’s voice sounded normal, but when she searched his face, she noted that his jaw was tight. “I might be a mean son of a bitch, but I’m not cruel. We did a lot of tormenting and play today. He’s going to need a little more from you than a peck on the cheek.”

“Are you sure?”

“I need to see how I’m going to feel when I see you touching him.” He ran his hand through his hair and ground his teeth. “I’ll be honest, Vik. It’s going to be damned hard for me to watch. But we need to start somewhere.”

Jesse slipped off the couch and moved over to kneel in front of her. The sight of him waiting on his knees made her heart thud heavy and hard. Her pulse jumped, her blood hot and sweet, rushing through her veins. The light in his eyes was intoxicating. Touching him, even her fingers stroking his cheeks, increased that feeling of rising desire.

She kissed him, trying to keep it fairly clean for Elias’s sake. She didn’t want him to see her gobbling up another man, but the way Jesse melted against her made her crazy. Boneless, he sank into her embrace, soft, open and willing for anything she needed. All too quickly, she found herself gripping his bottom lip in her teeth. She dug her fingers into his buttocks, pressing him as close to her as possible.

Breaking the kiss, she dropped her head to his shoulder and concentrated on breathing. Damn it, what had happened to her control? Her desire to protect Elias as much as possible? Another few minutes and she would have shoved her hands down Jesse’s jeans.

“Are you okay?” She didn’t dare lift her head to seek Elias’s reaction. Jesse didn’t answer—he knew who she was asking.

“Yeah,” Elias replied in a graveled voice that made her shiver. “I’ve never seen anyone go so limp and eager like that. It’s like he’s giving you every single thing he’s got. His breath. His will. God, no wonder he makes you so hot, Vik. He’s begging you to ravish him.” He must have leaned close because his hot breath moistened her ear. “Show me some more.”

Elias had never thought of himself as a Peeping Tom, but he couldn’t deny that he was rock-hard and throbbing at the sight of his woman kissing another man. It wasn’t any man, though. If it were anyone but Jesse in her arms, he’d probably be dead. The kid wasn’t a threat to him. Vicki wanted him, but she gave Elias no doubts about how much she wanted him too.

She released Jesse’s ass to jerk his T-shirt over his head. Using the soft cotton, she tied his hands together in the small of his back. She’d been feeding him well, because he wasn’t as painfully thin as when she’d first taken him in. “What do you want?”

“Rough me up a little,” he gasped. “Pull my hair or bite me. God, I’d love it if you’d bite me hard enough to bruise.”

She wound her fingers in his hair and gave his head an experimental jerk. “Like that?”

“Harder. Force me to bend to your will.”

Elias made himself hold his breath for a count of ten and then let it out slowly. Damned if he was going to embarrass himself by hyperventilating…or coming in his pants like a pimply-faced teenager.

She pulled Jesse’s head back, forcing him to arch his neck and upper body away from her. She had strong hands, so Elias knew she was pulling hard, giving him what he’d asked for. With her other hand, she began unbuttoning Jesse’s jeans. His breathing was loud, rasping through his strained throat.

“Make me wait,” he ground out. “Don’t let me come without your permission.”

“Okay.” She twisted her fingers tighter in his hair and pressed her mouth to his neck.
 

By the way he jerked and groaned, she wasn’t kissing him. There was a reason Elias joked that she was like a shark or a crocodile—she’d always loved biting, and the neck and shoulder were her favorite targets. She ran her mouth down Jesse’s neck to his shoulder, leaving bites as she went, harder, really working the underlying muscle. He moaned louder, his breath panting, his skin a sheen of sweat.
 

Finally, she got his jeans unbuttoned. His shoulders bunched, tendons standing out in his neck.

“Not yet.” She let out a husky laugh, tracing his ear with her tongue. “You said to make you wait.”

“I’m going to die.”

“Good,” she purred. “Elias loves it when I do this to him.”

“The hell I do.” He did, though, and she loved it too, because he gave as good as he got. “Why don’t you dig those claws into him? He’ll really like that.”

She cupped Jesse’s balls, using her nails to grip that fragile skin. His eyes fluttered shut. Completely surrendered to her, his body hummed and vibrated like a delicate instrument in her hands. It was all Elias could do not to jerk open his own pants. Then she could have a cock in each hand. Maybe even have a contest over who could last the longest when she started using her mouth.

Christ, all the blood must have leaked out of my skull for me to even think about such a thing.

Shifting around to Jesse’s side so he was between them, Vicki stared over his shoulder at Elias. Her eyes were dark, gleaming pools of need. She tightened her hands, drawing a louder cry from Jesse. Defenseless, eager, softly pained male, it was a sound that Elias never thought he’d hear, let alone one that would turn him on. But it did. Because the woman he loved had drawn out that sound from the other man’s throat.

Still holding his gaze, she bit Jesse’s left shoulder, gripping the top muscle in her teeth firmly like a pit bull. He arched in a trembling, straining bow, his cock rising hard and desperate to rub against her, but she only bit him harder. “Please!”

She released him enough to speak. “Say my name.”

He shuddered, as though she’d told him to stick his finger in a light socket. “I can’t. I’ll come, I swear it.”

“Then come.” She jerked his head to the side and sank her teeth into his straining neck.

You can tie a girl up, but you can’t keep her down…