Taming of the Beast (Scandalous Affairs #2) - Christi Caldwell Page 0,33

her wrist.

“Wh-what are you…?”

“We seal it with a kiss, love.”

Any other lady would have surely recoiled under that suggestion from one such as him. The women who had come to him, the wives of imprisoned lords who’d sought a place in his bed, had been attracted to him for the simple reason he was street trash, and being bedded by one such as him had given them a thrill for that reason alone.

Faye, however, dampened her lips. The pink tip of her tongue trailed along that lush seam, her entire mouth full, but the upper lip fuller, giving a reverse pout to the flesh.

“Daria and Finn,” she said, her whisper soft and full of regret.

The right corner of his mouth pulled, and he leaned down, whispering against her ear, “Then we’ll take care to be quiet, sweet.”

He took her mouth, as he’d longed to far too many times than could ever be good since he’d first tasted of her.

Just one more kiss.

One more taste of her would be enough.

Gripping her by the hips, he stepped apart and drew her between his legs, dragging her close to the flesh that sprang harder in his trousers.

She parted for him, and he slipped inside to taste of her as he’d done last evening.

A blend of peppermint and lemon drops filled his senses. She was a confectionary treat, sweetness that begged to be devoured.

Pressing herself against him, Faye whimpered.

“Shh,” he whispered against her mouth between kisses.

Faye managed a shaky nod, and gripping his arms, she clung to him, digging her fingers hard into the fabric of his shirt, hard enough that her nails sank into his skin, sure to leave marks upon him.

He grinned, relishing the thought of it.

“Has he turned savage after all, Faye?”

That query from the other room immediately brought Faye and Tynan apart.

He chuckled, nuzzling Faye’s neck as she responded. Or tried to. Her breath came in quick, noisy spurts.

“Respond to her,” he murmured, his voice nearly soundless as he nipped and sucked at her flesh.

“We are j-just working out the details of our arrangement. Everything is fine,” Faye called out in impressively steady tones that wobbled only once.

Tynan kissed her again, deeper, stroking her tongue with his, branding her.

She moaned softly, that echo of her desire swallowed by Tynan.

He drew back, and Faye remained arched forward, her eyes closed, her lips moist and swollen from his attentions. Her lashes fluttered open, revealing dark brown irises glazed and glimmering from her desire.

“Tomorrow at five o’clock in the morning. We’ll make a list and plan the meetings that I’ll allow. I’ll not give anything more than I want to give. Do not press me for more. Is that clear?”

She blinked several times. “I…”

“Until tomorrow, love.”

Chapter 9

Tomorrow arrived.

And unlike the lack of sleep that followed her first meeting with Tynan Wylie, the sleep that came after they had struck their deal had been a deep, contented slumber. A dreamless state of complete and total rest.

With the sky still blank from the night’s hold upon it, that sense of calm did not remain as she made her way up his front steps.

There was a sense of realness to her project and work that hadn’t existed before this moment.

Before, hers had been a vision fueled by that which was just and good. Now, however, the reality of what she would do—putting the ugliest of crimes on display for the world—left an uneasy pit low in her stomach.

She raised a fist to knock.

The door was suddenly drawn open.

Faye gasped and jumped back so quickly her hood came flying off. “Goodness, you…” Stop. He’ll expect you to be frightened. She hurriedly drew that protective covering back into place to conceal her identity.

Tynan waggled his dark eyebrows. “Frightened you?” he supplied, his words filled with a gleeful relish. With that, he stepped aside so that Faye could enter.

The bounder. He should have anticipated what she’d say. As she stepped in, and he shut the door behind them, Faye smiled through her teeth. “I was going to say, ‘You honored our arrangement after all,’” she cleverly substituted as she held out her satchel. “What a surprise.”

He snorted, his gaze falling to that bag. “What the hell is that?”

“For my research.” She gave it a little shake. “I didn’t know what you had in terms of pencils and ink and parchment and, as such, thought it wise to bring my own.” Faye rattled it once more. “If you would.” With that, she shoved the bag into his chest and swept