Lydia Dare - Wolf Next Door

A roguish grin played at his lips as though he enjoyed her perusal of his body. "Your turn, Priss."

Then before she could respond, he divested her of her own clothes in short order, leaving her in nothing more than her chemise. He did know women's clothing much too well. How could the man have possibly undressed her so quickly?

"My nightrail," she protested when he swung her into his arms, not even giving her time to complain about her near-nakedness, and carried her to bed.

"You won't need it," he said as he peeled back the counterpane and laid her onto the cool bedclothes. She rolled to her back, and his head came to rest on her belly. The rigid set of his shoulders didn't relax until she slid her fingers into his thick, dark hair and began to stroke him. They settled into comfortable silence, but she continued to stroke through his hair. And that was where he fell asleep, his head resting on her belly, her hands in his hair.

She watched his slow and even breaths, not even the slightest bit self-conscious despite their lack of nightwear. The soft sounds coming from his mouth made him seem almost boyish. From where he lay, she could see his left cheek and the side of his buttocks. She sat up on her elbows. He wasn't unmarked as she'd previously thought. A crescent-moon-shaped birthmark on the middle of his lower back caught her attention. It was good to know he wasn't completely perfect. She reached a finger down to touch it. As she stroked the mark, Will whimpered softly against her belly. Prisca put her fingers back into his hair and calmed him.

***

Will heard his brothers' approach long before they entered the dower house. Once they were in the parlor, he could hear Simon grumbling, though he couldn't make out any words aside from his own name.

Upon further reflection, asking Prisca's father to hit him in the middle of the assembly room might not have been the best idea. Hopefully, the event wouldn't mar Prissy's name. He was still amused over her set-down of Mrs. Bostic. His wife was a formidable woman, though he'd always known that. It was one of the things he loved about her.

He took one of her ebony curls and brushed it against his cheek. She smelled delightful, like holly berries, lilacs, and Prisca all rolled into one.

He heard something crash to the floor in the parlor and cursed under his breath. With those two buffoons below, they'd wake Prissy for sure. If he could get rid of them, he could come back to bed and properly ravish his wife, if she was willing.

Will slid from bed and threw on a robe he knotted around his waist.

As he reached for the door, Prisca's voice stopped him. "Will?"

He glanced over his shoulder at the most beautiful sight ever. Prisca's dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, barely concealing the outline of her breasts. He groaned. "Don't go anywhere, love. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" she persisted, sliding her legs over the side of the bed.

"To get rid of some unwanted guests. Get back in bed."

Of course, she didn't listen to him. She never listened to him. Prisca padded across the floor to him and stood on her tiptoes to press her soft lips to his throat.

His mouth went dry. It took all the self-control Will had not to scoop her up in his arms and make love to her right then and there. But his brothers, his infuriating brothers, were right below them. "Priss," he growled. "You're making this very difficult for me."

"Oh? I don't mean to make it hard." If she only knew how hard.

"You always make it hard. Now get back into bed so I can properly ravish you as soon as I dispense with Simon and Ben."

"Ravish me?" Her voice was husky with sleep. She touched her lips to his chest. "I think I would like that."

It would take all of three seconds to send his brothers sprawling across the lawn. "On my honor."

She giggled as she scrambled back toward the bed. "And I had no idea you had any."

Will scrubbed a hand over his face to block out the tempting view of his wife's backside. "Don't go anywhere."

Then he escaped from the room and down the steps. He didn't even spare a glance for the surprised footman who jumped out of his way. Will threw open the doors to the parlor.

Simon reclined in an oversized chair and Ben sat on the settee, his elbows resting on his knees, holding his head in his hands. "Out. Both of you," Will ordered.

It wasn't until Simon rose from his spot that Will realized how awful his older brother looked. The duke's hair was unkempt, and it appeared as though he'd slept in his clothes the night before. "Will, we're sorry to come by so early—"

"Well, there's an easy solution to that. You and Ben can come back another time." He gestured toward the corridor.

"Will, Mother—" Ben began, lifting his head just a bit.

"I'll be along to visit her soon. In the meantime, do show yourselves out." Honestly, couldn't this wait? He finally had Prissy where he wanted her.

"William!" Simon barked, his grey eyes flashing dangerously. "Kindly close your bloody mouth."

Stunned, Will did so, clamping his lips tightly.

"Mother is worse," Ben said from the settee as he tightened his hand to a fist.

Will walked into the parlor and sat in a seat in the corner. "Worse?"

"Since last night." Ben winced. "The tonic Elspeth made isn't strong enough. She needs something from her stores in Edinburgh.

Epipactis youngiana

."

Edinburgh? "I beg your pardon."

"Ellie says it's the only ingredient that'll make the tonic more potent."

"Did you say Edinburgh?" It would take forever to get there and back.

"Unfortunately," Simon began slowly, as though he barely believed this situation himself. "The plant is extinct."

"Then how can it be in bloody Scotland?" Will barked, feeling completely helpless.

"Apparently, Ellie's mother had seeds from the particular plant. And with one touch, Sorcha can make them grow," Ben hastened to explain. "Ellie says the healing properties are nearly as strong as her touch."

"So, we just need to go to Scotland, get the littlest witch to touch some seeds and make them grow, and then bring the plant back to Elspeth?" Will raked a hand through his hair.

"I hate to ask you to go, Will," Simon began.

"I can't leave Ellie," Ben explained. "And Sorcha's never met Simon, but she knows you."

Will was on his feet in an instant. "We're sure these seeds exist?"

"As sure as we are Lycans exist," Ben muttered.

"Fine," Will started for the door. "I'll leave now. How do I know what to get?"

Ben unfolded a piece of foolscap. "Ellie wrote it down for you. Show it to Sorcha, and she'll know what to do."

"I'm sorry, Will," Simon said from across the room. "I wanted to send the major, but Mother won't let him leave her bedside. I had no idea they were so close."

"It's no bother," Will assured the duke, while he exchanged a look with Ben.

***

There were

more

witches? Prisca wondered from her spot on the staircase. Of course, Will had said there was a coven. Still, she hardly believed her ears. First witches, and now they could grow healing plants with the touch of their fingers? After all her years beside the Westfields, how did she not know they were all insane?

She heard Will start for the corridor and hastened back up the stairs. If Alice wasn't sick, she'd give Will her best impression of the Spanish Inquisition but, as it was, she'd rather he not catch her eavesdropping. She rushed back into their chambers and slid beneath the counterpane moments before he entered the room.

"You said you'd be right back," she reminded him, hoping her cheeks weren't red from bolting up the stairs, and that he wouldn't know she'd overheard his conversation with his brothers.

Will's gaze lingered on her only a moment before he went for wardrobe. "Sorry, Priss. I know you were listening at the stairs." He shot her a pointed glance. Heat crept up her face. "I have a lot to explain. And I will when I return. I have to run an errand for Simon. I'll be back as soon as I can."