Pleasuring the Lady (The Pleasure Wars) by Michaels Jess

Author:Michaels, Jess [Michaels, Jess]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2013-11-18T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Miles smiled as he passed a plate of toast down the table to his mother-in-law. Instead of taking the topmost piece, she took the second one down, then buttered it as she continued talking.

“My husband was just the same way, I fear. Stuck on the idea of catching some ridiculously large fish from that pond. I told him again and again that there were only minnows in the water, but he never believed me.”

She laughed and Miles laughed with her, stricken by how funny and aware she could be. He had seen her detached and broken before. His heart hurt for Portia. In some ways, these times of lucidity had to make the longer stretches of madness all the more difficult.

“I imagine all men are driven to catch the biggest fish,” he said as he smiled at her. “It is in our nature, you cannot change it.”

Portia’s mother’s laughter faded a bit. “But sometimes it is better to be satisfied with the fish we have caught. Otherwise, you will never get to supper at all.”

Miles arched a brow at her words and her rather sharp expression. It seemed her ladyship was making a point, and it wasn’t a bad one. Apparently his reputation preceded him, even with a mother-in-law who had been shut in for years. He would have to tread very carefully here if he didn’t want to bring himself grief or cause Lady Cosslow any pain or confusion.

But before he could respond at all, the door to the breakfast room flew open and Portia was revealed in the entryway, her eyes wide and her face pink with both exertion and emotion. She stared, first at her mother, then to him, then back to Lady Cosslow a second time. Her panic was obvious and it cut him to the bone.

“Portia,” he drawled, rising to his feet. “How lovely to see you this morning—did you sleep well?”

She looked at him as if she didn’t understand the question and then her focus drifted back to her mother. “I—”

Lady Cosslow didn’t seem to be aware at all of her daughter’s distress. “Portia, darling. I was just breaking my fast with your husband. Will you not join us?”

Portia drew in a few long breaths and then moved toward them with slow uncertainty. “Mama, how are you feeling?”

Her mother blinked. “Why, I am very well.”

“I see.” Portia swallowed and her disbelief and wariness was lined across her face.

How many times had she had this conversation with her mother? How many times had it deteriorated into something terrible?

“Please, Portia, join us,” Miles said, coming around the table to take her hand. The second their skin touched, he was jolted by desire and keen awareness of her scent, her warmth, her being in general.

She seemed just as moved, if the slight increase in her breathing was any indication. Her fingers trembled ever so slightly, but she didn’t pull away and allowed him to take her to the table and help her settle into a place across from her mother and beside him.

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