Their Viscountess (Theirs Book 5) by Jess Michaels

Author:Jess Michaels [Michaels, Jess]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Passionate Pen, LLC
Published: 2024-07-08T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

Aiden

Aiden stood at the fire in the kitchen, stirring a pot of stew over the flames. He didn’t often cook for himself. He was a successful solicitor, he had servants, including a fine cook. As the son of a butler, he’d learned when he was a young man from other servants in Emilia’s house, before success had allowed him luxuries. He actually found the act of cooking relaxing. When he was doing it for two people he loved? Even better.

The past two days with Wren and Emilia had made their earlier declarations of love to each other even more true. He did love them. And he was wracking his brain with some way they could be together, that they could save her from the fate so many women of her rank and position faced.

“You are frowning.”

He turned from the pot and smiled slightly as Wren entered the kitchen. He wore trousers, but he was shirtless and that ripple of muscle and flesh was utterly distracting. Even more so since Aiden knew the flavor of his skin, the way he trembled when he came, the absolute control he had when he was focused on making Aiden or Emilia…or both of them…do the same.

“I’m focused,” Aiden said, and returned his gaze to the stew, where he threw in a few herbs.

“On the food or the real problem?”

Aiden glanced at him again. “Both,” he admitted. “Where is Emilia?”

“Sleeping.” Wren frowned. “At least her nightmares have subsided, but her exhaustion is so plain. As if she hasn’t had truly restful sleep in years.”

Aiden sighed. “At least we can allow her that now. She knows she’s safe here with us.”

Wren took a seat at the table in the middle of the kitchen. Aiden had a wooden cutting board laid out there with a few carrots he intended to add closer to the end of cooking so they would retain crispness. Wren grasped the knife and began to cut them as they spoke.

“I expect we may receive a letter from her husband today, forwarded from a contact in London. If that happens, I intend to hide it from her.”

Aiden hesitated before he stirred the pot. “Lie to her.”

“No, protect her, as you said.” Wren shook his head. “She doesn’t need to know every vile thing that man will surely say. She has enough fear, I would spare her as much as I could.”

“And yet you’re angry that Emilia and I did just that same thing over the years with you,” Aiden said softly.

Now it was Wren who hesitated in his cutting. He didn’t look up. “That’s different. I wasn’t in danger from anything you two tried to protect me from.”

“Weren’t you?” Aiden said and now he faced Wren full on. “When your father died, you were much more vulnerable than I was.”

“He was a man of affairs,” Wren said carefully. “Technically more elevated than a butler.”

“But you were on your own,” Aiden insisted. “And thankfully you were taken in to train as an investigator, but we all know you could have been pushed out onto the street for any minor infraction at that point.

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