Page 14 (1/2)

Hardane stared at Jared, a frown creasing his brow "What are we doing here?"

A hint of mischief danced in Jared&039;s brown eyes "It&039;s what you need, lance at the pleasure palace It was a large square building made of dark stone There were no s, only narrow slits that ad the day A narrow iron door was the only entrance

He let out a quick breath He had never been inside such a place, though he had heard tales of ent on inside Anything a ht price Woes The finest ale, the softest beds, the one

"It&039;s what you need," Jared said again "I know, I know, you promised your mother to live like a monk until you wed, but you&039;re not a monk, my friend You&039;re a man, with a man&039;s needs, a man&039;s desires, and it&039;s ti moment, torn between the need to relieve his sexual frustration and his determination to keep the promise he&039;d made to his mother But his mother was not a man She couldn&039;t kno painful it was for hi a woman Until Kylene entered his life, he&039;d been able to keep his sexual tension under control by constantly keeping busy, by training for battle, by working such long hours during the day that he went to bed utterly exhausted

But now, no ht his bedchaued hiive his body the release it needed just this once

"Well?" Jared looked up at Hardane, his fists resting on his hips "Are you ready to be a man?"

"Yes"

A broad smile played over Jared&039;s lips as he opened the iron door and ushered Hardane inside He felt no guilt at urging Hardane to break the pro, but he also felt a strong loyalty to Hardane and it grieved hi when there was no need for it Sometimes a man needed a woman, any woman

Hardane noticed the smell first The heavy ent scent of incense A tall, yellow-haired woossa a slender hand "How good to see you again" She saw Hardane then, recognition and surprise flickering in her eyes

Before she could speak Hardane&039;s naone, Jared said, "Susna, this isfro over her lips as she realized she would be well paid to keep Lord Hardane&039;s visit a secret "Welcome, Brayce I hope you&039;ll co

"What type of woman do you prefer?" Susna asked

"He wants a redhead," Jared replied "About this tall, with brown eyes and pale skin Young Not too experienced"

"I see" Susna s for upstairs in roo for you"

Jared slapped Hardane on the back "Shall we?"

Heart pounding, Hardane followed Jared up the long staircase, then down a dark hall

"This is it," Jared said, stopping in front of a blue door "Room seven I&039;ll meet you downstairs inan hour?"

Hardane nodded, then watched as Jared continued down the hall, stopping in front of a yellow door

Glancing over his shoulder, Jared grinned at Hardane, then opened the door and stepped into the roo here? He was about to turn ahen the door opened and he found hi at one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen Her skin was like porcelain, her eyes a deep brown, her body ripe and firm A curtain of red hair fell over her breasts and down her back, almost to the floor

"Come in," shefor you"

When he hesitated, she took hi the door behind her

His gaze darted around the rooe mirror on one wall, a sest bed he had ever seen, covered with a blue counterpane

"Have you been here before?" the woman asked in the same sultry voice

"No"

She closed the distance between the provocatively "Tell me what you want, and it&039;s yours" Her arainst his chest as her mouth covered his

With a cry of desperation, Hardane put his arms around her and kissed her back His nostrils filled with the scent of perfu woman Her skin ar with readiness and desire

And he felt nothing but disgust