Nicholas did not give a damn that it was a popular occurrence for married men to keep mistresses. Bertha was his mother and he demanded respect on her behalf!
He poured himself another glass of pot. He liked it better when he was in the navy.
He had joined straight from Oxford and bought his commission as high naval officer. He was too disgusted with his father to go home. He couldn't trust himself not to avenge his mother's honour. Five years at sea gave him the peace and the numerous opportunities to physically work off his rage. He enjoyed it, but he did miss land and his family.
Once at the port in Spain, he received word of the death of Christopher's grandfather and he immediately sold his commission. If it wasn't for the fact his friend, his brother needed him, he might have stayed longer.
He groaned. Thoughts of the past were only worsening his mood.
He yanked off his clothing and fell on to the bed. "Wildcat, if I lay my eyes on you again it would be too soon!" Closing his eyes, he swore from ever returning to the Dallas Palace. It wasn't a moment later that he groaned as the memory of swatting her bottom had his cock stirring. Even though it had been a quick spanking and over her clothing, he well remembered the feeling of her soft skin when he'd cupped her scantily clad buttocks earlier. His cock twitched at the thought of what he'd promised. Yes, you could be damn sure that if she provoked him again, he'd have her turned face down over his lap, skirts up and those barely there bloomers down at her ankles. The next spanking wouldn't be over anywhere nearly as quickly and would be given on her pale, bare bottom.
*****
Nicholas walked quietly to the library, careful not to disturb his throbbing head. The worst thing about getting foxed was the morning after.
He lowered himself on the seat across from the desk and closed his eyes to keep the sting of the sun out. His fingers massaged his temples to ease the pain. But there was nothing he could do about his queasy stomach.
He groaned, why did he never learn?
"Is it safe to assume that the apocalypse has passed us?" Christopher teased with a chuckle.
"I despise that name, you know that," Nicholas responded in a tired voice. He should have remained in bed for the rest of the day.
"Please do tell, what caused the monster to come out of his habitat and pillage the village?"
Nicholas opened one eye and glared at him. "I did not pillage any village!"
"Well not a village per say but a brothel," Wynn said walking in and taking the seat next to his.
Nicholas turned slightly to grant him with the same glare he'd given Christopher.
Wynn's shoulders went up and down in a deep shrug. "An explanation had to be given as to why none of the maids were willing to bring your breakfast to your chambers."
The mention of food made his stomach turn. Nicholas closed his eyes and swallowed hard.
"Is it true you almost provoked a brawl for a whore?"
Nicholas groaned again. "Do not remind me!" he demanded sternly.
Christopher chuckled. "Speak up man! I want all the juicy details. Melanie isn't so patient with the babe weighing on more than just her body. Her nerves and temper have grown short."
Nicholas gave his first smile of the day as he looked at his friend. "You are afraid of the gentle dove? Even with the roundness of her pregnancy you are still larger than her!"
Wynn shook his head with a whistle. "Trust me, there is nothing to be feared more than an expectant woman whom you love dearly. They know every way to punish you."
Even as he said it, Nicholas noted the delighted look on his face, his smile wide for ear to ear. It resembled that on Christopher's. After all the trials and pain his friend had faced with his wife, they survived it stronger and more in love than he'd ever seen them.
He felt his chest tighten. He envied their family bliss.
Nicholas hid what he could only refer to as emptiness behind a smile. "Hasn't Wynn told you all?"
Christopher leaned back in his chair, a knowing smile on his face. "Yes, but there is a gap in the story; from the moment you walked out with Wildcat with a wolfish grin on your face, to the moment you stormed back into the gaming room, plucked two whores off the laps of two happy-well happy until the moment you ruined their joy-patrons and dragged them up to a suite, where you emerged an hour later still in a rotten mood."
Wynn chuckled. "But they weren't."
With an insincere smile Nicholas said, "I aim to please."
"Well, speak!" Christopher prompted.
With a yielding sigh, Nicholas began, "I'll make this brief and to the point. I propositioned her and she refused me."
Christopher's brows shot up. "That's it?"
"Were you begging? I mean you took an awful long time!" Wynn blurted out.
Nicholas hissed, "I don't beg!"
Christopher leaned forward inquisitively, his elbows leaning against the desk. "Then what is it you are not saying?"
Nicholas cleared his throat, suddenly hot under his collar. "We pleasured each other in the hallway before I propositioned her."
Wynn slapped his thigh with a triumphant chortle. "I knew those loud moans just had to be your doing Townson. They echoed quite loudly in the gaming room."
Nicholas pulled at his collar suddenly feeling flushed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"And...?" Christopher pushed.
Nicholas did not feel very comfortable divulging the rest to them. She would be...
He caught himself. Why the hell should he care about her?
"Apparently, Wildcat is not a whore, but more like a gambling advisor."
Christopher looked confused. "I know of her talents on a table, but what was that of her not being a whore?"
"She is a virgin-well, when I left her, she was still intact."
Wynn burst out laughing. "Oh please, Townson! You can't possibly think we would believe that! I'm shocked you believed her lies."
Nicholas settled a gaze on him and wiggled his fingers in his face. "There are ways to tell, Wynn, if your fingers are curious enough."
Wynn's laughter died on his lips, his face gaining a new shade of red. Satisfied that he had muzzled the man, Nicholas turned back to Christopher—he was shaking his head with a chuckle. "She was very willing to go with me and let me do as I please with her body. But the moment I mentioned her maidenhead, she flew into a rage and announced she was going to look for another bed since I lacked interest."
Christopher laughed. "Of course your pride would not take that?"
Nicholas sighed again. His pride was far from his thoughts at that moment. "I offered her to be my mistress and, of course, she refused."
Christopher's brow rose. Nicholas knew that look—he was saying 'I can't believe what I'm hearing'. Well, he heard it right. Nicholas had sworn off keeping mistresses, but with Wildcat his determination of restraint was lacking.
"The next minute, her man had my hand twisted at my back. I demanded her to order him to release me. She did, after she mocked me—then my pride took offense. I offered my protection again and received the pressure of a pistol to my temple as a response."
"What!" Both men reacted, almost jumping out of the seats.
Nicholas raised his hand to stop them from speaking. "As you can see I'm whole. He on the other