Read Online Bewitching in Boots by Lila di Pasqua - Free Book Online Page A

fours, he hung his head, trying to catch his breath, not caring a whit that his leg was punishing him for this position. He looked down at Elisabeth. Her skin was flushed. The nipples he’d feasted on were still hard, but her features were soft, a warm smile adorning her lips. She looked sated. Beautiful.
    Jésus-Christ , he could easily get used to this if he wasn’t careful.
    Theirs was a brief, temporary arrangement. Elisabeth wasn’t Veronique. He couldn’t keep her as his mistress, and it was certain the King’s thoughts had turned to marrying her off again. He’d heard His Majesty’s comments with his own ears. Her next husband was sure to be someone notable, of significant standing. Like the late Duc de Roussel.
    She reached out and caressed his cheek. Rising up on her elbows, she kissed him, a soft sensuous meeting of the mouths. “I love what you do to me,” she said with touching sincerity.
    The problem was, he loved doing it to her—a little too much.
    *****
    “Elisabeth, did you hear me?”
    Claire’s voice broke through Elisabeth’s thoughts. She dragged her gaze from the window to her sister. Sitting in Elisabeth’s apartments, wearing a green brocade gown, her younger sibling was frowning.
    “I’m sorry, Claire. What did you say?”
    “You said you’ve devised a plan for tomorrow. What is it?”
    “Ah, yes, tomorrow’s plan.” Elisabeth turned toward the window again, easily locating Tristan among the many men below. Five days of the most indescribable bliss she’d spent with that man. Fencing and making love with Tristan de Tiersonnier. Could there be anything finer? Unable to hold back her smile, Elisabeth watched as he spoke to a group of the King’s Guard. Their respect and regard for him were evident on their faces and in their stance even from her second-floor vantage point. There was no doubt about it, Tristan was still the Captain in their hearts. If she had anything to do with it, he was going to be their Captain in truth once more.
    “Tomorrow is the day of the King’s monthly hunt,” Elisabeth said, turning away from the window. “In attendance will be the usual courtiers—who’ll be vying for the King’s attention—and their wives.” Disdain crept into Elisabeth’s voice. Having been around powerful men all her life, she should have been accustomed by now to the way they used women. Yet, it still bothered her to see women serve as pawns for social promotion. It happened in so many ways—through marriages, the swapping of mistresses, and in His Majesty’s case, well, she couldn’t count the number of times she’d seen men subtly and not so subtly offer up their wives to the King just to gain his favor—as dispassionately as one would offer a ride on a horse.
    It didn’t help that her father had a roving eye and had been known on occasion to express his interest in another man’s wife— sans the offer. Her own mother had been a married woman when she became his royal mistress.
    The more she was with Tristan, the more she hated the artifice that soiled her life. And the artifice she was forced to use just for her and her sister Claire to survive.
    “Yes, yes. I know all that,” Claire said. “What I don’t understand is why you want to leave here to attend? You don’t like the hunts. You don’t care for those who attend them—and I thought your point for being here was to enjoy Tristan. Why leave before the week’s end?”
    “Because we are going to get Tristan reinstated as Captain of the Guard.”
    Claire’s brows shot up. “We are? Why?”
    “Because I quite enjoy him and wish him to be back at the palace—where I can continue to enjoy him.” How she wished that was all there was to it. How she wished there wasn’t any emotional longing involved. But her feelings for Tristan had only deepened.
    Last night, lying in Tristan’s arms as he slept, she’d decided the King’s hunt offered an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. One whereby Tristan