I smiled with the memory.
‘I can still remember the first day I arrived at his doorstep. He looked at me with a smile in his eyes and said, “Well, I never would have thought it possible, but you’re even more
beautiful than your mama.” I told him I thought he talked funny and he said, “That, young lady, is because you can’t hear yourself.” I laughed and so did he. And that was the beginning.’
‘Why at that stage did he make you pretend that you were a nail technician he had hired?’
‘I think he was afraid of what his children would do to me even then.’
‘My poor darling. I’ve been so unfair to you.’
‘No you haven’t. I’ve had the best time in my life with you.’
‘God, I love you so much,’ he breathed.
‘So you really, really do love me,’ I asked, almost unable to believe that someone as grand as him could love me.
‘I really, really do.’
‘When did you find out though?’ I wheedled.
‘Oh, well. Wanting to kill Ralph that night might have been a good clue, but really, when you banged my head with the cake tin.’
‘What?’
‘Really. It knocked some sense into me,’ he teased.
‘Now you’re just teasing me.’
‘Tawny honey, I think I’ve been in love with you for years. I guess even Robert knew too. I remember he used to deliberately talk about you even when I pretended outright disinterest. I
used to get so jealous. Tawny this. Tawny that. Fucking hell. I used leave his house in a terrible temper. I couldn’t believe you were his and not mine. I used to out and get drunk, fuck
a random blonde, and pretend it was you.’
I licked my lips and looked up from under my eyelashes. ‘Don’t you want those blondes anymore?’
‘Did you not hear what I just said? They were substitutes for you. You know, like a sugar substitute. It doesn’t taste as good and it leaves a bad aftertaste, but it helps soothe the
craving. I never wanted any of them. I only ever wanted you.’ He grinned. ‘You were the mothership. The everything.’ He nodded. ‘Yup, my stepmother who turned out to be my stepsister.’
‘Oh you kinky man you.’
‘Ah, talking about that. We have an appointment at Blue Butterfly tomorrow.’
‘We do?’ I beamed up at him.
‘Yes, we do.’
‘Didn’t you have enough fruit the last time?’
‘Ah, fruit platters are not the only things they do.’
‘Can’t wait,’ I said beaming happily.
‘After that we are flying off to Penyu island to have a proper honeymoon. I still need to fuck you on that swing bed.’
‘Yes, m’Lord,’ I said meekly.
‘Oh, while we’re at it.’ He reached into his pocket and brought out a little velvet box. He opened it and on a bed of midnight blue velvet sat the most beautiful ruby and diamond ring I
had ever laid eyes on. I looked up at him with wide eyes. ‘For me?’ I gasped.
‘Do you see anybody else?’
‘Careful. You’re spoiling the moment,’ I scolded.
He pulled the gaudy ring off my finger and tossed it behind him.
‘Hey?’ I said.
‘It was fake by the way.’
‘What?’
‘Yeah. Part of the plan. I was prepared for the eventuality that after you’d read the letters you might go and have it valued. A fake would have cemented my motive.’
‘My God! You thought of everything.’
‘You didn’t really think I was going to let my wife walk about with that tasteless rock on her finger, did you?’
‘Well, it was a bit Mariah Carey weds James Packer.’
‘This,’ he said, slipping the beautiful ring on my finger, ‘has belonged in my family from the time we stole it from the Indian maharajas.’
I held my hand out and laughed.
‘We’re starting again, Tawny Greystoke, and this time we’re going to make the stars come out just to watch us.’
I looked into his silver eyes. My heart felt as if it would burst with happiness. ‘What will they see, these stars that come out to watch us?’
‘They will see me loving you like no man has ever loved a woman before.’
I smiled happily. ‘Who’d have thought I’d fall for a dirty aristocrat.’
‘Who’d have thought I’d be a total sucker for a country girl,’ he said with a twinkle in his eye.
EPILOGUE
Tawny Maxwell
‘Talk dirty to me,’ he said.
‘How dirty?’ I asked.
‘Make it filthy.’
‘I want to suck your dirty big cock until you cum in my throat.’
He grinned. ‘Not bad.’
‘I’m a shameless slut who loves to have a really, really big dick stuck deep inside her wet cunt.’
‘Very good,’ he approved and started to unbutton my blouse. ‘Carry on,’ he instructed in a pleased voice.
‘And I love it when stretch me, and you fuck me hard in the ass.’
He stopped unbuttoning, his eyebrows rising. ‘Really?’
‘Well,’ I said with a smile.
‘Jesus, woman. You’re always ruining my fantasy. Five years on and you still haven’t learned to talk dirty. It’s not just the words baby. You’ve got to say it like you mean it. You can’t
be smiling and messing about like it was a joke.’