Page 75 of Dark Gambit: The Play

Hardly, but Eric knew that the moment Darlene touched him, it would become all about her, and he would have no problem getting aroused.

The reverse, though, was going to be more challenging. He was tied up, so there was little he could do as far as foreplay, and Darlene wasn't the type of woman who liked to take control. Seeing him chained to the bed would not turn her on.

He had a plan, though. He would tell her to straddle his face, hold on to the headboard, and let him bring her to orgasm once or twice with his tongue alone. By the time he was done with her, she would be so anxious to ride his shaft that she would hopefully forget all about Max jerking off in the next room.

Eric had asked Max to get a good bottle of wine for Darlene, so she could let go of her inhibitions, but she'd been too nervous to drink it, claiming that her throat was too tight to swallow, and his joke about her giving him a blow job to loosen it up hadn't helped.

She hadn't even smiled, and given that she always laughed at all of his corny jokes, no matter how stupid they were, that spoke volumes about her mental state.

Darlene was freaking out.

"All done." Max finished the last buckle on Eric's ankle. "Comfortable?"

"No. My nose itches. Can you scratch it for me?"

Rolling his eyes, Max did that not too gently. "Anything else? Do you need me to fluff you up too?"

Eric laughed. "The only hands I allow on my yoke are Darlene's, but thanks for the offer."

"It wasn't an offer." Max cast a glance at the bathroom door. "I'd better finish up so she can come out."

When Max was done with the music, the candles, and the lights, Eric asked, "Can I ask you for just one more favor? Can you add another pillow under my head?"

"Sure, buddy." Max lifted Eric's head and stuffed the pillow under it. "All good?"

"Yeah. Thank you. You are a really good friend."

"I know, right?" Max grinned before turning toward the bathroom door. "I'm leaving now! Count to ten and come out!"

The soundproofing of the house was excellent, but the bathroom door wasn't as fortified as the bedroom door, so it didn't block out all sounds.

"Thank you," came the muffled reply.

58

DARLENE

Darlene waited until she was sure that Max was no longer in the room before opening the door and peeking into the darkened bedroom.

The illumination came from two small, scented candles, soft music was playing, and the door to the bedroom had been left slightly ajar.

There was no helping it. The soundproofing was so good in the village that a closed door would have prevented Max from hearing when was the right moment to come in, and for some reason, Eric and Max thought it was important that the venom and the semen entered her body at the same time.

Darlene didn't think it mattered. If semen could stay viable in a woman's body for forty-eight hours and fertilize her egg, the same should be true for its other properties. Max could come in whenever he was ready and bite her.

On the other hand, it was better if she was climaxing when it happened, so she would be flooded with endorphins, and it wouldn't hurt as much.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Eric said. "Come out and let me see you."

Feeling a blush rise on her cheeks, she opened the door wider and stepped into the bedroom. "Hello." She smoothed her hand over her voluminous cotton nightgown before daring to look at Eric.

He was sprawled over the bed, heavy chains securing him to the four-poster and a blanket spread over his groin to protect his modesty.

His body began shaking, alarming her, but then he burst out laughing. "What the hell are you wearing?"

She let out a breath. "You scared me. I thought you were having a reaction to the titanium chains or something."

"I'm not a werewolf. Did you get that travesty of a nightgown from a costume shop?"