Page 76 of The Duke's Forbidden Bride
“Oh, Your Grace.” Theodore laughed again. “Mr. Gray is London’s most renowned male escort.”
“Well, well, well.” The drawl came from the handsome man with blonde curls hanging over his forehead messily. “It has been a while since a couple has graced my doorway. And a very beautiful one at that.”
Julian Gray flashed them both a grin that made him look younger than his years. Boyish, almost.
Spencer only stared back at him with shrewd eyes.
Eleanor looked between them as Julian stepped back into the dimly lit hallway, beckoning them inside.
“Do come in,” he urged, his manner relaxed as he moved toward a wide, open room.
The dark furniture contrasted with the emerald-green walls. Instead of feeling penned in—as Eleanor often did in new, unfamiliar spaces—she felt… at ease.
The escort gestured to a two-seater couch. “Please, sit. Now, I understand you are Lord and Lady… Oakwood?”
Eleanor bit back a laugh, glancing at Spencer in surprise, for he had retainedthatpart of their first meeting. His gaze flicked to her for a moment before returning to the escort, who eyed the two of them with interest.
“Yes,” he answered. “That is us.”
“Now…” Julian laughed. “I am no stranger to fake names when it comes to my services. However, I don’t believe you are here for such things. Heavens knows that?—”
“Whatever do you mean by that?” Spencer asked sharply.
Julian’s smile turned positively wicked, as if he had just been given a new game to play. He moved back, looking between the two of them. “You really must ask such a thing?”
“I do not waste my time asking questions I do not think need to be answered.”
Julian arched an eyebrow at Eleanor. “Is he always this… well-tempered?”
Eleanor placed her hand on her husband’s arm in a show of devotion, long used to how they acted around others even if they both knew there was no need for such pretense. Not since he’d said…
Breathe… Let me take care of you.
Before the flush could creep across her face—for she imagined the escort was keenly attuned to such things and would notice—she pushed away the memory of what her husband’s wicked fingers could do.
But of course, she was caught.
“He is,” she agreed with a laugh.
“Hmm, yes. I have known enough men like him, both in the bedroom and out of it. Their mood swings make for excellent tumbles at times. Although there was alwaysoneman whom Inever quite got to have in my sheets. A pity he is spoken for, and uninterested.”
“Answer my question,” Spencer snapped, his eyes flashing with ire at the flirtation. “Why do you think we need your services?”
Julian waved his question away as he moved toward the bar in the drawing room, but after a moment, he answered to rile him up further.
“I simply thought you needed a third person to… kick start whatever is going on between the two of you. That perhaps you needed a guide to bridge those gaps.”
“There are no gaps,” Spencer answered quickly, pointedly not looking at Eleanor.
“And is your wife of the same mind?”
Eleanor didn’t quite know how to answer that, so she settled for silence.
Their mood swings make for excellent tumbles at times…
Heavens. She tried not to imagine Spencer giving in to his anger, letting it come out as pleasure instead, asking if she could handle such things.
And she thought she could.
