Free Web NovelChapter 226: Chapter 226
They were not entirely in plain view of the terrace, sheltered as they were by shadow and foliage, but they were still very much out in the open. Anyone who wandered too far from the path would surely spot them as they were now, lips locked, bodies pressed together. It did not matter that they were married. Intimate displays of affection like this were still frowned upon at reputable events like this one.
Circe seemed to realize this at the same moment he did. Her eyes widened as she broke the kiss, breath uneven.
Ragnar, for his part, could not have cared less about being found kissing his wife. He had endured scrutiny and exaggerated gossip being spread about him for most of his life, it trailed after him like a shadow no matter where he went. But Circe was new to this world, new to its cruelty, and he could not bear the thought of her being dragged deeper into scandal simply because she was tied to him.
So when she grabbed his wrist and tugged him urgently toward a row of neatly trimmed hedges as the footsteps drew nearer, he followed without protest.
Only once they were concealed did they realize they were not dealing with a single intruder.
They had barely concealed themselves behind a tall hedge when the newcomers came into view—a man and a woman, their steps unsteady, their laughter muffled but unmistakable. They had clearly imbibed before venturing into the garden, wine loosening both their limbs and their discretion.
"We have to be quick," the woman murmured, her voice hushed but eager. "Someone might find us."
The man only responded with a low grunt, his attention clearly elsewhere.
The darkness worked in Ragnar and Circe’s favor. Hidden behind the tall hedge, they were unseen as they cautiously peered through the dense leaves.
Circe’s mouth parted in silent shock when she recognized the woman.
Lady Cecilia.
She had seen her only recently, the same woman Mina had spoken of in hushed tones during the garden party. Now she was wrapped around a man Circe did not recognize, their mouths meeting in hurried, passionate kisses, restraint already forgotten.
A glance at Ragnar told her everything she needed to know. His expression had hardened, recognition flickering plainly across his face. He knew the man and woman very well, including their respective spouses.
If Mina’s words were to be believed, then this must be Lord Garrik, Cecilia’s newest lover. The way their laughter dissolved into soft, breathless sounds left little doubt as to what kind of tryst they were engaged in.
Circe knew she had no place to judge, not after what she and Ragnar had been doing only moments before. But Ragnar did not share the same sentiments.
He dragged a frustrated hand down his face, jaw tight, as though he had been personally wronged by the couple a mere few feet away. Interrupted, forced into hiding, and now trapped listening to them or risk discovery themselves.
Circe bit back a grin.
The garden was bathed in moonlight, mingling with the warm glow of torches placed along the paths. In that light, Ragnar could see Circe clearly, the mischief sparking in her eyes, the wicked delight dancing there as she watched his discomfort with barely contained amusement.
He should have known better.
He certainly should have been prepared. He was not.
Which was why he had not been prepared when her fingers suddenly slid up his thigh without warning. It was a slow, deliberate touch meant to startle him, and it did. His breath hitched despite himself. He doubted she had wanted him prepared at all.
As always, his body betrayed him instantly. A low groan slipped free before he could stop it, and instead of retreating, her fingers continued their teasing ascent, creeping higher until they hovered dangerously close to his cock, already half-hard from her proximity alone. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
She moved closer still just as the sound of rustling fabric reached them from the other side of the hedge. Ragnar shot her a stern look, silently pleading with her to stop before she truly ruined him.
Circe, however, was a menace and rarely obedient when it mattered.
She leaned in, close enough that her lips brushed his neck. He barely registered the kiss. His mind had gone frighteningly blank as, at the same time, her fingers traced the length of his cock through his breeches. He twitched in response, helpless to stop it.
Ragnar hissed under his breath, cursing his timing, his luck, and her audacity. In any other moment, he would have bent her over the nearest hard surface and buried himself inside her without hesitation.
But not now.
Not with Cecilia and Garrik so close they could stumble upon them at any moment. free𝑤ebnovel.com
As if to mock him, the faint sound of skin slapping against skin carried through the air. Ragnar shuddered, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Remaining still through it was torture of the worst kind.
Lord Garrik was as old as King Zeriel, and Ragnar absolutely refused to became aroused when the other couple was just steps away. He also refused to risk his name and Circe’s, being tied to a scandal that would surely erupt if Cecilia and Garrik were ever discovered.
That left him with only one choice.
He had to stay perfectly still and Circe knew it.
It was precisely why the wicked creature was more than delighted to torment him like this because she knew he couldn’t retaliate without exposing the fact that they were hiding behind a hedge, half-concealed from the revelry beyond. The knowledge only seemed to embolden her, her mischief sharpened by the danger of being discovered.
He hissed out a curse under his breath when she grew bolder, her fingers daring enough to wrap around his cock through his breeches. His body reacted instantly, betraying him despite his every effort at restraint, and his jaw clenched as he fought the urge to drag her closer.
"I’m getting even when we get back home," he whispered against her ear, his voice low and filled with promise. He relished the way a shiver rippled through her at the words. Ragnar would take great pleasure in claiming recompense for everything she had put him through tonight and he intended to make her remember every moment of it.
