A Rose Between the Thornes Read Online Free Page A

of disgust from Lord Cressley and a swiftly cut off giggle from Hermione. Then Hermione’s voice explaining Sophia was promised elsewhere reached her. She would thank her niece later.
    Her escort put his hand on the small of her back as they approached a table at one end of the room, where his double waited.
    “Next time I rescue you, I look forward to your thanks, shown in a myriad of ways,” her escort said. “My cock is eager and anticipates its participation.” His hand moved briefly down and gave her buttocks a swift caress. Such a brief statement of intent had her juices flowing. Before she decided how to reply, or indeed whether she should at all, he raised his voice. “Here is Lady Rose to play with us.” The smile that accompanied this statement showed her he had omitted what they would play on purpose. He stood back to allow his double to greet her.
    “Dear Rose.” The use of her name was accompanied by a grin of pure devilment. She chose not to respond. She may well be interested, her pulse jumping and her quim damp with the ideas flitting through her mind, but she had no intention of showing it. These men were clever. They needed no help in whatever game they chose to pursue. Again her hand was bowed over and kissed. “We thought to play.” He waited, before going on smoothly. “At present, cards with you. Do you desire it...” The pause this time stretched until he raised one eyebrow and gave a brief wicked grin. “...as much as we?”
    She looked from one to the other. How did people decide who was who? A swift perusal of each, from identical wicked grins, to immaculate smallclothes and perfectly tied cravats gave no hint. Was it the eyes?
    “For what are we playing gentlemen?” She allowed twin one to seat her, then waited until he had taken his own seat and twin two did likewise. “Penny stakes?”
    “Of course,” the man on her right answered suavely. “With a little side bet perhaps?”
    Sophia looked at him steadily and knew this was the twin she had been first introduced to and her surmise was correct. A slight, very slight, darker hue in his eyes gave him away. To most, she assumed it would not be noticeable, so mild was it. To her, that delicate tint was glaringly obvious.
    “And what, my dear Jasper, do you think we should play for?” she asked using his first name deliberately. For as an older lady, surely that was acceptable? Did he realize the disparity in their ages? She saw by the look in his eyes he knew what she was trying to do. She felt the glance they exchanged rather than saw it.
    “Fucking.”
    She blinked. “I beg your pardon?” Had she heard aright?
    “Sex, in a manner we so choose, you and us,” Nathaniel replied. “Both of us. All of us. There is no negotiating on this. One night for each game you lose by. We play for one hour.”
    So they think I will lose . She fancied they might be in for a surprise. “And if I win?” she queried lightly. “Sex in the manner I so choose— if I do? Or a forfeit, from each of you, to be decided by me at a later date? No negotiation.”
    They may be telepathic, as she believed twins often were, however, the surprised look that passed between them was everything she could have wished for.
    “Of course, my lady,” Nathaniel said. She nodded, and turned to Jasper. “And you Jasper? What say you?”
    “I say, ‘tis a rare person who can tell us apart, something that bodes well for the future, perchance? You will know who is inside you, and where.”
    She could not help but chuckle. Truly they were incorrigible. “And our wager?” she prompted.
    “Be ready to enjoy all we decide to give,” he said. “For assuredly we will win.”
    A thought struck her. She knew this might not be as straightforward as she had first believed. They were devious. “You play as individuals? For two against one is surely not a fair division.”
    Nat laughed. “Oh, love, we play alone, we fuck together. And we say now we both must beat