Nicola Eversley never intended for him to receive the love letters.
It had been a mistake, a cruel twist of fate, that all her ardent and thankfully anonymous confessions were now in his possession and Nicola must work tirelessly to keep her identi...
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Chapter 22: Jason's One Act of Chivalry
It was a long hallway that stretched out before her, a plush red carpet under her slippers. There were four alternating wooden doors on the left, windows to the right, and the passage carved left at the end. Sconces lined the walls and were lit, illuminating the darkly suggestive paintings interspersed between each door.
Laughter, muffled voices, groaning sounds of pleasure lingered down the passage, freezing Nicola in place. Something was happening down these halls, she realised, something she shouldn't be a part of. A flush of excitement went through her and she moved forward, edging closer to the first door where the sounds were loudest, a woman shrieked and giggled.
It was such a wild sound, so uninhibited, she couldn't help but lean closer, intrigued.
"Naughty mouse," Jason growled, grabbing her from behind. She squeaked, so absorbed with whatever was transpiring behind the first door she had not heard him slip in from the other. He pulled her against his body, dropping his mouth to her ear. "Are you curious, Nicki love, about what is happening behind that door?"
She couldn't answer him, her voice was stuck, frozen by the torment of his hands that spanned her waist, one so close to her breast those long fingers were almost brushing against the lower part. She was aching for him to move just slightly, dip that hand higher. She nodded quickly, impatient now.
"Would you like me to show you?" His voice was a purr against her temple, his chin and lips nudging the ribbon of her mask.
There was more laughter now from behind those doors, more groaning both male and female alike. "Yes," Nicola breathed. It was all he needed, releasing her and taking her hand.
Jason began to lead her down the passage, throwing her a crooked grin over his shoulder. He looked so roguish just then, with his black mask, she could have swooned. "You may want to hitch those skirts," he said slyly, "we don't have much time."
She complied, gathering the shimmering fabric in her free hand, then he was pulling her again and they were running, running like they had through the forest the night of Lady Blackwood's picnic, running like they had through the field outside the village. Jason passed the three other doors, swerving left at the end of the passage, and continued down that one. More doors, to the left and the right this time. He ran with her to the end of that passage, which then veered right, and he followed that. "Do you know where you are going?" she demanded, wondering if perhaps he had enjoyed dalliances here before, or if he was enjoying running around in circles.
His look was exceedingly dry. "No. I am assuming that the further away we are from the start of this maze, the less likely we will run into someone, or find a room that is being, uh, occupied." He stopped suddenly, catching her as she bumped into him, listening for a moment at the door he had halted beside. "Think this one should be-" he opened the door, popped his head in round the side, and quickly withdrew again. "Never mind."
