This chapter is definitely NSFW!

Chapter 25

It was not until her third visit that Arabella began to get an inkling as to how the con at the Shelby's casino was being managed. The pit boss had identified the regulars prior to Arabella joining the game and she had watched them carefully. Some of them exhibited a good level of skill but none of them achieved unreasonably high winnings – at most they came out slightly in profit. What did seem odd was that the spot next to one of the regulars always seemed to cash out more profitably and more frequently than usual and the players who occupied the place bet more heavily than most. These high-rolling 'whales' changed regularly but she watched the interaction between them and the regular. The signs were subtle but they were there and gradually a pattern began to emerge. After four move visits Arabella was sure. Grinning with glee she raced back to Arrow House to tell Tommy that she had solved the problem only to find that he had not yet returned from business in London. Biting back her frustration she knew her news would probably have to wait until morning.

Arabella awoke early the next day and was disappointed to find that she was alone. Tommy had presumable returned very late and had slept in his dressing room to avoid disturbing her. It was happening more and more lately. Emotionally they were closer than they had ever been but physically… At first she had put it down to his injury and then his medication but he was whole again now and nothing had changed. Every time she tried to make love to him he found a reason to divert her attention. However, she was determined to force a change. She washed and dressed quickly and then went downstairs to find her husband. As she headed towards the breakfast room she almost bumped in to Mary who looked absolutely mortified. The woman bobbed a curtsy but would not meet her eye. Arabella watched her leave in bemusement.

'What in god's name did you say to Mary?' She asked as she entered the room where Tommy was sat picking at his breakfast. 'The poor woman's gone the colour of strawberry jam!'

'She asked me about my medicine', Tommy replied with a faux air of innocence. 'So I told her.'

'Tommy! Arabella gasped, stifling a giggle. 'Did you tell her everything? About Leviticus and her being naked? How could you!' Arabella sat down next to him and helped herself to some tea torn between amusement at Tommy's bare faced cheek and pity for humiliation certainly being felt by the very prim and proper Mary.

'Not quite everything', he continued. 'I asked her if she wanted to find out what happened once she'd stopped reading but she didn't seem interested.' He nibbled primly on a tiny square of toast.

Arabella, who knew exactly what happened next, could no longer contain her mirth.

'Thank heavens that she didn't ask you to explain', she said through tears of laughter. 'She's already half in love with you. If she thought that it was even vaguely reciprocated it would have made her impossible!'

Tommy began to scoff at her. Then he remembered what Tatiana Petrovna had said to him about the maid who answered the bell after midnight being the one who was in love with the master. It was always Mary. Fucking hell - he really should take more notice of the women in his life!

Tommy's look of horror made his wife laugh all the harder. Her amusement was intoxicating and he could not help but join in. As he relaxed he noticed the wicked look in her eyes and the faint blush in her cheeks. The little witch was clearly remembering the details of his drug induced fantasies about Mary.

'Right', he said, pushing away the remains of his breakfast in disgust and turning to face her. 'There's only one way that I'm going to get that particular thought out of my head and yours and for that I'm going to need your undivided attention.' The look he gave her was so heated, so nakedly sexual that Arabella's laughter died abruptly. Lips parting with desire, she drew in a ragged breath. How was it that he could rouse her almost to fever pitch with a single word or glance? Please god let him not turn away again, she thought desperately. She wriggled in her chair enjoying the press of the firm cushion against her suddenly sensitized flesh.

Tommy watched her intently. He could read every thought and every desire in her beautiful eyes. He couldn't believe that he had nearly lost her. He reached out and caressed her cheek tenderly. Gasping she turned and kissed his palm then began to trace delicate patterns across it with her tongue. It had been so long since they'd made love. After the loss of their child and all that had happened in the aftermath he had been afraid to touch her, afraid that it would bring back memories of that terrible time. Now her eyes were filled with familiar passion and he could not help but find it arousing; it had been far too long since he's last seen her undone by desire. With a wicked grin, Arabella took one of his fingers in to her mouth sucking on it then teasing the tip with her tongue and teeth. She left him in no doubt of what she would rather be doing. Christ, he thought, she does love to torture me.

He stood abruptly and pulled her up to join him, grinding roughly against her. She could feel how aroused he was, how hard. They kissed fiercely reveling in the taste of each other. Lost in sensation they didn't hear the maid who had come in to clear the breakfast things until she dropped the sugar tongs. When they turned to look at her she gave a little gasp of embarrassment and froze.

'Get the fuck out!' Tommy roared at her hoarsely. 'And don't come back until you're called for.'

The terrified maid scampered from the room slamming the door closed behind her in her haste. This would probably earn her a reprimand from Mary on top of the fright Tommy had just given her and Arabella knew she would have to find a way to make it up to the girl. But not now. Not when she had much more interesting things on her mind.

'Well Mr Shelby', she drawled lasciviously running a finger delicately down his chest stopping just above the waistband of his suit trousers. 'Where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?' Looking up at him she ran a tongue suggestively along her upper lip.

'Jesus Arabella - do you have any idea what you fucking do to me?

With nimble fingers she unbuttoned his fly and slipped her hand inside his trousers. He grunted as she took him in her hand.

'There seems to be a small clue right here', she replied cheekily.

'Less of the 'small' woman - that sort of talk can put a man off his stride. Oh fuck!' He groaned as she began to run her hand along the length of his erection.

'There's only one sure way to distract me', she said a little breathlessly, continuing to torment him with the rough but steady pace she knew he loved. Excited beyond words Tommy reached for her and tried to pull her against him. Feigning shock she stopped what she was doing and danced back, eyes daring him to follow her. 'You'll have to come and get me, Mr Shelby!'

'Damn it Arabella', he hissed. 'No more!'

In a few quick strides he had her back in his arms. Kissing her fiercely he spun them both round and then backed her roughly up against the polished oak of the dining table so she could not escape him again. The impact set the tableware rattling.

'I'm going to take you now Arabella', he said seriously. 'It's going to be hard and rough and a little bit dirty. Just like me.'

'Well is that any way to speak to a lady?' She said opening her eyes wide in faux outrage.

Tommy laughed. 'Oh Arabella you haven't been a lady in anything but name for a good long while.' As if to prove his point he ground himself against her again and she all but purred.

Spinning her round he pushed her forward over the table so she was balancing on her palms. He hoicked the hem of her dress unceremoniously over her hips, tearing the fragile fabric. She hissed in annoyance.

She wasn't wearing underwear. Damn the woman, Tommy though - she had to have been planning something like this all along! With a knee he pressed her legs apart. Then, freeing his erection, he drove deeply in to her, the sharp pleasure of it drawing gasps from them both. He threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled on it roughly. She writhed back against him in ecstasy meeting him thrust for thrust.

Tommy was almost lost already; it felt so good. He'd missed her, missed this. He wanted to give her as much enjoyment as she gave him but he feared that he would not last much longer. One of his hands snaked between her legs and his questing fingers began to tease her towards her release. He felt her muscles beginning to clench around him. She was so close. He just needed to hold on for a little while longer. With his last moment of rational thought he pushed her over the edge to orgasm. Her cries of pleasure triggered his own release and he collapsed against her. Burying his face in her neck he struggled to come back in to himself.

'Shit', he said, once he had caught his breath. 'I can't feel my bloody legs!'

Arabella rested her forehead on the glossy wood of the table and began to giggle.