Free There All Along by Megan Hart, Lauren Dane

says you’ve given him the week off until this blows over?”
    “Yes. He should be home where he can protect you and the house.”
    Her sister rolled her eyes. “I want him here in the daytime. He gets under my feet at home. He’s disagreeable because he’d rather be here where he can see everything. I know you’ll send him home if things change.”
    “You sure?”
    Her sister nodded.
    “All right then. The windows need a good cleaning. I’ll put him on that so at least he’ll be too tired to argue with his daddy when he gets home at night.”
    Constance laughed. “Thank you.” She hugged Verity, kissing her cheek. “You think on what I said.” And left before Verity could argue.

7
    P eople had taken to congregating there on her large porch, watching the street leading down the hill. Watching the gates and whatever they could beyond them.
    She’d done a brisk business over the last two days. A few enterprising souls showed up several times a day with baskets of sandwiches and wrapped bundles of meat and rice or grains, selling them for snacks and luncheon. People found a way, she thought with a smile. Even in the darkest of times, people found a way.
    There was a curfew in effect at sunset. She sent people home as she and Tobin pulled the shutters over the windows on the first floor, locking them into place.
    “I’ll see you tomorrow. Go on home and take that bundle to your mother. I made her some of the tea she likes. It’ll settle her system.”
    Her sister tended to be violently ill in the early months of her pregnancies. Luckily, the combination of herbs and flowers Verity dried for her tea seemed to aid and ease her sister’s discomfort. It was nice to be needed. Nice to be able to help.
    Tobin nodded, kissing her cheek and running off home, the bundle under his arm.
    Loyal hadn’t been around the night before as he’d done whatever they did down the garrison offices. But he came in as she stood in her kitchen wondering if she should take some dinner down to them all.
    He held up a basket. “Went fishing today since we were out scouting anyway. I even cleaned them for you.”
    “This is a division of labor I’m quite happy with.” She smiled with a wink, taking the basket.
    “Have I actually found something you aren’t good at?”
    “Gutting fish and scraping off the skin and scales?” She wrinkled her nose. “One does what one must. But if I can avoid such tasks, I’m pleased to do so.”
    He shrugged, a smile on his lips. “What’ll you give me then if I do all the fish gutting and scaling?”
    She put the basket on the counter and moved to him. “Whatever you want.”
    He licked his lips and she let the power roll through her. The ability to turn his head and keep his attention. The ability to make his cock swell and his mouth turn up into a rather wicked grin.
    “Why don’t you get on your knees. To get started.”
    She did, obeying immediately, looking up his body into his face.
    “Let me check the door.”
    She grabbed the waist of his trousers, opening them quickly, pulling his cock out, hot and hard in her grip. She licked over the head, tasting the spice of his seed.
    “You worried someone might come up and see me here, on my knees, your cock in my mouth?”
    She had no idea where the words had come from. She’d thought such filthy things before, but never had she said them aloud.
    He shivered, rooted to the spot. “Go on then.” He rolled his hips as she put her mouth around the head, pressing in deeper and pulling back.
    He undid her hair, his fingers sifting through it over and over as she fell under that rhythmic touch. Until he wrapped it around his fist and held her exactly where he wanted her.
    At first he’d tried to tell himself he wouldn’t do this again. But he’d been a liar because he’d been dreaming of this since he’d pulled out of her cunt the night before last.
    The reality of this woman on her knees before him, that sweet mouth wrapped around his