Billionaire: Billionaire Romance: Billionaire Tiger (A Billionaire New Adult Shifter Contemporary Romance) by Loretta Devine

matter, but it was only this morning that Henry VIII had himself confirmed the rumors. Immediately, the court leapt into action, organizing an elaborate feast with scrumptious food, music and dancing to celebrate the happy news. Realizing that the bucket she had been filling at the well was overflowing; Beth brought her mind back to the task at hand. Picking up the heavy bucket in one hand, she hitched up her generous skirts with the other in order that they would not drag through the now wet ground. As she did so, she heard a low whistle behind her. Slowly turning around with the blood rushing to her cheeks in embarrassment, she saw a messenger boy leaning casually against a nearby wall. As she slowly looked up at him through her thick eyelashes, Beth could see that the boy was casting his eyes up and down her slender figure. Dropping her skirts immediately, no longer remotely concerned about the damp ground, she quickly made her way back into the smoky and bustling kitchens.

 
     
     
    Chapter 2
     
     
    As she lay in her bed that night, aching from head to toe from the hard work of preparing, serving, and then clearing the food for the glorious feast, Beth couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. She had carried out her work without mishap, and was beginning to feel that she was becoming friends with Emma, the girl who shared her bedchamber. Also, however much she hated to admit it, she did feel a certain delight when she remembered the lust in the messenger boy’s eyes earlier that day. At eighteen years of age Beth had never so much as touched a man, and had previously never felt any desire to. However, as she lay in bed gradually relaxing after the exhausting day, she found herself imagining what it would have been like to run her fingers through his shiny dark hair, or plant a gentle kiss on the stubble of his cheek.
     
    Beth leaned across in the darkness and whispered, “Emma, are you awake?”
     
    “Yes, Beth, what is it? Are you unwell?” came the reply from the other side of the room.
     
    Beth paused momentarily, wondering whether she was being silly, then took a breath and whispered back, “Have you ever… kissed a man, Emma?” She felt as if she could feel Emma’s surprised smile in the darkness.
     
    “I have. More than a kiss too, if you must know.”
     
    “More?”
     
    “There are ways you can… show your love for a man. And he can show his to you.”
     
    “What sort of ways?”
     
    “Well of course, aside from actually coupling, you can pleasure him with your mouth and your hands and…” Beth cut her off, feeling suddenly utterly embarrassed and like a child in contrast to Emma’s obvious experience.
     
    “Can you show me how to kiss a man?” Beth’s words were barely audible and she was glad the darkness hid the flush of her cheeks. Before she had a chance to say anything further, she heard a rustling, and then felt a cold foot nudging her aside as Emma slid into her bed. Without a word, Emma moved her face above Beth’s, their lips inches away from each other.
     
    “Relax,” Emma murmured, “You need to learn, and I’m happy to show you. I reckon we both deserve a bit of fun after such a bleeding long day!” and with that she lowered her lips to Beth’s, at first simply holding them there so that they were breathing in each others’ breath. After a while, Emma began to gently and slowly kiss Beth, their soft lips moving together. Emma’s hand gently moved the hair out of Beth’s eyes, and then slowly ventured lower, moving aside the neckline of Beth’s nightgown so as to expose her pale, full breast. Beth drew in a short, quick breath, momentarily shocked, but as Emma began to flick her tongue over Beth’s now pert nipple, she offered no resistance. Beth could feel a flush rising to her cheeks, her stomach turned over in what was either nerves or excitement, and she felt the beat of her pulse quickening.
     
    “I am going to show you what a man will do to