never felt before.
His free hand slipped around her rib cage to lift her other breast. He leaned against her back, pressing her forward so that her legs pushed against the physician's table. She was pinned between him and the table while his breath brushed hot across her cheek. She felt surrounded by him, completely and totally within his power.
'Do you know what leads to fertility?' he whispered into her ear.
She shook her head. It was hard to think with his hands rolling over her breasts.
'Passion, Chen Ji Yue. A passionate woman is a fertile woman.' He pinched her nipples—both at once—and she cried out in her surprise. 'What you feel right now is passion, and it is what all these physicians, eunuchs and courtiers are looking for.'
'What of the emperor?' she gasped. 'Does he look for this as well?'
'Him most of all,' he said into her neck. Then she felt his tongue, hot and wet as he stroked the skin behind her ear.
'Oh!' she gasped.
'Lean forward,' he murmured.
She did because she liked what he was doing. The feel of his tongue overwhelmed her senses, and his hands had not stopped moving in mesmerizing caresses all over her breasts.
'You smell sweet, Ji Yue. I think your cream has grown stronger.'
She tensed. 'But it can't! You said—'
'Let me see if I can wipe some away.'
He pressed her forward even farther and one of his hands abandoned her breast to slip down to her knee. With quick movements, he pulled her skirt up to her waist.
'No…' she murmured, but he must not have heard her.
'Widen your legs for me, Ji Yue,' he said. 'I must have access to wipe the cream away.'
She did not intend to move, but her legs were so weak. He pinched her nipple again, and as she arched in reaction, his leg slipped between hers. And then his hand was where no man's hand had ever been.
'There is so much cream here!' he said as he began to stroke her.
Oh, the feeling was amazing. She could barely breathe for the wonder of it. It was as if he coaxed a flame hotter and brighter with every touch. The flame burned through her belly, sending sensation up her spine. Then he widened his hand and burrowed deep with his fingers while she…she…
She whipped around and slammed the plate against his head. It took all her strength and she collapsed sideways after the impact. But that gave her the space she needed to shove him away. 'You said you would only touch my breasts!' she accused.
He had fallen a step backward, but he was still standing. She hadn't hit him hard enough, she supposed, and now she had a new problem. What would he do to explain the welt he sported on his temple?
'You told me I could hit you,' she said, struggling to put force into her voice. But she didn't have the breath, and her heart was beating so fast! 'You told me to do that if you touched me somewhere else.'
He lifted his head and she saw that she had cut him, too. Blood dripped down the side of his head and his eyes blazed with fury.
'You told me I should hit you!' she cried again. She had already pulled down her skirt, and now she tried to retie her undergarment one-handed. Her other hand gripped the largest shard of plate that she could reach. 'You told me—'
'So I did,' he said. He rubbed his hand over his temple then grimaced when his palm came away glistening with blood. 'Cover up. The doctor will be here soon.'
With shaking hands, she retied the cotton underdress, then pulled on the silk blouse, fastening the clasps with one hand. Just as she finished the last button, the door burst open and in walked the physician.
The woman froze on the doorstep, and her eyes narrowed on the tableau before her: Ji Yue flushed and breathing hard; the master with blood smeared down his cheek. And of course, the plate pieces shattered about the room. It wouldn't be hard to guess what had happened. The question was: would she blame the master? Or Ji Yue?
With a snort of disgust, the doctor threw a towel at him. 'You're disgraceful,' she snapped. She turned to Ji Yue. 'Put the plate down. You're safe now.'
Ji Yue slowly released the plate shard. She had to consciously will her hand to open. When the porcelain clattered to the floor—shattering anew—the woman huffed in disgust. She went to the door and called in a eunuch to clean up the mess.
'Clumsy girl has broken a plate,' she groused to the eunuch. Then she looked hard at Ji Yue. 'Fortunately, the emperor has many plates. You might be wise to keep an extra handy for whenever you break one again.'
'Always,' she answered softly, her gaze going to the master. 'I won't be caught without one again.'
'You weren't caught without one now,' he returned, but she detected a note of humor in his complaint.
The plate pieces were swept up, the eunuch sent away, and then the doctor shut the door. She turned to the master. 'You should see the emperor's physician for that cut.'
He pulled the towel away from his head. 'It was only a scratch.'
The woman snorted. 'You are staying, then.'
The master smiled. 'It is my sworn duty to the emperor as master of the Festival of Fertility.'
'Humph,' she retorted. Then she turned back to Ji Yue. 'All right then, girl, let's see what damage he's done.'
Ji Yue had been standing mutely to the side, doing her best to stop trembling. Soon, very soon, she would be able to disappear into her room and think on what had happened. But at the doctor's words, she started in surprise.
'What?'
'Your examination, girl. Don't tell me he has stolen your wits.'
'My, um, I mean…no. I have my wits.'
'Then undress. Let me see what has so intrigued Sun Bo Tao.'
Ji Yue stared at the physician, her misery now complete. After everything she'd just endured, she still had to go through the physical examination. And in front of the master! But what choice did she have? None. So she submitted. Button by button, she undid what she had just fastened. And as she worked, she plotted her revenge.
Chapter 5
SHE HAD HIT HIM with a plate. Even as he felt the throbbing of his temple, Bo Tao could still not believe she had hit him. No woman had ever dared do that to him, and he didn't know whether to be angry or impressed. He settled for being intrigued.
He leaned against the wall, his thoughts still whirling, and prepared to watch a most interesting examination. An honorable man would leave, since he had already compromised Ji Yue enough. But he could not seem to leave her alone; she'd dominated his thoughts since she'd shoved him out of her palanquin yesterday. Was he intrigued by her audacity? Fascinated by her intelligence? Or just lustful for her sweet curves? Yes to all. Which meant that even when his intention to simply talk to her alone, he wound up with his hands on her breasts and her legs spread beneath him. She made him lose control, and that was both dangerous and wildly exciting.
He folded his arms across his chest and watched while the virgin glared daggers at him. No hysterics, no whimpering, just darkly plotted revenge. He was rather excited to imagine what she could do to hurt him. But mostly he was aroused simply smelling her scent in the air and seeing her glorious breasts once again revealed to his gaze.
'Not flat, then,' said the physician as she made notes on her paper. 'Good breadth of lungs and a fine skin color, if somewhat flushed.' She flashed Bo Tao a harsh look. He smiled in response. Women's physician Xie Yan had been his mother's doctor and had known him since birth. She would tolerate his excesses so long as no lasting harm was done. And besides, as master of the festival, he had the right to supervise any examination, even one this intimate.
