A satisfied sigh escaped Bianca's lips as she broke the kiss. "Now that's a reaction," she purred, resting her head on Achille's shoulder with a mischievous glint in her eye. Achille, eyes fluttering shut, inhaled deeply, the heady scent of hers a potent aphrodisiac.
"Am I to be ostracized?" he rasped, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "A betrothed man caught in such a compromising situation?" He held her close, the forbidden warmth of her body a stark contrast to his tumultuous emotions.
Bianca, amusement dancing in her dark eyes, tilted her head to study him. "Darling," she purred, a hint of mockery in her voice, "surely you weren't forced into this engagement with Ariana? Forced engagements are hardly a novelty amongst our ilk, Signor. Mistresses are practically de rigueur in our social circles. And besides, who says I desire a permanent role? Think of me as a delightful secret, hidden from prying eyes."
