CENTURION'S VOW by Nadia Aidan

CENTURION'S VOW - Book two in the Imperial Desires Series by Nadia Aidan

Nivea has suffered once through a loveless, passionless marriage and refuses to do so again. Set to wed in two months time, she overhears Gaius Ovidius joking with his comrades how she shall never please her intended, who is well known for possessing unique desires. Nivea forms an idea... If Gaius knows so much about the pleasures to be had in her marriage bed, then she shall have the handsome centurion instruct her accordingly.

Initially set against her plan, Gaius eventually agrees. After all, how difficult could this be? Nivea has offered him a substantial sum in exchange for his lessons, and she is quite comely. Not an arduous task to bed a beautiful, lonely widow. It should have been a simple business transaction, a mutually pleasing but brief affair. Yet Gaius never wagered Nivea would steal his heart.

Now just days before her wedding, Nivea will be forced to choose - abandon a life of security with her intended for a lifetime of happiness with Gaius...a man who can offer her nothing except his love.

Reader Advisory: This book contains a hot m/m love scene prior to the hero finding the woman he yearns for.

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An Excerpt From: CENTURION’S VOW

Copyright © NADIA AIDAN, 2011

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

“Trust me when I say you do not wish to please your future husband.”

Her brows lifted. “Of course I do—”

“No—you—do—not,” he bit out each word, his voice rougher this time. She was so close that he could touch her, she was so close that every pore within his body absorbed her essence and strained for more. He almost gasped with half desire, half surprise, when his cock swelled then hardened within the confines of his bracca. He’d not experienced such pure and instant desire for a woman in so long that it shocked him, it scared him.

“What is it that he does that I should fear?” she asked in a quiet voice, tinged with the very emotion she’d just named.

A war raged within him. Gaius longed to tell her the truth so she would end this betrothal and be done with Cicero, but the other part of himself told him this was none of his business, the affairs of others were not his concern. In the end, his sense of honor won out, as misguided and misplaced as it was.

“Your intended enjoys inflicting pain upon others. He derives a sense of pleasure from the suffering of others.”

Her eyes widened.

“Now do you understand why I tell you that you do not wish to please your future husband?”

She nodded, but her next words told him that she did not.

“And you think I would be repulsed by this?”

His eyes narrowed. “If you are not then you should be.”

“But I have never experienced such a thing.” Her gaze bore into him. “How do you know I would not enjoy his desires when I do not even know myself?”

“Nivea—”

“Before I compromise my betrothal, I would know what I am getting into. I wish you to take me to this place called The Cave so that I may see for myself—”

“No—”

“Then show me what it is Flavius does to women—”

“It is not something to be shown.”

She tilted her head to the side, her hair tumbling over a bare shoulder, and he knew the moment his words found purchase. “Then would you do these things to me?”

“Absolutely not.”

“But you have done these things to women before, have you not?”

Gaius pierced her with a dark glare, his thoughts, his emotions oscillating between the desire to stalk out of there, and the need to shake her until she saw reason.

“I know of you Gaius Ovidius, just as I have known of the whisperings of my intended. Until two days ago I thought them to be rumors, and so I ignored them. But no longer. It took me two days to call upon you, because I spent those days asking questions of you. I know your desires are the same as Flavius’—”

“They are not the same,” he blurted out before he realized what he’d just admitted to, before he had the temerity to stop himself.

She ignored him. “I also know you wish to retire soon, that you seek to purchase land to farm, but you have too few coins to do this as the second son of Claudius Ovidius. I could see that you have all the denarii you need to cultivate your own farm.”

“If I stud for you.”

She started at the sneer upon his face and the brusqueness of his voice, but she was not cowed. “If you instruct me on what pleases my intended.”

“Why not ask him yourself?” he demanded, even though he already knew why. Matters of the marriage bed were never discussed, and certainly never broached at the time of betrothal. Once wed, one simply suffered in silence or took a lover.

“You know why,” she said in answer to his question. “Besides, as I just said, I would know now before it is too late if this is a marriage I can endure. This arrangement stands to benefit us both,” she pressed, her voice low.

Gaius was so tempted. He was so tempted to agree to this. Nivea had done well in asking of him. As the second son he stood to inherit nothing, the small fortune he’d amassed having come from his time in service to the Roman military. And still it was not enough for the plot of land he desired to purchase. He knew well of Flavius Cicero’s desires—if anyone could teach her, prepare her, it was him.

He shook his head as if he could rid himself of the thought, surprised he’d just considered her offer. It was madness to even contemplate such a thing.

“For many reasons, I cannot agree to this,” he said finally, firmly.

“And those would be?” she demanded to know.

“Most importantly, if Cicero ever learned of this, he would be furious, your reputation would suffer and he would end your betrothal immediately.”

“That is my concern alone.” Nivea nodded. “What else?”

He hesitated because he’d not expected such a response. Only then did he realize these many reasons were in fact only two.

“You said there were several reasons,” Nivea hedged, as if reading his mind. “I wish to know why else you object.”

He’d not been prepared to reveal his other reason, but as he met Nivea’s waiting gaze he found himself wanting to give her the truth. He could have lied, but he did not, he could not as he said finally, “It has been a long time since I’ve lain with a woman.”

Her eyes rounded and her lips parted in surprise. “Do you not desire women?”

Again, he could have lied, but for some reason he found he could only give those searching golden eyes the truth. “I desire women.”

“If you think you shall not please me, again that is my concern alone,” she said quietly into the strained silence that now hovered between them.

He inched closer, the heat radiating from her body surrounding him as he raked her with his gaze, so that she did not mistake his next words. “If I took you to my bed, I would please you,” he replied, his voice just as low as hers had been, and when her tongue slid nervously across her lips, he knew she understood.

His words were not spoken out of pride or because he wished to boast. It was simply the truth. If he took this woman to his bed he would do everything within his power to see that she was well pleased, that she was well satisfied.

“If everything you have said is true then I implore you to consider my offer,” Nivea said finally.

When he opened his mouth to protest, she shook her head.

“Just consider it. Whatever you decide, I would have your answer in person. I would have you look me in the eye when you deliver the news.”

“And how long do I have to weigh your offer?”

“Since I am set to wed within the month…” She smiled, though it was only the slightest curving of her lips and it did not reach her eyes. “I would have your answer within the week.”


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