“Hm?”
“Remember after the hunt, when you said that I could have anything for saving Cassandra’s life?”
“Yes,” Cooper said warily, eyes narrowing. “That was your cue to ask for her hand.”
“Since we’re past that, I have another request.” Seth darted his eyes to the house. Confident that Cassandra’s attention was elsewhere, he continued, “Instead of her dowry, I would like something else.”
Cooper finished his brandy in one swig.
“I’m listening.”
After finishing with Cooper, Seth found Cassandra on Adrian’s arm in the ballroom. Adrian’s typical stoicism remained, but a polite affection had formed between the two after weeks of Saturday breakfasts. Even so, he was all too eager to end his watch, swiftly depositing Cassandra into Seth’s arms before fading into the shadows.
“You threw me to the wolves. ” Cassandra pinched the space above her nose and Seth wanted to kiss her there andeverywhereelse. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he brushed his thumb againsther spine. A gasp escaped her lightly parted lips and he couldn’t wait any longer.
“I’m here to rescue you.” Tucking her close, he trailed his finger up her neck and whispered in her ear, “I’m taking you home.”
Once the carriage door closed behind them, Seth brought Cassandra onto his lap and sealed his mouth to hers. Tongue diving in, he groaned when she pulled him closer. She tasted of champagne and sugar and she was his.Finallyhis. And he would have her a dozen different ways before the night was through. Every bump rocked her against his hardening shaft. He teased her over her dress, grazing over her breasts, her hips, the soft skin of her thighs as the hem of her dress rose up andup,and he tugged it down, not trusting his restraint with her bare thighs around him.
When the carriage stopped in front of their townhouse, he was hard as stone. His hand shook as he unlocked the door. Hands on her waist, he lifted her over the threshold and pressed her to the other side of the door as it closed, kissing her senseless. Giggles and laughter turned into moans and grunts of need as he carried her past partially decorated rooms. Locked together and stumbling, they left a trail of shoes, slippers and hair pins down the hall as he fought the urge to take her against a wall, or on thefloor.
Instead, he tugged her into their bedchamber.
Black silk and mahogany decorated the room, dark with drawn drapes. Separating from him, Cassandra moved to light the oil lamps, each tiny flame flickering fire-light across the expanse of her milk-pale skin. Coming behind her, he brushed her hair over one shoulder and placed his open mouth over the slender curve of her throat.
“Let me undress you.” With great care, he unwrapped her sash, unhooked her dress and the corset underneath, savoring her deep inhale as his fingertips whispered down her back. Moon-silver and unmarred, he revealed her to him inch by inch as each garment slid offof her and onto the floor. He guided her to the bed and lifted her to the edge. Standing between her legs, he laid her down. His gaze raked over her, delighting in seeing her lithe limbs and lush curves for the first time inlight.
“I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you.” He kissed his way down her body, worshiping her with fingertips and tongue. Lower, he parted the curls between her legs, licked and suckled her, heating her skin with breath and pressure. Wet and ready for him, his fingers slid into hereffortlessly.
How he loved to watch her move, chest flushed and rising, back arching as he reached up to circle a hardened bud of her breast with his fingertip, matching what he did to her with his tongue, stroking inside of her,just so. All too soon, her lips parted and she breathed his name, trembling under him with the force of her orgasm. Using his thumb, he eased her through aftershocks.
Recovered, Cassandra reached for him.
“My turn.” She tugged him down to her, using his shirt as leverage. With a laugh, he let her flip them and pin him under her hips. As she tried to undress him, he dug his fingers into the soft curve of her waist, grinding her over his clothed erection with glorious pressure.
“I need to be inside of you.” He groaned. “Like this… with you on top of me… please, love, don’t torture me.”
“Slow, Seth.” She pressed her lips to his. Forcing patience, he waited while she tugged his shirt from his trousers. Unhooking buttons, she worked her wayup.Cool air hit his stomach, and he halted her movement. He lifted her hands to take her ring finger into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the gold band. She gasped as he nibbled on the pad of her fingertip.
“I’m trying to undress you, and you’re trying to distract me.” She breathed a giggle as he kissed her.
“You’re doing it wrong.” He took one of her wrists and guided herhand to his shaft. “Starthere.”
Undeterred, she sat back and worked on the buttons at his collar.
“Cassandra,” he warned, rising to his elbows. “Leave my shirt on, or close the canopy.”
“I’ve seen your scars, Seth.”
“Not like this,” he argued.
She kissed him and pushed him to lie back down.
“Don’t hide from me,” she whispered. Button by button, she exposed years of weakness and failure etched into his flesh. Shirt open, he cringed and shied away.
“I’m monstrous, Cassandra. You don’t have to force yourself.”
She paused and placed a hand over his heart. Her amber eyes met his tenderly. “Is that what you’re afraid of? That I’ll see you and find you unworthy? That I’ll have toforcemyself to make love to you?” She eased his shirt from his shoulders and arms. “Isee you, my love.” She placed a kiss over his heart. “My husband isstrong. A survivor. Ahero.How dare you call yourself monstrous?”
