“There are countless reasons why not.” It baffled him to be the one talkingherout of an amorous rendezvous. He spoke the reasons aloud, if only so he could hear them and convincehimselfwhy-not.
“We will definitely be caught. They’ll be calling you my Moonlight Mistress in the papers tomorrow. Almost everyone we know is here—most of ourfamily,including Lord Bolderwood, Adrian, and whatever security he has around.” He half shuddered. “Those slippers arenotmeant to be worn out of doors and neither is your dress. Which—need I remind you—youstipulated would remain on untilafterthe ball.”
Stepping closer to him, she danced on her toes to ghost her lips over his ear, her words barely audible over the music. “Don’t you want to give me a baby?”
He tripped over his next step.
Visions danced in his mind, and in a flash, he saw their future. Cassandra rocking a baby with her curls and her eyes. Reading to their child over candlelight. Running through endless fields. Teaching them how to ride, to hunt, to grow, and how tolove.
“I want that more thananything.”
It took a tremendous amount of effort to guide her into the last steps of the waltz and not throw her over his shoulder and spirit her away to their carriage. He would prefer to be home, but if his wife wanted moonlight…
“There’s a bench out back past the garden, in the middle of the hedge maze.”
Once the music stopped, Seth guided Cassandra through an ocean of couples preparing for the next dance. Past fluttering fans and footmen alike, Seth led his wife to the edges of the ballroom and toward the back terrace. Desire coursed through him with an exhilarating rush of primal satisfaction.
Cassandra wasready.
“Pardon me, Mr. Reeves,” a voice called softly.
Seth stopped and turned to a tall footman dressed in all black, holding a silver tray with a white card on it.
He lifted the card and groaned.
Asummons.
“Lord Bolderwood wishes to speak with me in the library,” Seth grumbled. “Of all the times.”
On the other side of the ballroom, a similar exchange occurred with Cooper. Their eyes met and Cooper nudged his head in a way that seemed to say, ‘I’ll meet you there,’and left the ballroom.
“Lead the way,” Seth said to the footman.
Before he followed, he turned back to Cassandra, who sighed in resignation. There were few things more unpleasant thandisappointment on his wife’s face. With a wicked thought, he knewjusthow to fix it.
“Cassandra?”
She lifted her eyes to his, and before he could think better of it, he took her face in both hands and planted a kiss on her lips, separating from her mouth with an audiblepop.
“I love you, Cassandra Reeves.”
Her amber-brown eyes were wider than he had ever seen them, her face flushed as scarlet as her dress. With the flash of indignation in her eyes, he was going to be in trouble when he got home.
Worth it.
He winked. “Give them something to talk about.”
Before she finished flailing for a response, Seth pivoted and strode from her, following the footman past high class aristocrats, absently noting each of their mixed expressions of disgust and sophisticated outrage. He side stepped to avoid a gentleman who moved into his path. Under slate grey hair and sickly skin, Sir Reginald sneered at him. His curled lip and eyes narrowed, looking at Seth with the same malice that he had before.
Seth left the ballroom, slowed a step and frowned.
Before…when?
Chapter Thirty-Five
Cassandra made eye contact with as few people as possible on her way to Jasmine. She hid her face behind her fan and her body behind her friend, shielding herself from the hostile glares and murmurs following her.
“Harlot,” Jasmine teased.
