Cash was in the process of rolling down his trouser legs when he glanced at Athena, fully expecting her to be the one to point out the fact they weren’t wearing bathing costumes.
Instead though, she shrugged mischievously and offered them all a cheeky wink. “Perhaps. Go play while I hang up yer shirts.”
It was strangely peaceful to stand there on the riverbank, his toes in the grass and the sun on his back. He was watching their sons play with half his attention, but the rest was on the gentle sway of Athena’s hips as she arranged the lads’ clothing over one of the branches, far away from the dirt.
He took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and then let it out. When had he last felt this way? Never, not that he could recall. There’d never been another woman who haunted his thoughts the way Athena did. When he wasn’t with her, all he could think about was seeing her next, and when hewaswith her, he felt so at peace, it was almost scary.
His secretary was beginning to notice and comment on his more frequent absences. Cash had excuses for the man, but it was becoming obvious his daily attempts to sneak away to be with Athena, Callan and Matthew were becoming problematic.
What hewantedwas the chance to be with them all the time, which meant what heneededwas for them to be under his roof. He was ready to return to Cashard…and bring Athena and Callan with him.
He’d been thinking about that, in fact. If Athena and Callan would consent to visit Cashard as guests, perhaps once this idyllic summer began to wane, then he could have them on hand all the time.
He knew it wasn’t done for a gentleman to keep his mistress in residence with him, not when his staff wouldknow and judge. But on the other hand, what was the bloody point of being a duke without having the clout to flout rules a bit, eh?
If he wanted his doxy to live with him, to take her meals with him so he didn’t have to take time away from business in the middle of the day in order to make himself happy, who in damnationcared? Especially since he wasn’t married anyway.
Easy, Cash. You’re getting ahead of yourself.
He hadn’t even asked Athena to become his mistress. Hell, he hadn’t even bedded the woman yet.
But he hadplans.
In fact, remembering that saucy wink she’d sent at the suggestion of swimming, he decided now would be an ideal time to put said plans into motion.
He sauntered toward her and happened to catch her just as she turned around. Her hands dropped to the waist of the simple dark skirt she wore. She gasped as she realized how close he was standing to her, but she didn’t back away.
For his part, he resisted the urge to take her in his arms. “Well, Miss Oliphant? Are you willing to try your hand at swimming, fully clothed?”
They’d both gone into the river in the last weeks, but only when wearing one of those new-fangled swimming outfits, as they’d both been wearing the first time he’d met her.
Instead of balking, Athena’s smirk turned naughty. Ofcourseit did; she wouldn’t be his Athena if she didn’t rise to meet a challenge.
“Well,Mr. Cash?” she teased, putting just enough inflection on the name to remind him they hadn’t been entirely truthful with one another. “Who says we have to be fully clothed?”
And just that quickly, her skirt dropped to her ankles.
He stepped back, shocked, and she chuckled. “Ye ought to see yer face.”
“You really— You really intend to swim?”
She was still chuckling as she went to work on her blouse’s buttons. “I’m wearing a chemise, am I no’? I will be nae more scandalous than our lads are.”
She nodded to where the two boys were cavorting; the water having stuck their light linen smalls to their pale round arses.
Cash swallowed, unable to stop imagining what she would look like with her wet chemise plastered to her curves and swells.
Bloody hell,he didnotneed a cockstand at that moment.
Looks like you’re going to get one though.
She was already efficiently hanging her clothing from the same limb of the oak, and when she bent to roll down her stockings, Cash swore under his breath at the sight of her rear end framed by the soft material. He began to fumble with the buttons on his trousers.
Ifshewas going into the river mostly naked, then by God, so was he!
She turned back to him and smiled in approval, which of course shot straight to his cock. He was enough of agentleman to turn around as he undressed, but she still hummed softly as she gathered up his discarded clothes for him.
“Are ye coming swimming too, Cash?”
