Chapter 5
“You’re going, my dear, and that’s final!”
Da gave her a firm nod as he stood from the breakfast table, looking every inch the stern laird and not at all the complete pushover Athena knew him to be.
She sighed. “Da, ye ken I have nae need to dance with this duke—”
“It’s no’ about the duke, Athena—”
“It is most certainly about the duke—”
“It’s about no’ disrespecting Melanie—I mean, Lady Dumpkins,” her father finished in a growl.
This time, Athena hid her sigh. “It really is this important to ye, Da? That I attend tonight’s entertainment?”
Her father’s expression softened, likely because he knew he’d won. “It is, lassie. The Countess requested yer presence specifically.”
Well, shite, as her oldest brother Lyon might say.
Her father knew as well as anyone that Athena preferred to avoid Society functions, what with the whispers and pointed looks.
But during the recent rainy-day play-acting, Lady Dumpkins had very pointedly invited Athena to the dancing tonight.
It wasn’t the sort of “invitation” she could weasel out of easily.
She had seriously considered faking a bout of the plague—it had worked to get out of that geography test when she’d been in school—or something equally dire, but had eventually dismissed it.
According to her new friends at Dumpkins, the Countess had made it clear each and every one of her “ladies” was expected to entertain the blasted duke by dancing with him, and Athena had put it off as long as she possibly could.
All she had to do was attend the one event, dance the one dance with him, and make her escape before the tongues began to wag.
The Countess had it in her head that the duke, the coup of her party, needed a wife, and she was just the woman to supply one. From what Athena had heard from her friends, the man was cold, aloof, cold, and far too haughty. Oh, and cold.
He sounds delightful.
But that was tonight, and Athena didn’t want to dwell on the evening’s entertainment, not when the afternoon’s entertainment was bound to be far more interesting.
Interesting? Try invigorating, arousing, titillating, fulfilling—
She could likely continue, but her mind would eventually become taxed trying to come up with the more polite ways of saying, “I’ll be making love to the most arousing man I’ve ever met,” so she ought to just leave it at that.
Since her father was still watching her with that worried Please dinnae do anything stupid expression, she sighed a third time and forced a smile. “Aye, Da, I will be there. I dinnae want to stay long—”
“Ye can leave whenever ye feel necessary, lassie. Just stay long enough to make Melanie happy.”
It would make the Countess happy if she danced with the starchy duke, so Athena would manage that. She nodded. “Agreed. But I have an engagement in town this afternoon. Would ye please check in on Callan while I am gone?”
To her surprise, her father scowled. “He’ll no’ be there. The lad hasnae been in the nursery at all when I’ve popped in to visit him.” He waved dismissively as he moved toward the door. “I’ll stop in, but if he’s no’ there, ye ken that scamp’s up to something.”
Was he? Athena’s brows rose. She knew her son was mischievous, but what could he possibly be up to here at Newfincy, where the whole clan kept an eye on him?
Well, she had a few hours to investigate.
Fortunately, Callan was an absolute angel that morning, as she sat with him as he worked on his letters and arithmetic.
Like her, he far preferred stories—having them read to him, at least—than maths, but she was determined he’d grow up to be an accomplished young man.
After all, he was the grandson of a great laird, the nephew of a viscount and earl’s heir.
Just because he was a bastard didn’t mean he wouldn’t do great things.
It was why she so strongly believed in preserving Oliphant history for Callan’s generation. Of course, the Oliphant Collection’s most recent addition was entirely too wicked for the lad to see until he was much older, but he enjoyed listening to her read from the official clan histories.
The hours passed amicably, and her son didn’t seem too disappointed when she told him they would have to forego their trip to the river. “That’s alright, Mama,” he told her with that toothy grin. “I’ll play with Matthew in our fort.”
Annie wasn’t in the room at the time, so Athena made a mental note to ask the nurse what in the world the boy meant.
Of course, that mental note was completely forgotten when it came time to head to town. She’d spent more time than usual preparing her hair just so—with a hat and veil which would obscure her from most prying eyes—and she wore a gown she knew was flattering…and easy to remove.
Her heart was pounding in anticipation when they reached the inn.
Her driver handed her down from the vehicle, and as she turned to enter the front door of The Sword and Sheath, there stood Cash. If she wasn’t mistaken, his eyes were twinkling with excitement.
“You’re early,” he stated blandly, extending a hand as propriety demanded, his expression carefully blank.
Pretending to be a proper lady, she rested her hand atop his, feeling his warmth even through their proper gloves. “So are ye,” she pointed out, deciding being proper could go hang. “I suppose each of us are…hungry.”
His lips twitched as he escorted her inside. “Yes, indeed. I find myself quite… dot-dot-dot-hungry. I’ve been dot-dot-dot-hungry since I met you, Athena.”
Athena. Not Miss Oliphant. Not ma’am. Not even milady. She was able to be herself around this man, and she loved that.
But not him. She couldn’t love him, because of who she was.
Still, with a grin, she winked up at him, even knowing he likely couldn’t see it under the veil she was wearing. “Then shall we find someplace private we could possibly dot-dot-dot-eat?”
He was already leading her toward the steps. “I agree entirely, my dear. I’ve had the liberty of ordering our luncheon delivered to my private room. I hope you don’t mind?”
It was indeed a liberty, and if Athena were here for anything other than a thorough ravishing, she’d be shocked, positively shocked, to her core.
But instead, her grin turned impish. “I thought ye would never ask. Lead the way, Cash.”
So he did. She’d expected a private sitting room with a dining table, but instead, he led her to a bedchamber, likely the best in the inn. She stood in the doorway and lifted her veil to look around.
There was a dining table in front of the window, with a light repast already set up on it, but it was eclipsed by the large four-poster bed, with a number of fringed pillows, which took up most of the room.
Athena went breathless as soon as her eyes landed on it.
Behind her, she heard the door close, then the lock engage, but she didn’t turn. She didn’t turn when she felt, more than heard, him step up behind her, and she didn’t turn when his breath tickled the sensitive skin under her ear.
“Athena,” he whispered, “I’ve been waiting to have you for weeks. Are you certain?”
She closed her eyes on a quiet moan. “Cash, please—”
She couldn’t manage anything else because her throat had suddenly gone dry.
Then he was in front of her, reaching for her hands. He took his time removing her gloves, pulling each fingertip gently to release them, and she shivered at the exquisite torture.
Intent on his task, he spoke without looking up. “I had planned to feed you first, Athena. Oysters and asparagus and chocolate, and all the other foods a menu might employ to help a man intent on seduction.”
The first glove slipped from her hand, and he tossed it aside as he moved to the other.
“That sounds delicious,” she managed.
“I’m sure it will be. But I’ve discovered I’m too impatient. Please, Athena…” The second glove joined the first, and he twined his fingers through hers and finally met her eyes. “Let me make love to you. Here. Now.”
She grinned. “And save luncheon for later?”
“We’ll need to recuperate our energy, I’m sure.”
Pulling her hands from his, she reached for her buttons, pleased she’d worn a simple gown. “I find your proposition acceptable.”
His grin flashed, and he shrugged out of his jacket.
Their clothing flew in various directions, along with barks of laughter as they realized how ridiculous they were being. But if anything, that only served to fuel their desire. After all, forget oysters…knowing he wanted her as much as she wanted him was a much more powerful aphrodisiac.
They fell into bed together, already tangled in one another’s limbs, and Athena realized she was nearly frantic. Over the last weeks, she’d seen and felt his body—not necessarily naked, although yesterday’s adventure in the river, wearing only their underclothing, had been close enough.
There would be time later to explore his body, to marvel at the smooth muscles and taut skin and that glorious vee which led downward from his abdomen, but for now, there was only one thing she wanted to explore.
When her hand closed around his stiff shaft, Cash sucked in a breath, then exhaled on a groan.
“Lord in Heaven, Athena,” he murmured as he dropped his head back against the pillows. “You’re going to kill me.”
“No’ yet,” she whispered, lowering her head so she could brush a kiss against his chest, then lower across his navel.
His hand, holding her hair, curled into a fist.
“Not yet,” he repeated, his voice hoarse. “I’m close enough already.” As he spoke, his free hand reached between her legs. “And so are you.”
It was crude. It was rushed. It wasn’t the seduction Callan’s father had taught her to expect, but the hurried desperation of two people who’d been teased to the brink of bursting.
Gasping, Athena shifted her hips forward, thrusting her wet core against his fingers, even as he used his hold on her to bring her breast closer to his mouth.
What was that about being close enough already?