Cassian (The Immortal Highland Centurions #2) - Jayne Castel Page 0,37

she didn’t care.

His wicked mouth pushed all coherent thought from her mind.

Gripping her thigh, Cassian lifted her up and pulled her against his groin. Despite the layers of clothing that separated them, Aila felt him—hard and thick—pressed against her.

Excitement twisted her gut. Aila understood then the smoldering looks that she’d seen Heather and Maximus give each other. She’d had no idea that wanting a man could feel like this; she wasn’t herself, but a feverish, aching mess that longed to be possessed. He could take her here, up against the door, and she wouldn’t care.

The faint rumble of a man’s laughter, coming from within one of the chambers farther down the hall, intruded upon their world.

Cassian stilled, his body going rigid. And then, he tore his mouth from Aila’s, lowered her to the floor, and stepped back.

For a few moments, they merely stared at each other. Cassian’s chest rose and fell as if he’d been running, and Aila’s own breathing came in short, urgent pants.

Her lips parted as she prepared herself to invite him into her chamber. Reaching out, her fingers clasped around the iron handle.

In just a few steps, they would have all the privacy they needed. They could rip away the clothing that separated them, and she could give herself to him entirely.

Her lustiness shocked her, yet she was too far gone to care. She was tired of being timid and prudent. Tonight she wanted to be wild.

But the look upon Cassian’s face made the suggestion choke in her throat.

The feral lust had faded, and as she stared up at him, Aila literally saw a shield rise. The need she’d witnessed disappeared, and his handsome features set into a severe expression.

Cassian’s hazel eyes veiled, and he took another step back, raking a hand through his short hair. “I’m sorry, Aila,” he said roughly. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“Don’t apologize,” she gasped out the words, fighting the urge to reach for him. “I wanted it … I—”

“Goodnight.” He turned, cutting her off, and moved away. He was in such haste to leave that he stumbled, yet that didn’t stop him.

Aila watched Cassian go, her heart hammering against her ribs. She remained there, frozen to the spot, while he hauled open the door to his chamber and disappeared inside.

XVI

GUIDANCE

CASSIAN LEANED BACK against the closed door and cursed.

Mithras strike his head off, what had possessed him to do that?

Did he have no self-control whatsoever? All it had taken was Aila to place her hand upon his chest, and the iron will he’d prided himself on over the years had literally shattered. If that noise hadn’t intruded—that man’s laugh—he’d have plowed her, right there in the hallway.

The throb in his groin was almost unbearable. Reaching down, Cassian pressed the knuckle of his thumb hard against it, willing his aching erection to subside. He couldn’t believe he’d grabbed her like that and then lifted her up so he could press her against his rod.

His mouth twisted. The last thing we need around here is another ‘hammer’.

Aila’s gasps and moans had turned him into a beast. The soft sweetness of her mouth, the feel of her tongue tangling with his, and the pliant feel of her body against him had turned him witless. He’d been undone.

Groaning another curse, Cassian leaned his head back against the door and tried to calm his ragged breathing.

He wasn’t sure what had come over him, yet he didn’t like it. Aila De Keith was a virgin, and he’d been on the cusp of ruining her.

This wasn’t who he was. He didn’t molest women in hallways, especially those who were infatuated with him. The confusion and hurt in Aila’s eyes when he’d apologized to her had cut him.

And with a sinking feeling, he realized that, somehow, the woman had gotten under his skin. It wasn’t just lust he felt for her, but something stronger—something that disturbed him greatly.

Serves me right, he thought bitterly. When Maximus had confided in him that he was in love with Heather, Cassian had been harsh, derisive. He’d lectured his friend on the folly of falling for a woman when they hadn’t yet broken the curse. For all these years after Lilla’s death, he’d been so successful at walling off his heart, he hadn’t thought himself capable of feeling anything ever again.

But Aila De Keith, with her shy smile and soft gaze, had managed to get past his defenses.

Cassian’s jaw clenched. His rod throbbed in time with his heartbeat now. Slowly, he started to