Cassian (The Immortal Highland Centurions #2) - Jayne Castel Page 0,47
many lusty nights had followed. Usually, after the first few encounters, David tired of plowing the same woman—but not Jean.
Such a lovely field to plow.
Padding to the door, she cast a sultry look over her shoulder.
De Keith’s rod hardened in response, and the urge to order her back to bed rose within him. However, the night had stretched out and dawn wasn’t far off now. She needed to return to her room before Elizabeth called for her.
Lying back upon the bed, amongst the rumpled sheets that smelled of their coupling, David listened to the door thud shut behind Jean, leaving him alone inside his bed-chamber.
And as soon as she departed, his thoughts shifted from his lover, to what she’d just revealed.
There’s a secret exit here.
It seemed that Gavina’s maid had been exploring Stirling Castle, and had learned of a hidden door in the Nether Bailey—one that Edward apparently didn’t know about. Excited about her find, the maid had shared the news with Jean earlier in the day.
Staring up at the rafters, David contemplated his situation—and as he did so, his pulse quickened.
This news gave him an idea.
XX
SECRETS
AILA ROSE FROM the bed and padded barefoot across to the shuttered window. Opening it just a crack, she saw that outdoors the eastern sky was starting to lighten.
She needed to get back to her room.
Turning, Aila’s gaze settled upon the man still asleep upon the bed.
Cassian lay on his back, one arm covering his face. His chest gently rose and fell; he was in a deep sleep, and she didn’t want to disturb him.
Even so, Aila lingered there a moment, her gaze devouring the sculpted splendor of his naked body.
Last night was better than any of her fevered fantasies.
She’d had no idea that coupling could be like that—even though Heather had hinted a few times that with the right man the experience could be unforgettable. At the time, she’d thought her sister was showing off, that her passion for Maximus had turned her a bit goose-witted.
But now she realized what Heather had meant.
Cassian had consumed her.
After the first time he took her, they’d lain together gasping. But she’d barely recovered when he rolled her over, pulled her up onto all fours, and took her again. The new position had been as exciting as the first one, and he’d ridden her just as hard.
Aila’s legs still felt weak, and the sting between her thighs reminded her they’d coupled a number of times throughout the night. The last time, she’d sat astride him.
Aila’s breathing caught at the memory of how powerful she’d felt, riding him, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her hips as he urged her on.
Bending down, Aila retrieved her woolen robe and wrapped it around her. She also picked up her torn shift; she’d have to see if she could sew it back together. Her fingers tightened around the soft material, as she remembered how he’d ripped it off her and the savage lust in his eyes when he’d picked her up and carried her over to the bed.
Her knees wobbled. She wanted to relive it all again.
But instead, instinct drove her toward the door. Lady Gavina was an early riser and would call for her shortly.
Casting one last, longing look at Cassian, Aila fought the urge to move over to the bed and kiss him. However, he was sleeping so deeply, it would be a shame to wake him.
Letting herself out of Cassian’s bed-chamber, Aila gently pulled the door shut behind her. She was about to veer right and head back to her own chamber, when she realized someone else had just stepped through another doorway farther to her right.
Jean stood there, clad only in a sheer, ankle-length lèine, her red hair tumbling messily around her shoulders.
Aila’s breathing caught when she realized the maid was standing before the laird’s door.
She’s De Keith’s lover.
The laugh that had interrupted Aila and Cassian’s kiss the other evening. It had been David De Keith.
Aila stared at Jean, watching as the lass’s face paled and understanding dawned in her eyes.
She knew where Aila had spent the night too.
The moment drew out, both women frozen like deer in a hunter’s sight. In other circumstances, Aila might have found such a tableau ridiculous. But not this morning.
She couldn’t believe that Jean was so foolish as to be led into the laird’s bed, or that she’d been so careless herself, not to check the hallway was empty before stepping out into it.