Scandals of Lustful Ladies: A Historical Regency Romance Collection

by Meghan Sloan

  Gabriel drew it out, not letting her rest enough before he started to build her up again. He was breathing heavily, and Cassandra could see the outline of his erection in the semi-light. Dear God, he was more than aroused for her. Her core clenched around his fingers, and Gabriel groaned.

  “Cassie, I’m not going to last long myself if you keep doing that.”

  “Then don’t wait.” Cassandra managed to gesture at the bedside table where the candle was. “There’s something in that package for you.”

  Gabriel frowned, but he slipped his fingers from her body, making Cassandra whimper, and reached for the already open package. Cassandra watched as he unfolded it and stared at its contents. Two French letters.

  “I…” He stared at her. “You were expecting this to happen, weren’t you?”

  “I wasn’t sure what to expect.” Cassandra managed to sit up. “Emily gave them to me.”

  “Remind me to thank her when I see her.” Gabriel took one of the French letters and put the other aside. Then he started to open it up. “Lie back, love. I’ll be right with you.”

  Love. Cassandra bit her lip as she lay back down, unable to take her eyes away as Gabriel rolled the French letter over his erection. Her mouth went dry as he slid his hand over himself. God, was she really going to do this?

  Oh, yes. Absolutely.

  Gabriel shifted onto his knees on the bed and urged Cassandra around. He tugged Cassandra towards him, wrapping her legs around his waist as he lifted her hips off the bed. Cassandra’s heart was racing as he brushed against her folds. She was so wet that when he pressed forward, he slid in without any resistance. He was far bigger than his fingers, and Cassandra could feel it all the way up to her head. Surely, he wouldn’t be able to fit inside her?

  Gabriel was panting, holding himself up with one hand, the other clutching onto his hip as he slowly eased back.

  “Cassie…”

  Then he thrust in hard, and Cassandra felt something inside her give way. She gasped and clutched at the bed. There was a momentary twinge of pain and then Gabriel held himself still, trembling over her. Cassandra bit her lip and whimpered as the pain began to subside, turning into such a beautiful sensation that rippled up and down her body.

  “Cassie?” Gabriel sounded worried. “Are you all right?”

  “Perfectly.” Cassandra adjusted her legs around his waist. “I know I’m not that well-versed in lovemaking, but aren’t you supposed to move?”

  “Give me a moment. I want to savor this.”

  Gabriel’s chest heaved, his erection twitching inside her. Cassandra gasped as he shifted a little, hitting something inside her that sent waves through her middle. Whatever that was, she wanted more. A lot more. She clutched at the bed and arched her hips up.

  “Gabriel…”

  Gabriel groaned. Then he leaned over her, still on his knees with his hands planted on the bed. And he took her. His thrusts were slow and powerful, almost sending Cassandra shifting up the bed. Each thrust felt like it was about to catapult her out of her body, and Cassandra didn’t want it to stop. It felt so good.

  Especially when Gabriel began to pick up the pace. He was now pounding her body, his hips slapping against hers with each thrust, every grunt. Cassandra clutched at his shoulders and tried to bring him down, but he held himself off, only shifting the angle of his thrusts ever so slightly. That just made the ache even more intense, and Cassandra found herself clawing as Gabriel’s shoulders. She knew she was getting louder, but at this point she didn’t really care. She wanted more.

  A lot more.

  “Come for me, Cassie.” Still pounding his hips, Gabriel reached between them. “I want to see your pleasure again.”

  His touch was enough for Cassandra to break apart. She was aware of saying his name as she screamed, her legs tightening around his waist as he took her. The bed was knocking against the wall and she was sure people had heard her, but Cassandra didn’t care anymore. She just wanted this to keep happening to her.

  Gabriel growled, his thrusts becoming more erratic. He pressed both hands into the bed and jerked, his whole body seeming to spasm. Then he let out a snarl and thrust his hips so hard against her that Cassandra almost shot up the bed. He felt him twitch, and then his whole body shuddered. Then he slumped over her, burying his face in her shoulder as he covered her body with his. He was heavy, but Cassandra didn’t care. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing kisses to his shoulder and neck.

  If that was what lovemaking was like, she was certainly up for more. Once Gabriel got his breath back. Just a taste of him, and he was like an addiction. Cassandra hadn’t thought that was possible. Not until now.

  Gabriel shifted his head against her neck, brushing a kiss on her jaw.

  “I love you.”

  Chapter 19

  Gabriel knew he was pushing his luck by confessing those words he always found hard to say. It had been a long time since he had been able to say them properly to someone with any feeling. Certainly not towards any women. He felt Cassandra stiffen in his arms, but then she immediately relaxed. She tugged his head up, giving him such a sweet kiss that Gabriel felt his body stirring again.

  “I love you, too.”

  She loved him. Gabriel felt his chest swell. God, she loved him. It was more than he could have hoped for. He kissed her.

  “If there’s a chance this can work between us, and from what just happened I believe it can, I want it to work.”

  “Even if we spend most of the time arguing?”

  “We can get past that.” Gabriel shifted up onto his elbows and stroked her hair. “I’ve never felt like this with another woman, trust me. I’ve never said those three words to anyone outside of my family.”

  “I know.” Cassandra cupped his jaw, “Neither have I.”

  That meant more to Gabriel than he’d expected. He sighed and rolled onto his side, taking Cassandra with him without falling off the bed. He gathered Cassandra into his arms.

  “If we are to go forward with this, you are going to come under scrutiny. I’m the disowned son of a viscount. I’m not exactly the best catch.”

  “I don’t care.” Cassandra lifted her chin, “I know what I want, and I want you.”

  “And I want you, more than you can imagine.” Gabriel trailed a finger down her cheek. “And not just for your body. I want this sharp mind of yours in my life. You are certainly a match for me.”

  Cassandra rolled her eyes.

  “Careful. You’re becoming soppy now.”

  “I am, aren’t I?” Gabriel grimaced. “Forgive me. So many emotions are going through me right now.”

  It wasn’t exactly something he was used to, confessing his love for a woman. Especially a special woman like Cassandra Seton. Who had been so responsive in his arms, and who had shown that she was even more beautiful than he imagined.

  “I’m sure we can figure this out,” Cassandra kissed him. “It’s nobody’s business but our own. We’re more than capable of sorting this out ourselves.”

  “Think you can manage being with me?”

  “I don’t care about money, or the lack of.” The look in her eyes said she meant it. “I care about you.”

  Gabriel couldn’t believe his luck. But he was also aware of the voice in the back of his mind telling him that he was taking himself down a path he wouldn’t be able to get off. Sooner or later, Cassandra was going to find out the truth, and then she would rethink her decision. He had just made a mess of it all.

  But he didn’t want to think about that right now. He wanted to taste more of her body. Then Gabriel remembered the other item in the package.

  “Emily gave you two French letters, didn’t she? She was expecting us to be doing something other than talking.”

  “I guess.” Cassandra shifted against him, tugging his head down. “She said she could give us an hour before she came for us. I’d say we’ve got plenty of time to use the other one.”

  Just hearing her talk like t
hat had Gabriel’s erection flaring back to life. He liked the sound of that. Especially when he was sure that this might be the last time he got to have Cassandra to himself. He wanted that for himself, just for a little while longer.

  Before he mustered up the courage to tell her the truth.

  #

  Both of them were dressed and coming out of the room when Emily came looking for them. She had taken one look at both of them and smirked, her expression knowing. Gabriel wasn’t in the mood to quip back at her about what had or hadn’t happened. The chances were that Cassandra would be telling her at some point.

  He headed back home, giving Cassandra one last kiss before he left. He made it count, almost to the point that Gabriel wanted to drag her back. But he couldn’t. Tomorrow would be different.

  He couldn’t go on like this and lie to Cassandra about how they had ended up in this position. She deserved to know the truth. And Gabriel knew he couldn’t go through with the plan to distract her away from Seton Hall.

  The plan had gone wrong. Cassandra wasn’t the one distracted. He was.

  Gabriel headed home in a low mood. He couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, Gabriel saw Cassandra, naked in his bed. Their second time had been more frantic, like they couldn’t get enough of each other. Gabriel had wanted to get what he could out of this, and leave Cassandra with a final memory of them together.

  Promising her a future when he had lied to her had been stupid. Gabriel knew he was going to pay for it, and he wasn’t looking forward to it.

  When daylight finally arrived, Gabriel rose with a heavy heart. He would give it a couple of days so he could get his speech in order. Get it ready so he could tell her the truth while softening the blow. How could you soften the blow that you were using someone to get one over the business they were a part of? That wasn’t exactly something that could be tiptoed around.

  Gabriel made his way through the morning like he was in a thick fog. He dressed himself, barely ate his breakfast, and then slumped out in the garden, staring at the mess of brambles and thorns he and Allen hadn’t been brave enough to tackle. Maybe he should do something to take his mind off what he had to do.

  It would serve him right if the brambles tore his hands up.

  “Mr. Tattershall?”

  Gabriel barely glanced up at his valet.

  “What is it, Allen? I’m busy.”

  “I can see that,” came the snide reply. “I thought you should know that Mr. Montgomery is here. He says you’re expecting him.”

  Montgomery? Oh. Norman. He was bringing the papers over so there could be an official signature. Then Gabriel would be in charge of Montgomery’s gambling hall, paying whatever he could to Norman as payment. What he had been hoping for since he first heard about Norman selling up.

  Only now, it didn’t seem to fill him with as much excitement as it had before.

  “Mr. Tattershall?”

  “Oh, show him out here.” Gabriel didn’t look around. “I’ll see him here.”

  “Very good, sir.”

  Allen disappeared, and then Norman was stepping out into the garden. His friend looked like he had slept well, freshly shaven and with his eyes bright as he practically pranced across the grass towards Gabriel.

  “Morning. I’ve got the papers all sorted out for you.” He brandished a slim folder held together with string. “Everything is as we agreed and looked over by my solicitor. You just need to sign on the dotted line and then I can leave and go back to what I call home.”

  Sign. Home. All that they had agreed on at the start. Gabriel had been determined to get what he could out of this. But now the thought of being a business owner didn’t fill him with joy and anticipation as it had before. Not when he knew it meant hurting someone he loved in the process.

  It didn’t feel like much when Gabriel was certain Cassandra was going to turn her back on him once she knew what her true role in his life was.

  “Gabriel?”

  Gabriel jumped as his shoulder was jostled. Norman was standing over him with a confused look on his face.

  “What’s the matter with you? You look like you’re away in your own world.”

  “I…”

  Gabriel knew he should be happy. This was a new step forward he was taking, and this was what he wanted. But now it was paling in comparison to what he really wanted. He wanted something a bit more substantial in his life.

  He wanted Cassandra. And once she found out he’d lied to her, he wouldn’t have her at all.

  “Gabe?”

  Gabriel buried his head in his hands.

  “My plan failed, Norman. It didn’t work.”

  “Your plan didn’t work?” Norman snorted. “You’re only just finding that out now?”

  “I’m not jesting, Norman.”

  “Neither am I.” Norman sighed and sat in the other chair, which creaked and wobbled under his eight. “I told you that it wouldn’t work because you can’t put one over on Cassie Seton. She’s far too clever. And trying to take out the competition so you can have increased profits to pay me back quicker? How was that going to work without you closing down their business?”

  Gabriel glared at him.

  “If you knew it wouldn’t work, why didn’t you tell me it wouldn’t at the beginning?”

  “I more than likely did, but you’re far too pig-headed. Although I was curious to see how you would go about it.” Norman sat back, looking slightly bemused, “It was...creative, let’s put it that way. There was always the worry that both Cassie and Percy would figure out what happened, but I’m guessing you were hoping by that time they would be married. You were arrogant enough to think that would really work.” He shook his head with a snort. “Distract a woman with a man. Not only did you insult Cassie’s intelligence, but you insulted your abilities to work the strings.”

  Gabriel wished he had been told this in the beginning. Because someone had got distracted throughout all this. And it wasn’t Cassandra.

  “I love her, Norman.” He looked up, “It wasn’t my intention, but it happened.”

  Norman stared. Then he threw back his head and laughed. Gabriel scowled.

  “This is not amusing, Norman!”

  “I think it is. You fell in love with the woman you were planning to pair off with your brother. It would be typical of you to have that happen.”

  “You make it sound like I enjoy this,” Gabriel swallowed. “Cassie broke their courtship yesterday. She told me.”

  “And does she know you’re in love with her?”

  “I told her. The feeling’s mutual.” She loved him. And that didn’t make Gabriel feel any better. “I feel like such a fraud.”

  “Well, you are. You’re the one who tried to play her.”

  “That’s not helping, Norman.”

  “It wasn’t meant to be,” Norman shrugged. His fingers were absently tapping the papers on the table. “I’m giving it to you straight as a friend and someone who did warn you at the beginning that this was asking for trouble. Now you’ve got yourself stuck and you can’t see a way out.”