by Lisa Hobman
Vina nudged Cassie again. ‘Are you okay?’ she asked with a grin.
‘I’m fine,’ Cassie lied.
‘Honestly, only you could call my hulking great brother Sexeth. Hilarious. I don’t care if it was an accident, that’s definitely one to keep a mental note of for the future,’ Vina teased.
Throughout the evening the conversation flowed effortlessly. Admittedly it was mostly lead by Davina as she revelled in telling her older brother of the antics she and Cassie had got up to during their time at university. He listened intently and laughed every so often. It was sonorous sound that reverberated from somewhere deep inside his broad muscular chest and Cassie found herself staring again.
Eventually Cassie plucked up the courage to speak. ‘So, Vina tells me you’re on the way home from a business trip to Asia. I bet that was exciting.’ She had never travelled to Asia. In fact, the farthest she had been was to Greece for a girls’ holiday during the last summer break from uni; the flight for which had been traumatic to say the least. Poor Vina’s hands probably still held the indentations made by Cassie’s nails. Now the thought of regular international flights both terrified and excited her.
Seth took a gulp of his red wine and smiled, revealing a set of perfect white teeth. ‘It’s exciting for about the first five minutes of the flight and then it gets quite monotonous to be honest. And as for the visit… I didn’t really get to see much apart from the inside of meeting rooms. The flight was better than usual though. I had this little pod in first class all to myself. The flight attendants brought me champagne and I watched the latest Brad Pitt flick on my own personal screen. Very flash.’ He raised his eyebrows and Cassie fought the dreamy sigh threatening to escape her.
The evening passed by in a lust filled haze for Cassie. Seth was attentive and asked her lots of questions about her likes and dislikes. It was quite pleasant to have someone appear so interested even if it was a show for his baby sister.
He seemed to find her addiction to Marvel movies amusing. ‘So you like a buff hero then, eh?’
Her cheeks flared with that familiar heat again and she tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘What girl doesn’t? Although, I don’t exactly expect my hero to be wearing a special suit or carrying an indestructible hammer.’ She smiled.
Seth wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. ‘Phew. I was just going to say a man has a lot to live up to where you’re concerned.’
She shook her head as her heart skipped a little. ‘Oh no. Not really. My dad has just encouraged me to look for the best in a man.’ She inwardly cringed as she realised she was now flirting with the man.
Seth nodded. ‘I see. I see.’ There was a hint of a smirk on his face as he smoothed his tie down with a large, tanned hand.
Vina made a snorting noise. ‘Bloody hell, get a room you two!’
Cassie turned to glare at her best friend but immediately felt guilty. Here she was hogging the brief time Vina had with her older brother. It was just so hard not to. All he was missing was the white charger and a lance.
At the end of the meal Vina excused herself and once she was out of earshot Seth leaned across the table and fixed Cassie with an intense gaze. ‘Cassie, I’d like to see you again. Can I take you out for dinner?’
Her heart flip flopped in her chest as she let the words sink in. ‘You mean…you mean like a date? Just the two of us?’ Well durr, you lemon head.
He grinned. ‘Exactly like a date. Unless you already belong to some other lucky chap?’
Belong? ‘Erm… no, no, no, no, no I’m not seeing anyone.’ Stop rambling you idiot. You sound like that old guy from The Vicar of Dibley who repeats himself, only without the comedy factor.
He nodded and handed her a business card, lightly stroking her fingers as she took it from him. ‘Great. Send me a text to this number and I’ll save yours to my contacts. I’ll give you a call with the details.’
She hurriedly did as requested before Vina returned, worried at how her friend would react if she knew.
‘I look forward to spending a little more time with you, Cassie and then we’ll find out if I match up to those exacting standards,’ Seth informed her in that deep silky voice of his and she swallowed, her mouth suddenly rather dry.
‘Me too,’ she whispered in reply. ‘Erm… looking forward to spending time with you, I mean.’ She cringed, hoping that he didn’t think she meant the standards thing.
He would go on to tell her months later that her bumbling idiocy on their first meeting was endearing and he knew from the moment she called him Sexeth that he wanted her as his own.
Wow. Just wow. A man of taste and sophistication fell for nerdy britches Montgomery. In your faces, bullying high school peers.
In. Your. Bloody Faces.
Chapter Two
From the moment he had declared that he wanted to see her again on that fateful night Seth had embarked upon an old-fashioned mission to woo her. She recognised the traits from the classic romance novels she loved so dearly. There were flowers, walks in the park by the Kelvingrove Gallery, small tokens of his affection such as teddy bears, chocolates and jewellery. Vina joked that she had never seen her brother behave in such a soppy way and Seth continued to insist she was wrong, that he wasn’t an old romantic; even though he clearly was.
Cassie couldn’t believe how lucky she was but Seth insisted he was the lucky one. Any time he travelled abroad for business there would be long conversations on the telephone—some that were decidedly raunchy—and he eventually insisted that she should move in so that she could be there when he arrived home. Apparently, there was nothing he hated more than arriving home to an empty apartment.
From the moment she moved in everything seemed to click into place. Cassie never imagined she would ever be this happy. And never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that someone like her would end up with someone like Seth Guthrie. The reluctant-to-admit-it romantic who adored every single thing about her.
The weekend of their third anniversary of ‘coupledom’ had proved what a romantic Seth truly was. It was strange not to be waking up in their Glasgow apartment but the weekend in Alnwick had been a sweet surprise he had arranged especially for her. The bed was smaller than they were used to. However, a normal sized double bed meant that she was snuggled closer to him, so it wasn’t at all bad. The scent of him infiltrated her nostrils and she sighed with sheer contentment.
Puffin Cottage was so beautiful with its bare stone walls and log burning stove. It was reminiscent of where she grew up, so Cassie felt right at home. Seth said he’d known instantly when he saw the photos on the booking site that she would adore it. He knew her so well.
She lay awake with her head propped on her hand, just watching him. His handsome chiselled features were relaxed in slumber and she found herself wondering what her life would have been like had she not met him. He took charge and she liked that. He was everything she imagined her dad wanted for her. If she hadn’t met him she had no idea where she’d be. Realising she hated that thought she shuddered causing him to stir, so she held her breath unwilling to break the spell of watching her Prince Charming dreaming just yet.
Eventually, his eyelids fluttered open and his mouth stretched into a gorgeous smile. ‘Hey, poppet. How long have you been awake?’
‘Oh not long,’ she lied.
‘Hmm, well are you just going to lay there or are you going to let me make love to you?’
She playfully tapped her chin. ‘Oh… I don’t know. Hang on; give me a minute to think.’
He launched himself at her and she squealed with delight as he scooped her from her own side of the bed and settled between her thighs.
He pouted. ‘You wear too many clothes to bed,’ he informed her as he tugged at her satin nightie until it was completely removed and he cast it aside.
She giggled. ‘But it was really chilly last night.’
He began to feather kisses along her shoulder to just under her ear. ‘That’s what you get with ol
d buildings that haven’t been brought to the present century yet. Drafts, cobwebs and woodlice.’
In spite of herself, she gasped at the sensation of pleasure that spread like heat throughout her body, making every nerve ending spring to life.
‘Hmm,’ she moaned. ‘I love old buildings though,’ she sighed as he took her peaked nipple into his mouth.
With a mouthful of her flesh he mumbled. ‘But you love me more.’
She pulled her lip between her teeth as he stroked his fingertips down the length of her heated body and her eyes drifted closed as he teased her.
She nodded. ‘That’s very true.’
‘And when you marry me you’ll promise to obey me in your vows, won’t you?’
Wait, what? Her eyes sprang open and she gasped. ‘I’m sorry?’
He pulled away and propped himself on his elbows as he sank himself into her yielding body. ‘You heard me.’ He grinned.
‘But… but…’
He chuckled at her response. ‘Cassie, darling, don’t gawp at me like a deranged goldfish. What’s surprised you so much? You know I’m a traditional man and I like the old vows.’
She stared up at him in shock considering this was the first time the M word had been uttered, never mind the word ‘obey’ being uttered in the same sentence. ‘Marriage though?’
He took her mouth in a deep, lingering kiss that not only stole her breath but also the last shred of ability to form cognitive thought.
‘You feel so good,’ he groaned as he moved but she could no longer concentrate.
‘Seth… Seth… stop,’ she gasped through a confused fog of desire and frustration.
‘Don’t want to,’ he mumbled as he nibbled at her neck.
Realising arguing at that precise moment was futile she gave in once again to the pleasure warming her blood until she cried out his name in release and he followed suit.
Once their breathing had calmed and the sated fog had cleared Seth flopped to the bed beside her once more and turned to face her.
She reached up and stroked his unshaven face, loving the way the spiky hairs rasped at her soft skin. ‘You’ve never mentioned marriage before, Seth. You’ve completely thrown me.’
He grinned and raised his eyebrows. ‘I just love the element of surprise, don’t you? And anyway, it’s not like I actually proposed during sex. I have more class than that. I just mentioned it in passing, that’s all.’ He shrugged as if it was no big deal, which irked her.
‘But you could’ve mentioned it when you weren’t sucking on my various erogenous zones. There really is a time and place for such conversations. And that wasn’t it.’
He tapped her nose lightly. ‘Like I said my little love muffin, it wasn’t a proposal.’
He sat upright and stretched his arms above his head and the defined muscles of his back expanded and contracted and Cassie found herself thrown once more.
Realising she had a serious point to make she sat up too and pushed all thoughts of the man of her dreams’ naked body aside. ‘But you want me to obey you?’
He turned to face her. ‘Does that really bother you so much?’
She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she contemplated the outdated words. ‘Honestly? Yes. I don’t know if I’m comfortable with the whole obey concept. This is the 21st century you know.’
Shaking his head, he sighed. ‘My mother said those words and you don’t see her being downtrodden in any way, do you?’
He had a fair point. American born Vanessa Guthrie, nee Claremont was anything but downtrodden. She was her husband’s equal in every conceivable way. In fact, it could be said that her husband worshipped the ground she walked upon, so she was probably a little more than equal.
Seth leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. ‘Just say you’ll think about it. Then when I do ask you to marry me, you’ll know what I expect.’ Before she could protest further he climbed out of the bed and walked towards the bathroom whilst she ogled his taut bottom.
He certainly didn’t look ten years her senior. In fact, he looked better than most men her age. And he was obviously much more mature. He had real, honest to goodness life experience. And there was nothing sexier than a man in a suit. Unless it was her man out of his. And of course there was the smell of his cologne. It could easily turn her into a gelatinous, lustful wreck.
She waited for him to finish his shower and to shave the sexy stubble away and then she followed him in whilst he dressed and went to make coffee. Once she was ready she found him in the quaint lounge—on his phone as always. She stepped close and slipped her hands over his shoulders and down the hard plains of his chest as she inhaled his fresh clean scent. He switched off the screen and slipped the phone into his pocket.
‘Did I interrupt something important?’ she asked as she walked around to the front of the couch where he sat.
‘Oh no, poppet, just business. You know how it is. Always in demand.’ He tugged her hand and pulled her onto the seat beside him. ‘Anyway, I thought we could go and visit the castle today. I know how you love drafty, old buildings so that one should be right up your street,’ he teased. ‘Then tonight we’re booked into that lovely French bistro on the main street in Alnwick. It has really good reviews. Although I doubt it will be quite as good as the places we’re used to in the cities but one can hope.’
She kissed his chin. ‘It all sounds wonderful.’
He stood and tugged her hand. ‘Come on then. Let’s go. Lots to cram in today.’ She walked towards the coat rack and he patted her bottom lightly before grabbing the keys to his sports car from the side table. ‘Ooh, one sec though. I have a gift for you.’
Her heart lurched. Is this it? Is he actually going to propose? It seems odd that he brought it up when he did. There must’ve been a reason. Her pulse raced and she waited for him to return from the kitchen. When he arrived, he held in his arms a large box, wrapped in beautiful paper and tied with a satin ribbon. She sat on the couch once again and he passed it to her. Eagerly, she tore at the fancy gift-wrap and delved into the box like a child on Christmas Morning. She half expected it to be a trick—one of those box-within-a-box scenarios but instead, she pulled out a beautiful, tan leather handbag with the designer label embossed on the front.
She heard his feet shuffle and she glanced up at him. Gift giving was the only time he ever appeared nervous. ‘I saw it and thought, “Ahhh, my little poppet will just adore that,”’ he told her eagerly. ‘You do like it don’t you?’
She nodded. ‘Oh yes, yes it’s lovely. So very me.’ She smiled widely trying to fight the niggling disappointment that it wasn’t actually a ring. It appeared that there was a designer bag for every single occasion. One to cheer her up on the anniversary of her mother’s death, one for the day they moved in together, several for birthdays and Christmases and even one when Cassie had finalised the details of her new freelance business. And here was another to join the ever-growing collection. The problem was, she was one woman with many designer handbags and not enough occasions to justify their use. Okay so there were many business dinners and charity events but still, it was difficult to make use of so many. He’s so thoughtful and I’m such an ungrateful cow, she thought.
She stood and flung her arms around his neck. ‘It’s wonderful. I love it sweetie. It’s so perfect, in fact, that I’m going to swap it with my other right now and take the new one with me today.’
*
The medieval castle at Alnwick was just fabulous; situated on a picturesque mount in the Northumberland countryside by the River Aln the square keep struck an imposing figure. Cassie had seen it on television when it had been used as a film set so to be standing in the stunning, landscaped gardens was a dream come true and she wondered why she hadn’t been before. The sun shone down on the couple as if it knew they were celebrating their three-year anniversary and Cassie wondered if her mum had put a good word in up there for them. They walked the spectacular grounds hand-in-hand, admiring the countryside
views that surrounded them from the rampart walkways. They took in the splendour of the state rooms and Cassie imagined what life must’ve been like as a member of the Percy family all those years ago when the 4th Duke of Northumberland restored the rooms to their current glory. It had clearly been a labour of the love. The ornate carved ceilings and renaissance paintings were such a splendid sight to behold.
Every so often Cassie would glance over at Seth who would quickly squirrel his phone away and feign interest just for her. Modern architecture was more his thing and she accepted that, wholeheartedly, as one of their differences. After all, liking exactly the same things would have meant a lack of conversation and a pretty dull life.
Back in the grounds once again they watched as a group of children underwent ‘broom flight training’ with a Harry Potter lookalike and they laughed along as the youngsters ran around leaping, pretending to fly as observing parents snapped myriad photos, hoping to catch that perfect mid-air shot.
Seth squeezed her hand. ‘So, how many of those do you want?’ he asked as he nodded his head towards the energetic boys and girls.
She frowned at the question. ‘Gosh, I don’t really know. I hadn’t thought that far ahead to be honest. I’m only twenty-six so I have plenty of time to decide.’
He pulled her into his side and kissed her head. ‘You always forget about the age difference between us, don’t you? My silly little poppet.’
He was right in a way. It wasn’t something that she was consciously aware of all of the time—well until he brought it up, which wasn’t that often. Although the condescending tone he had used on that particular occasion did annoy her somewhat. But she reminded herself it was just his way and he was only being sweet, so she didn’t comment on the matter.
She slapped his arm playfully. ‘Oh stop it, will you? You’re thirty-six, not eighty-six.’
He pulled her into an embrace and gazed down at her, his green eyes filled with sincerity. ‘Yes but I want lots of children so I want to be planning these things now, not in ten years’ time when you think you’re ready. You’ll be over the moon once you’ve got a baby inside of you. All this talk of waiting will be long forgotten, you’ll see. And children are very important to my family line.’