Chapter 21
Gabe flipped over another card and groaned. He scarcely noticed what cards were what anymore. He was certain that Mary had fallen asleep already, yet still thoughts of her persisted. After witnessing her seductive performance, he could not get her out of his mind. He had told himself that he would wait until after their assignment had been completed before he took Mary to his bed, but something inside was urging him to join her in the bed now.
He glanced again toward the bed. She lay sprawled across the mattress, her hair splayed out in every direction. Affection warmed his heart as memories of her running free across fields of bluebells, her hair flying in the wind behind her, crossed his mind’s eye.
He shook himself.Enough of this. Mary had made it quite clear that their past friendship was now dissolved, and any affection that she once held for him had long since withered away. She wasnota friend. She was not a lover…though he would soon change that.
Gabe rose and strode to the washbasin. He splashed in some chilled water from the puce porcelain pitcher, then began to disrobe.
He soaped the washcloth and scrubbed it vigorously over his bared skin. If one was to make love to a handsome woman, one must be clean. As he had no access to a bath for the moment, he would make do.
They would find the documents tonight in the strong box, have Mary create forgeries and carefully replace them, pack their meagre belongings, make their excuses, and spirit themselves away to the nearest inn so he may spend the entirety of the night—should the lady be amenable—making love to Mary in every way that his depraved mind had imagined over the past countless hours.
Quickly scrubbing his face, neck, and chest, he then moved to his arms and torso, working down his legs to his feet, dipping the cloth into the water and soaping it every few scrubs.
His stomach buzzed with anticipation, both for the near completion of their assignment, and for what he hoped to do with Mary.
Once his body had been thoroughly washed, he bent forward, dunking his head into the soapy washbasin. He blindly grabbed the soap and scrubbed it into his hair, ensuring that every strand had been washed, then rinsed.
He cast a sidelong glance at Mary’s slumbering form, and despite the chilled air spreading gooseflesh across his skin, Gabe’s body responded to the thought of being with her. His lips stretched in a mirthless smile as he continued his ablutions.
It took mere moments to dry himself before he removed the washbasin from its resting spot and tossed its contents out the opened window.
Just as he found his long blue velvet robe and slipped his arms into the sleeves, a knock sounded at the door. Alarm rippled through him.
His gaze flew to the clock on the fireplace mantle as he tied the knot at his waist. It was well past one of the clock; evidently this was not a social visit.
Alertness heightening his senses, Gabe cast one more glance at Mary’s sleeping form before he strode to the door. He stood with his shoulder to the wall, blocking the view of Mary from the door, before he opened it just enough to see who stood on the other side.
Anger and irritation burned quickly in a fiery twister in his gut when he saw who had come calling. “Reddington, Boxton,” he hissed, his jaw clenched. “What can I do for you?”
“Spencer, ol’ chap!” Boxton leaned on the door’s frame. “Come to see if dear Mary has had her fill of you.”
Gabe’s jaw clenched ever tighter, the grinding of his teeth echoing in his ears.
Reddington licked his lips eagerly. “Thought p’raps we could have aprivateperformance.”
Gabe desperately wanted to knock their heads together, breaking both of their curst, handsome faces.
Instead, Gabe winked and grinned, running his fingers through his wet hair to slick it back, and allowing his robe to gape open slightly, deliberately revealing a patch of curling chest hair. “I’m afraid I’ve worn her out, gentlemen.”
As much as he hated to do it, Gabe opened the door wider, giving the two scoundrels a view of Mary on the bed. As awareness of Gabe’s implication dawned, neither man looked happy. In fact, both wore menacing expressions of hostile predators. Dark, hungry, and desperate.
Self-preservation and protectiveness bloomed in Gabriel’s chest. “Perhaps tomorrow evening she will not be so fatigued,” Gabe said. He knew that he and Mary would not be in residence tomorrow evening and he would rather these men be pacified now with hopes for the morrow than both furious and ravenous enough to intrude upon their solitude and Mary’s rest this evening.
Wolfish smiles lit the cads’ faces as they gazed past him at Mary. Gabe hated the invasion of her privacy, and quickly narrowed the opening of the door so the men were forced to look at Gabe.
“Do you give your word that we can have a go at her on the morrow?” Reddington licked his lower lip.
Gabe expanded his lungs in a deep breath, then slowly released it. “Yes.”
“Say it,” Boxton spat.
Gabe turned his sardonic gaze on the reprobate, abusive rake and lied through his teeth. “I give my word.”
* * *
A great shiver ran through Mary as something brushed her cheek. She felt herself frown, her bottom lip curling out in the likeness of a child’s pout. She did not wish to wake.
