“Perhaps I am doing my own meditation.”
“Or you are thinking about Lady Samantha.”
Cassian was not in the mood for Simon’s harassment tonight but then he turned and he noted that his friend was serious.
“Perhaps I am,” Cassian admitted quietly.
“Then why not court her?”
“I have nothing to offer.”
Simon frowned and started to speak. Cassian held up his hand. “Tonight is not the time for this conversation. Perhaps later.” He then turned and walked away and it was likely that nobody else even noticed that he left, nor did he come back.
Heavyhearted, he made his way up the path and to the Sacred Grove, but he stopped when he reached the circle of wildflowers. What if the women were dancing naked? Earlier he had dismissed the possibility but if they were drinking as heavily as the men, almost anything was possible.
“Cassian, why are you here and why do you hesitate?” Basilia, the oldest of the Dryads who lived in the Sacred Grove asked as he approached.
He then explained that he would like to return home and why he hesitated.
Basilia laughed. “I promise that no woman is naked, though they are enjoying the wine with an enthusiasm I had not thought possible.”
Which meant he may be the only person at Nightshade Manor tomorrow morning without a headache or upset stomach.
“I will stay in the shadows and slip past them so that they do not see me,” he promised. “I do not want to dull their celebration.”
“I am certain they will not mind. You are welcome to the Sacred Grove and some men were invited to join in the festivities in ancient times.”
While it might be humorous to see the women drunk, Cassian was not certain it was something he should witness either.
“Come, they will not mind.” Basilia grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. She was also remarkably strong, and kind of frightened him so Cassian followed. It was only when he reached the Temple that they stopped.
“Cassian was on his way home. I insisted that he join us.”
“Yes, he must,” Gretchen cried. “He is my favorite brother.”
But he wasn’t a brother at all. He had simply been raised with them.
“You are more intelligent and kinder than the ones I share blood with and why you will always be my favorite,” she announced and raised her glass before drinking deeply.
While her words warmed his heart, he knew how easy it was to utter words of love and devotion when drunk and she would likely not remember tomorrow. But he would because even when someone was inebriated there was often truth in the statement.
“Yes, well, I do not wish to intrude,” he said as his face began to burn when he noted Samantha sitting at the edge of the Temple, her skirts drawn up to her thighs while her legs dangled in the water.
He needed to go. “Good night.”
Cassian could not get out of there quickly enough. It was bad enough that he longed for Samantha. It was his heart that beckoned, but now a deeper desire was layered in. He should have never seen her legs, nor should he have noticed how her gown was scooped rather low, or the buttons had been loosened.
It wasn’t so very hot out, unless they had been dancing.
Had she been dancing naked and had already dressed and was that why her buttons were undone?
It was an image he tried to push from his mind.
He could not think about Samantha dancing naked or he would never sleep.
“Did Cassian’s face just turn red?” Petra asked with a laugh.
“It is because he saw Samantha’s legs,” Maia teased.
