Per their agreement, Athena had purchased the manuscript—just thinking ofA Harlot’s Guide to the Forbidden and Delightful Artsmade her core throb, and wonder if Cash had ever seen a copy—and Bonnie planned to use the sum to begin her own publishing house. It was impossible not to be excited for Bonnie.
Aye, there were a few ladies at the Dumpkins house party whom Athena didn’t mind spending time with. Truth be told, Athena usually spent a good portion of her occasional visits avoiding the society matrons the Countess had invited to Dumpkins Manor, each determined to whisper malicious rumors about theScottish slutand her bastard son. Athena had also made certain to return to Newfincy each evening, so she missed Lady Dumpkins’s attempts to arrange for her to dance with the stiff and boring duke everyone was all atwitter about.
Each of her friends had been forced to dance with the cold and imperious man, and each had said it had been a horrible experience. There were times when it was handy to use one’s ruined reputation to avoid social gatherings, and Athena had never appreciated that fact as much as she did now.
Despite Willow and Hazel and Bonnie’s pleasant company, Athena still preferred the days she wasn’t obligated to visit Dumpkins at all. Because on those days, weather permitting, Athena and her son still packed up their picnic supplies and walked to the river, sometimes wearing bathing costumes, sometimes not. And sometimes they’dhave an hour together before Cash and Matthew arrived, or sometimes the other pair didn’t come at all.
She realized her heart was pounding with anticipation each day, full of hope she might see him, and she had to chuckle over her disappointment if he didn’t arrive.
If hedidn’t, then the following day, he’d appear with flowers or a treat and a heartfelt apology for having to attend to business instead of pleasure.
The subtle reminder of his importance was just that—subtle—and Athena found it easy to ignore. She assumed he was some visiting lord from the Lowlands, happy for a distraction from his usual schedule, and she was happy to be said distraction. Particularly because he was so delightfully distractingher.
She hadn’t felt this attraction, this interest, in another man since…well, since the lesson she’d learned five years ago.
Oh, there’d been a few men here and there over the years whom she’d found attractive. But Callan’s father had taught her all sorts of things at a young enough age when she could still confuse lust with love.
There was no confusion now. She lusted after Cash, and no mistake. The man was temptation itself on two very finely built legs, with some other intriguing body parts tacked on as well.
She’d felt most of them in the times they kissed.
And they’d kissed plenty.
Although, the more time she spent with him, the more she realized she enjoyed spending time with him formorethan just his body and his glorious lips—hisdelicious, enticinglips. She liked hearing his opinion on things, and she liked the way he thought through each conundrum carefully before expressing said opinions.
There were a few times when Callan and Matthew were getting into trouble, and she deliberately didn’t chastise them too quickly, just to see what Cash would do. And each time, she agreed with his decision.
She agreed with many things he did. He was obviously well-read and quite intelligent, although a stranger might not realize it, because he often had to be coaxed into discussions. One afternoon, the two of them and Matthew had a lively debate on the theme of Odysseus’s travels, which resulted in much laughter, while Callan stomped about, pretending to be a cyclops.
By unspoken agreement, they didn’t discuss their lives outside of their spot under the oak tree by the river. He never asked how her days went after they parted, and she never asked what kind of business dealings had him frowning so heavily when he first arrived.
Instead, she would rest his head on her lap and rub his temples, smiling at the contented sounds he’d make as their sons swam and played together.
It was as though, there, it didn’t matter who they were, or what others thought of them. There, she was just Athena, and he was just Cash, and they were parents to two wonderful lads who loved being in one another’s company.
There, she didn’t have to worry about her reputation or what others might think of her. In fact, because he didn’t know who she was, she was free to be herself, and that included her flirtations with a handsome man.
Perhaps she should’ve learned her lesson with Callan’s father and hidden that part of her for the rest of her life. After all, her youthful indiscretion had led to years of being shunned by the very people she sneered at. But it had also brought her Callan, and honestly, it wasn’t as if she felt she was missing all that much to learn Society thought poorly of her.
Idiots, all of them.
Well, except her new friends. Her new friends, who were delighted for her company one Wednesday afternoon as they prepared for the Countess’s weekly Shakespearian exhibition. It was Athena’s first time attending, butTwelfth Nightwas one of her favorite plays.
“We are glad to have you with us,” Bonnie told her, with a shy smile as she settled before Willow to have her makeup applied. “Even if it is only for a short while.”
“Aye, well…” Athena glanced toward the nearby window, where the rain was still pelting the panes. “I had nothing better to do.”
Both Bonnie and Willow had hummed, as if in understanding. Let them think she merely missed Callan, who was home with his nurse this afternoon. There was no way she was going to share anything about the special moments she’d shared with Cash.
Perhaps it was Cash’s secrecy, or perhaps it was the unspoken promise they seemed to have made to one another, but whatever it was, it seemed almost a betrayal to describe him or their time together. But Athena couldn’t hide her good mood.
Of course, with it raining today—and yesterday, for that matter—it was almost impossible to be in a good mood. She hadn’t seen Cash or Matthew in four days, and shemissedthem.
Last night, she’d tossed and turned in frustration, wondering what he was doing, as the rain beat down upon Newfincy Castle. First she was too hot, then too cold, and the blankets tangled about her legs. She wondered if he had the same trouble, and if he slept in the same ridiculous nightclothes she did.
In frustration, she sat up and tore her chemise off, relieved at the way the air caressed her body. Her hands had dropped to her breasts, imagining they werehishands on her skin, then lower. Her fingers had brought her relief, as they had many times before, but this time she had moanedhisname.
“You are doing it again,” hissed Hazel as she hurried by with her arms full of costumes. “Staring at the window and smiling.”
