“Rather, let us sayIabandonedhim. I ken what I want out of my life, Cash, and I can imagine what it is like to be married to a man who doesnae love me. Did ye love yer wife?”
The question struck him as surely as a blade, and he reared back. “What?”
“It is a simple question. Did ye love Matthew’s mother?”
He blinked and shifted in the bed, resting his forearms across his legs, more for a chance to think than because he was uncomfortable. No, he was already missing her touch.
“I…cared for her. She was a local lady, and I thought we would suit.”
“Did ye?”
It had been almost ten years since Amanda’s death, but he tried to remember their time together. Shrugging, headmitted, “Well enough, I suppose. We were married only a year. As I recall, she seemed much more interested in being a—” He bit down on the wordduchess. “Well, she seemed more interested in making use of my assets than in me.”
“And ye were interested in only herassetsas a wife and mother, eh?” She nudged him. “She gave ye an heir.”
He hated to admit it, but she was right. He and Amanda had had a marriage like many others in Society: she had married him to become a duchess, and he had married her to beget the next Duke of Cashard. There was nothingwrongwith that, but he could suddenly see where it might, perhaps, be lacking.
He had a choice here. He could be affronted, or he could recognize Athena’s point—and therefore her life choices—had merit.
Slowly, he nodded. “We suited, but no, I didn’t love her. I like to think there weremeritsto being my wife, but I can see how you might not think so.”
“Nay!”
Suddenly, she was kneeling in front of him, her palms on his cheeks, holding him steady so she could look into his eyes. God in Heaven, but she was magnificent with those beautiful red curls falling down around her pale breasts.
“Nay, Cash,” she repeated, softer. “Whoever ye are, whatever role ye fulfill or title ye carry, remember this: as a man, ye are worth more.Yeare worth all the merit in the world.” Her serious expression softened as her thumbs gently caressed his cheeks. “If a woman ever found herself lucky enough to be loved by ye, she shouldinsiston marrying ye.”
Slowly, she grinned and lowered her lips to his.
As he wrapped his arms around her and fell back against the pillows, half his mind was on the kiss, and the other on her words.Marry? When she’d just been speaking of informal liaisons? No, she’d only mentioned marriage in conjunction withlove.
All he knew was, he needed this woman in his life. Doxy wasn’t the right word for her; she was a strong-minded woman who knew what she wanted—needed—from life, and wasn’t afraid to let Society’s rules get in her way. But could he convince her to become his mistress? To do this more often?
“Cash,” she murmured, her lips finding the skin of his neck. “I can tell when ye are distracted.”
He was, wasn’t he? Chuckling, he tugged at her until she was mounted atop him, her glorious red hair falling like a curtain around them as she grinned down at him. Her hands were planted on either side of his shoulders, and her plump breasts were close enough to cup. He loved how she was all curves, her body softened by motherhood and enjoyment of life. She was no young debutante—like whichever virgin the blasted Lady Dumpkins was going to toss his way that evening—but a flesh-and-blood woman who wasn’t afraid to take her pleasure.
Just thinking of thatpleasurehad his cock stirring against the cleft of her arse.
His gaze on her breasts, Cash settled his hands on her thighs, his fingers inches from her curls. “I was just thinking of luncheon,” he murmured, lying.
She hummed speculatively, shifting backward so their bodies were more closely aligned. “Ye are hungry, are ye?”
They had all afternoon.
He pulled her toward him. As their lips met, he growled, “For you? Always.”
CHAPTER 6
Athena was humming as she sorted through her gowns.Humming!
Well, who could blame me?
This afternoon had been…magnificent. Utterly breathtaking. It was not the first time she’d indulged herself with a man, but ithadbeen the first time the man had proven to be such a caring and attentive lover. She should have known that Cash would approach love-making with the same serious focus and determination he approached everything else.
After her fourth climax, she’d thought she might melt into his arms…after the fifth, she most certainly had.
Three months ago, she would have said that a man wasn’t necessary for pleasure; she had her collection of reading materials and an assortment of smooth, cylindrical objects. What more did a lady need?
