Page 42 of Her Tempting Traitor
She patted the air in front of her, trying to calm her brother. “It is a fine idea, Hunter.” Any time this past week, it would have been a fine idea. But… “But not tonight.”
He blinked, and suddenly seemed to realize what she was wearing.
All clothing that was easy enough to remove herself.
“Where’s yer maid?” he demanded.
“We are a simple doctor and his sister, remember?” Her lips curled wryly as she reached for a ribbon to tie back her hair. “I do not have a maid, not here.”
“Och, aye,” he muttered, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Sorry. This place is…I dinnae like it. I dinnae like having to hide out with the fooking elephant all the time and pretend I ken what I’m doing.”
Gabby paused, arms lifted, chest squeezing. Hard as it may be for her to feign ignorance, it must be even harder for her twin to feign expertise. “I am sorry, Hunter.” Slowly, she finished tying the bow. Her brother would be so much happier punching a problem than pretending he was a doctor. “I…” Her hands lowered. “You should not have to be in that position, and I am sorry. I will find a way to learn what is wrong with the pregnancy.”And if the baby has turned yet.
Hunter didn’t seem convinced. He was eyeing her mulishly. “But no’ tonight. Where are ye going?”
Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders. “I am going toinvestigate. Neither of us have learned anything of use about our suspect’s last mission, despite being here all these days.”
Despite the relationship she’d built with Cassian’s son, despite the work Hunter had pretended to do for his uncle, despite the time she’d spent with Cassian himself, learning his humor, his dreams, his need to confide insomeoneabout both.
He could be an easy man to love.
Swallowing, Gabby lifted her chin and hoped her brother didn’t question her further when she announced, “Tonight he needs a friend, and I will be that friend.”
She saw the moment Hunter realized she was going to Cassian’s room, because his eyes widened, then he winced, and finally looked away. “Dinnae do…” He cleared his throat. “Dinnae do anything I would do.”
With a wry chuckle, Gabby crossed to the door. “No promises, brother,” she called as she stepped into the corridor. “You can hide in my room if you would like. Wish me luck!”
She closed the door before he could tell her this was a bad idea.
She didn’t needhimto tell her that. She knew she wascourting temptation, and going to an unmarried man’s room in the middle of the night was a bad idea.
Or a fabulous idea, depending what she wanted.
Cassian.
She wantedCassian.
Taking a deep breath, Gabby knocked on his door, pleased she’d thought to learn which room was his.
When it was yanked open—by a shirtless Cassian, holding a half-full glass of whisky—she could see his suite was much nicer than hers. It likely had something to do with him being the heir now and all that, but she couldn’t manage to focus on the argument, what with the wholeshirtless Cassianthing.
His sparkling blue eyes studied her, and she could see he wasn’t totally surprised to see her. Had he guessed she’d been coming tonight? Is that why he was already half naked? Beneath her simple skirt—the one with the mother of pearl side buttons—Gabby’s bare thighs tingled, knowing they’d thought the same thing.
“Hello,” she whispered, voice suddenly unable to do more.
His grip on the door tightened. “What are ye doing here, Gabby?”
Whoops, wrong door!
I am a sleepwalker—did I never mention that?
I need help sneaking out to the elephant barn.
Have you seen Gus?
There were any number of excuses she could use to explain why she was there, at his door, at almost midnight.
And none of them would be the truth.
