Page 44 of Her Tempting Traitor
He made a noise that might’ve been a grunt, and she expected that to be the end of the conversation. To her surprise, after another little moan of pleasure, Cassian took a deep breath.
“When I came to in that hospital, and they told me what had happened—that the doctors had taken my foot…” His arm flopped to his side, but when she risked a peek, he was still staring up at the ceiling. “I thought I might as well die. No’ being able to walk, or ride, chase after my boy, no’ being able towork…”
He trailed off, and she began to manipulate his knee, bending and stretching the leg, feeling the tightness pull against her. “Then what happened?” she prompted in a whisper, her gaze on him.
A muscle jumped in Cassian’s jaw, and she thought he wasn’t going to answer. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, exactly, but it held promise. Anticipation.
Then he lifted his head to meet her gaze. “The surgeon’s name was Augustus O’Shea. A local lad. He was introducedasDoctor O’Sheaand then one day he told me his first name. Gus. And I realized I couldnae die.”
“Because you had your own Gus waiting for you.”
With a shrug, he dropped his head back again. Perhaps it was easier not to meet her eyes when Cassian continued. “The lad was never far from my heart, of course. He was the reason I risked my life over and over, so he’d grow up in a better world. A world I could help make. But he didnae ken me.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I didnae kenhim. I was always away, always on a mission. To him, I was just this stranger who occasionally kissed his mother and brought him gifts.”
Gabby’s heart ached for his pain, but at the same time, she could see what was happening; by opening himself up to her like this, she was even more certain that he was a good man.
But was she just trying to convince herself, so she could justify giving herself to him?
She prompted, “So Gus was the impetus you needed. You came home and taught yourself to walk again?”
Cassian snorted, his version of a laugh. “No’ so easy as all that. And Inverlochy wasnae myhome…no’ then.”
Her fingers dug into his muscles, trying not to notice the wiry hair, the way the simple touch awakened her body. “It is now.”
As she watched, a slow smile spread across his lips. “Aye,” he whispered, wonder tinging the words. “Itismy home. I dinnae have to keep searching for a place for me and Gus, no’ when the lad doesnae want to leave. I can stay here with him, and have a place to belong.”
“And he will have the time to get to know you,” she pointed out softly. “The time you both need.”
When Cassian lifted his head this time, she saw the joy in his blue eyes. “I ken building back my relationship with my son willnae happen overnight, but I finally feel as if I have the chance. I would’ve never said getting my foot blown off was a blessing, but…”
He trailed off with a shrug, even as her thumbs dug into the tight muscles of his leg.
Cassian was being open and honest with her.Hopefully.
Was this the opportunity she needed?
Dropping her gaze to his scars, Gabby took a deep breath and prepared to ask the questions that truly needed answering.
To be honest, only the semi-painful manipulations Gabby was subjecting his leg to were keeping Cassian’s cockstand under control. He was grateful for them, aye, because he could already tell his knee was in better shape…but he also wanted to bend down and scoop her into his arms and kiss her senseless.
Again.
Just the memory of the way she felt, pressed against him…it was enough to make him groan.
Or perhaps that was her fingers.
In the last few hours, Cassian felt as if he’d gone from toofew possibilities…to too many. He had a future, a home, a chance with his son. And he had Gabby.
In his room. Sprawled against him. Her hands on his skin, her mouth mere feet from his…well,him.
She’d wanted him in the barn, back before he had a future. Offered herself to him, no expectations, no promises for the future—she was just interested in some fun, and he was more than happy to oblige. Hehadto assume that’s why she came to his room tonight… To seduce him?
Well, consider myself seduced.
He let out another groan as her talented thumbs pressed against the back of his knee, bending the whole thing into a stretch he felt up to his hip.Oh, God…
“Cassian, what is it like being undercover?”
The question was so unexpected, he lifted his head to frown at her. “Undercover?”
