Page 76 of Her Tempting Traitor
“Iama brilliant woman.”
“Mybrilliant woman,” he growled, and Gabby…
Gabby was grateful he turned to the door and rapped a complex rhythm twice—once six feet up and once downby his knees—because she couldn’t respond. Couldn’t make her throat doanything.
Because in that moment, she realized the truth: she loved Cassian Grey and wanted him. Wanted to behiswoman. Wanted to help him raise Gus, to empower the lad to do something he loved, wanted to consider more children with him, wanted to grow old here at Inverlochy with him.
But until Bull answered her telegram, there was no hope of that.
Besides, she had an elephant to think of.
The barn door opened with the faintest squeak, and Cassian slipped through. “Augustus?”
“That was brilliant, Da!” came the lad’s hushed whisper. “You were right on time.”
Swallowing her recent revelation and trying to calm her trembling heart, Gabby followed, allowing the lantern to fall over the reunion.
“Did anyone see ye, lad?” Cassian was patting his son all over, looking for injuries. “Ye were safe?”
“Safe as houses,” the lad announced proudly. “Are houses safe? Anyhow, the delivery went exactly as Gabby said it would.”
“You still have cabbage in yer hair,” his father grumbled, pulling out an offending leaf. “Hiding in a wheelbarrow of cabbages to sneak into the barn—what kind of fool idea?—”
“It worked, did it not?” Gabby halted him in a low voice before Gus could announce it had beenheridea…from past experience. She smiled at the lad. “They snuck you in, just asyou expected, and you waited until you heard your father’s signal?—”
“And then I unlocked the door.” Gus moved back to push the door closed. “Just in case he comes back.” Before Cassian could do more than grunt in approval, his son gestured toward the back of the barn. “Come on. Elizabeth is lying near the birthing trench the doctor ordered to be dug.”
Oh, that was a good sign, wasn’t it?
Taking a deep breath, Gabby straightened her shoulders and followed after the two male humans she realized she wanted to share her life with. She was finally—finally—going to be allowed to examine the pregnant elephant, without all the silly restrictions her lies had placed on her.
It was time to do the second most important job which had brought her to Inverlochy Castle.
CHAPTER 14
The light from the lantern was just enough to examine the elephant. The poor creature lay on her side, her breathing labored, and Cassian watched as Gabby clucked and murmured in sympathy, her hands skimming over the beast’s sides and forehead, checking God-knows what. Gus was at her side each step of the way, watching what she did, and Cassian had to admit he was impressed by how well the lad seemed to be absorbing the murmured answers to his soft questions.
It was a quiet climax to an infiltration.
Cassian was used to the stress of a mission. He knew the way his heartbeat changed, the way his skin tingled when he and his team moved in on a mark. And he knew how to hide those things so the mark wouldn’t see them.
So why was tonight so different?
Why did he feel calm and at ease, with his son and his—hisGabbywith him, here in the warm darkness, doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing?
Because, ye dobber, ye’re experiencing post-coital clarity and calm.
Och, aye.
Therewasthat.
Did his superiors at Her Majesty’s Secret Service know about this? Did they know ejaculating prior to a mission brought their agents this peace? Should this be part of their new training manual?
Are ye going to offer to write it for them?
Nay. Besides, it wasn’t the fact he’d come all over the wall. It was the fact he’d done so withGabby. The woman he loved. The woman he wanted a future with.
God willing.
