He took a deep breath. “Your news changes nothing. You will be staying here tonight and every night we remain in London.”
“I do not like flaunting our association any more than you do, but I will not be left behind. This is my problem, not yours. I cannot allow you to do all the work for me.”
“Once Reddington’s death is known you will need to think about your reputation for the sake of your child or need to find a respectable position to support yourself. Either way, you cannot afford to earn the scorn of respectable society.”
“We have discussed this already. I’m only asking to follow along as your escort, not to couple with you in the middle of the Season’s first ball. If taking a lover brought such scorn on a married woman, there would be few women left in ton circles. One is far more likely to see men out with their mistresses and wives with their lovers than anyone accompanying his or her own spouse.”
Ignoring her words completely, he said, “I refuse to be responsible for ruining your reputation.”
“I would hardly think it's intact now. Going about town with her lover is nothing less than people would expect from the woman who married Reddington. Besides, if we go to respectable parties, we will be discreet. I only—”
Mark interrupted her. “Hold it right there. What do you mean if we go to respectable parties? Please don’t tell me you’ve gotten it in your head that I am going to take you to the entertainments Reddington frequented.”
“That is precisely what I expect. How else am I going to help with the investigation? If the party is like those given by Reddington, the guests will be masked so my reputation is hardly in danger.
Langley’s invitation had indeed specified that he and his escort wear half masks and use pseudonyms. Still, taking Cassandra there was not an option. “Such entertainments are unsuitable for a lady.”
“You didn’t mind taking Katherine.”
Shock had Mark reeling. “What?”
“I saw you when I spied on Reddington. You were there with Katherine. If you escorted her then you can damn well escort me.”
Mark stepped back feeling as if he’d been slapped.
Cassandra’s eyes widened. Her hand came to her mouth. “I’m sorry. I should never have mentioned her.”
The thought of Cassandra seeing him at such a place, behaving as he had with Katherine made him feel sick. The knot in his stomach tightened and his head throbbed.
For a few seconds, he stood frozen, unable to speak. Then suddenly the anger and horror burst inside him. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “What the hell were you doing risking yourself like that?”
“I followed him to London. I had to know if I had truly married a monster.”
He stared into her eyes, knowing she told the truth but unable to let go of his fear and anger.
She struggled to free herself of his hands. “Please, you’re hurting me.”
He looked down and saw rather than felt his fingers digging into her shoulders hard enough to bruise. Stunned, he released her and walked to the far side of the room. “Forgive me. I do not like to think of the time I spent with Katherine.” He ran his hand through his hair, tugging on it and making the ends stand up. “Why did you come to me for help after seeing me in such a place?”
“You weren’t participating in any of the particularly lurid or violent activities. Then I saw you again at Katherine’s engagement ball, and I understood. I’m sorry she hurt you.”
This is not happening. But the sick feeling in his stomach assured him he was. “I am sorry you had to witness such a low point in my life.”
“If you ever want to talk to me about it, I would be glad to listen. I know what it’s like to be hurt.”
He studied her intently. A few moments ago, she had been spitting fire at him. Now concern was clear on her face.
The knot inside him loosened a bit. “You are a most perplexing woman.”
“My sister, Amanda, says I’m an acquired taste. I’m sure you will get used to me in time.”
He crossed the room to stand in front of her and traced the line of her jaw, lifting her chin to look in her eyes. “Any man who doesn’t want you is a fool.”
Her eyes narrowed. “If you don’t wish to take me for granted, then stop holding me back. Let me help you.”
“Do you truly understand what will happen if you appear in public as my lover? Masks are no guarantee of anonymity. Someone is bound to recognize you. Then the ugly rumors will begin.”
“I know, but it’s not as if I am worried about losing friends. I’ve never received invitations to respectable parties or vouchers for Almack’s. I would be a fool to even make an inquiry. Marrying Reddington ruined my chances for social success.”
Her words reached into Mark’s chest and squeezed his heart. He longed to erase her pain. How could her father have given her to Reddington? How could any man do that to his daughter?
He knew he was going to give in. She was right. As Reddington’s wife she was already ruined in the eyes of society, simply by association. She was willing to risk herself, and he would not let her out of his sight.
He reached out and caressed her cheek. “I will be back in a few hours. We will dine together. Then we will go to a party hosted by Viscount Langley. Did you pack the dress you wore the first night you stayed with me, the lavender silk?”
“Yes.” Triumph lit her face. “I remembered how much you liked it.”
He would give her the option of coming with him, but if she were to be convincing, she would have to dress like the other women. “Wear it tonight with nothing but your thinnest chemise.”
“No stays?”
“Nothing. The chemise is merely a concession.”
“But the dress is too thin. Everyone will be able to see—”
He smiled. “Yes, they will. If you would rather stay at home...”
“I will be ready when you return.” With that, she turned and left the room.
Mark stood there, mesmerized by the sway of her hips.
Thinking of her in that beguiling dress, with nothing underneath, made his cock swell. He doubted she would couple with him at the party with other guests in earshot, but he wasn't sure he could wait until they returned home.
***
Cassandra was sitting at her vanity when a rap at the front door drew her attention. She assumed it was Mark and decided he could wait while she gathered her wits.
She looked at her reflection again. You can do this. She had gone to such a party before when curiosity and anger had gotten the better of her, but now the stakes were higher. Mark will be with you. For all that he drove her crazy and tested her very sanity, he made her feel safe.
Studying herself in the mirror, she frowned at the ensemble Mark had instructed her to wear. Thankfully, it was cold, and she could wear a thick cloak going to and from the carriage. But once she was in Lord Langley’s house, all the guests would see her as she was now. Her gauzy chemise hid nothing. Embarrassment made her cheeks heat, but she knew Mark would refuse to take her with him if she was not dressed as he’d ordered.
She suspected the outfit had been a gamble. He’d hoped she would refuse to wear it, but she had no intention of letting him win. Still, her appearance was beyond a scandal. If she stared at her reflection long enough, she could make out the pink tips of her nipples through the two layers of fabric. And with the light behind her, the lines of her legs showed plainly.
She looked like a courtesan, and while a part of her thrilled at the idea of Mark seeing her like this, she didn’t want her husband’s friends evaluating her like one of their playthings. Despite her protests to the contrary, she was afraid of being unable to confront the world her husband had moved in. What if one of her husband’s friends thought he had the right to touch her? Mark would kill him. She did not doubt it. But where would they be then?
“I hope you plan to wear a pelisse to dinner. If not, we will never make it to the party.”
She looked up and saw Ma
rk reflected in the glass. “What are you doing in here?”
“Your maid took you quite seriously when you told her I was to be admitted at any time. She made no protest to my coming to retrieve you.” He opened the door of Cassandra’s wardrobe and removed a thick pelisse. “This will do,” he murmured more to himself than to her. Then he walked toward her and held it out.
She refused to take it. “You are the one who requested this outfit. I have no intention of further altering my appearance to please you.”
“Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He moved to stand behind her and leaned down. His warm breath caressed the back of her neck. “Look at us,” he said, his voice low.
She could not refuse him. Glancing up, she saw herself in the mirror. Her wild eyes and flushed cheeks betrayed her high arousal, and Mark looked ready to give her what she needed. The golden highlights in his hair flashed in the candlelight, and his green eyes glowed. He was a lion, and she his prey.
Her body tingled with the now familiar gathering of warmth that always preceded the wild desire he could stir in her any time, any place, no matter how annoyed she was. Her gaze met his in the mirror, and the power reflected there made her shiver. He pulled her to her feet and kicked her stool out of the way. When he drew her against him, his shaft felt like an iron bar at her back. Her gaze fell to his hands as they slid up her body, over her ribs, to her breasts.
When his thumbs brushed her nipples, they hardened. The peaks stabbed against the fabric, and Mark rolled them between his fingers, making her shudder. She tried to break free of his hold, but he would not let her.
“Watch.” His words were more of a caress than speech.
One hand released her breast and began to gather her dress and chemise until he had access to the bare skin above her stockings. His fingers stroked her inner thigh.
“All the men at Langley’s will want you. They will want to touch you, to possess you.” As he spoke, his hand moved closer to the place where a fire burned hotter every second. “They will want to watch you in the heat of passion. You would mesmerize them the way you become so free in that moment.”
Panic rose in her. “Mark, I can’t—”
“Shhh.” He stroked her hair, pulling her head back onto his shoulder. “No one but me will ever touch you.”
The significance of his words hit her, penetrating the sensual haze surrounding her. Ever? Of course she had told him she intended to stay in the country after their association ended, but could he possibly think she would never take another lover? Or did he mean… No, that was not a possibility to be considered.
***
“Lean forward.” He pulled her hips back, forcing her to brace herself against the vanity. He pushed her skirts higher, exposing her buttocks to his caresses.
Her sex throbbed, and she couldn’t stop herself from arching her back, tilting her hips to give him greater access. She looked over her shoulder and saw that he was opening his breeches. “Mark, what—”
“Shhh!”
Before she could respond, he slid one of his hands between her legs, feeling the damp heat that proved she wanted this as much as he did. And he wanted it so much he could hardly force himself to slow down and test her readiness.
The sight of her standing there, admiring herself in that lethal dress had done him in. He’d come upstairs to admonish her for not being ready. Then he had seen her in the soft candlelight, the curve of her buttocks and the lines of her thighs visible through the thin fabric, the hint of dark pink nipples taunting him through her bodice.
He watched her in the mirror as he sank his cock into her. She leaned further forward so she could take him deeper. He watched her bite her lower lip.
“Don’t hold it in.” He began to increase his rhythm. “I want you to scream for me.”
And she did. Her cries, moans, and words of encouragement filled his head as he moved harder and faster with every stroke. At the end, when he could no longer hold back, he used his fingers to tease her swollen bud until she clenched him tightly in her release, arching her back deeply and pushing hard against him. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
When he had recovered enough to move after spending, Cassandra had her head down on top of her folded arms. He reached out and stroked the curls which had worked loose from her top knot.
“Mmmm,” she said as his hands stroked her back. “That was amazing.”
He smiled. “Yes, it was.” Every time he exploded inside her, it was better than the last. He would never get enough. Never.
Suddenly panicked, he needed to halt the rush of feelings their coupling sent spiraling through him. He buttoned his breeches and checked his appearance in the mirror. “We should eat before our dinner gets cold.” He stopped to survey her. “I hope I haven’t wrinkled your dress beyond repair. See if you can arrange it and meet me downstairs.”
She looked dazed as she stood in front of the mirror, straightening her dress with shaky hands.
“Cassandra, did you hear me?”
“What? Oh, yes. I’ll be down in a few minutes. The wrinkles should fall out while we eat.”
He started to leave. Then he thought of what he’d said about the other men at the party. Hot rage swirled in his head. “Put on some stays and a different chemise before you come down.”
“What?”
“I’ve changed my mind. I’m not letting other men see you like that.”
“The hell you’re not. This is how the other women will be dressed.”
“Damn it, Cassandra.”
“No.”
He’d been a fool to challenge her with the outfit, but he accepted his defeat and closed the door quietly.
***
Cassandra took several deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves and still the fluttering in her stomach. Mark sat across from her in the carriage. A deep line creased his forehead, and he kept shifting position. He looked ready to pounce at any second, like a caged lion ready to devour the first thing in sight.
The carriage turned onto a street bordering the edge of an elegant neighborhood. One block down, the houses showed signs of wear. The tenants were not people a lady would wish to confront at night. It was the perfect location for an event like Langley’s, safe enough to appease the guests, but far from busy thoroughfares used by the ton.
Mark exited first and held out his hand to Cassandra. “Your mask,” he said as she started to exit without it.
“Thank you.” Mark had brought her a lavender half mask decorated with feathers and sequins. He had a matching one in black.
He pulled her into his arms when her feet touched the ground. “This is your last chance to turn back.”
Her heart slammed against her ribcage, and perspiration dampened her palms. She was tempted to flee, but instead she pulled her cloak tightly around her. “Let’s go in.”
A liveried servant showed them inside and told them their host would be with them shortly. Cassandra looked around and noted the understated surroundings, which were nothing like she expected. The foyer’s unpapered beige walls were decorated with a few simple prints. A small table holding a sculpture of two people entwined in a lover’s embrace and a bench were the only furnishings.
A maid came to collect their outer garments and Langley appeared as Mark removed Cassandra’s cloak. Their host had not yet donned a mask, and he paused mid-greeting, letting his gaze rake over Cassandra’s body. He paused far too long for comfort on her nipples, which were puckered from the cold.
“I must say you’ve brought a most intriguing companion,” he said to Mark, never taking his gaze from Cassandra.
“Thank you. I do believe she will be most entertaining.” Mark’s words were spoken in a pleasant tone, but tension radiated from him.
Langley took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Find me later.” He spoke almost too softly for her to hear.
It was all she could do not to jerk her hand back, but Mark stepped forward, taking her arm and pulling he
r toward him. “I would hate for any misunderstandings to arise. I am not inclined to share this evening.”
Langley looked Cassandra over once again. “I can only hope the evening’s entertainment encourages you to change your mind.”
“It won’t.” Mark’s voice was so cold Cassandra would not have been surprised to see frost exit his mouth.
Langley smiled. “Refreshments are available in the salon.” He gestured to the door that stood open across the foyer.
As they entered the salon, which was as plainly decorated as the foyer, a tall woman with artfully-styled blond hair drew Cassandra’s attention. The woman stood directly in front of Cassandra, but her back was turned. The white toga-like dress she wore dipped so low Cassandra could see the upper curve of her buttocks. Cassandra was grateful she wasn’t that exposed. She watched the woman pay court to three men who hung on her every word and tried to determine where she had seen the woman before.
It was only when the woman turned around that the realization hit. Those full, lush lips and perfectly rounded breasts could only belong to one woman. Lady Katherine Wentworth.
CHAPTER TWELVE
One of the men in Katherine’s entourage noticed Cassandra. He leaned over and whispered something to his companion.
Cassandra looked at Mark, wishing his mask did not obscure his expression. His eyes had darkened, and his arm was as hard as marble.
Katherine sent them a dazzling smile. The front of her dress dipped below her navel. Her nipples were clearly visible through the thin fabric. Their color was unnaturally deep. Cassandra suspected she’d rouged them.
Katherine walked their way. After the briefest glance toward Cassandra, her gaze focused on Mark. “You’ve finally finished brooding over me, I hope? I knew you’d eventually be back for more.”
“I’m sorry. I believe you must have mistaken me for someone else.” Mark’s voice was even more severe than it had been when he’d warned off Langley.
A Carnal Agreement (Regency Intrigue Book 1) Page 11
