Using all of her pent up frustration, Cassandra pushed Seth away from her with a glare.How dare he?!Stepping back, he looked at her with wide eyes. Hurt. As if he had the right! He was no better than Colonel Bishop! Two men pushing themselves onto her because they didn’t want the other to have her. She couldn’t meet his eyes. A knot formed in her throat. She wouldn’t have it, not from Seth.
He took a step back and waited for her to speak.
She crossed her arms over her chest and gazed down at her feet. “You’re only ever moved to act when you’re jealous.”
Seth sighed and came close to her again.
“Look at me, Cassandra.”
She didn’t.
“Please,” he whispered.
Scowling, she raised her eyes to his.
“That isn’t true,” he said.
“So you’re saying you weren’t jealous?”
“No, Iwasjealous!” He purposefully enunciated each word. “But I was worried about yoursafetymore, and you sent me away!”
“What was I supposed to do? Let you brawl with him in the middle of the sitting room? Matthew was due back any minute, and I had the situation well in hand.”
“Yes, it looked like you were incontrol,with him all but on top of you. How could I not be jealous?” Seth scoffed. “But the way youlooked at him, your body language… you don’t want him. He’s the top name on Lady Dorchester’s list. Everyone knows it. If you’re looking for a wealthy gentleman to solve your problems, you needn’t look much further. You had an interest once before, but you haven’t been going out of your way to spend time with him. Why?”
“I’ve been busy withyou,” Cassandra said. “Far too busy to be hunting for husbands!”
“Precisely. You’ve been withme. You went on that hunt forme. Why?”
“Because I was worried!” She stomped forward. “Because you aren’t sleeping, or riding, and you’re wasting away in your bedchamber. I don’t know if you’re eating! You’re brawling with Matthew in the halls! You’re skittish one moment, stoic the next, and disrespectful in most! You aren’tyouhere and I don’t know how tohelp.”
“Is that all?” Smiling, he placed his hands on her shoulders and rubbed the tension there. “I am eating. I slept last night, and I rode this morning. And I didn’t brawl with Cooper. That was… something else, and it’s been resolved.”
“That hardly makes me feel better,” she grumbled.
He released another sigh. Taking her hands in his, he eased them away from her body, and placed them above his heart, where he braided their fingers together.
“Do you care for me?”
“Of course I care!” She glared at him. “I’ve known you for most of my life, how could I not—”
“Not as a friend, Cassandra. As aman.”
Outside of the bedchamber, muffled music drifted down the halls from a concert in the ballroom, but she could scarcely hear it over the sound of the rain hitting the windows steadily, insulating them in the bedchamber. The only light came from two lamps on either side,reflecting in his blue eyes.
“Allow me to be clear, Cassandra. Iwantyou. I want tobewith you. And right now you need to tell me whatyouwant.” His voice gentled, even as his eyes blazed. “You’ve no idea the lengths that I would go to just to have you. If I kiss you again, I won’t be able to stay away. I won’t stop until you’re mine. Make no mistake, I will do whatever ittakes.If you don’t want that, if you don’t want me, then tell me to leave now.”
A painful longing clenched in her chest. She knew Seth well enough by now to know that he did nothing by half-measures, and he didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep. Could she ask that of him when she was so unsure about the future? If she allowed him in, he would completely possess her. The thought consumed her, along with Jasmine’s words.
Maybe itcouldbe that simple.
“I want to be withyou.” Her fingertips curled in his shirt, voice pained. “But how—”
“I’ll figure out the how,” he said in a rush, arms wrapping around her. “I’ll doanything—”
“Seth.” She used the grip on his shirt to tug him down to her. “Kiss me.”
With a groan, he slanted his mouth to hers in a hard, searching kiss. This was what she wanted.Seth.His mouth on hers, his body against hers, his hands on her. His tongue sliding over hers, his teeth nipping gently on her bottom lip andoh, yes, she likedthat.