Page 15 of Enchanted by the Lyon (The Lyon’s Den Connected World #93)

C assandra took her place in the line of ladies during the country dance as each woman curtsied to the man across from them.

The music began and Cassandra no longer had time to think about what had transpired this evening in the garden.

Not only was her private conversation with Lucius at the forefront of her mind, but also the one with Mrs. Dove-Lyon as well.

When Cassandra had begun this endeavor to find herself married by the end of the Season, she had no notion that the Black Widow of Whitehall might suggest that Cassandra’s past might be… well… rectified .

As past memories flooded her mind, she could envision that last scene with her brother-in-law as if the fiasco happened yesterday.

She should have known Barlow would swindle her out of whatever inheritance was due her.

Rupert never trusted the man, and apparently that was for a good reason.

She had been just so devasted from Rupert’s untimely death and then being thrown out of her house, that she never stopped to consider that Barlow had lied about her husband’s debts.

How could she have been so na?ve? Yes, she had been young, but she should have questioned everything that transpired once she was out on the streets.

But at the time, she had had no one. Who would have come to her aid?

As she bumped into the woman next to her and mumbled a quick apology, she caught a view of Lucius leaning against a pillar, watching her.

She relived the moment earlier when she had danced with him and had to admit, she wanted to stay in his arms for the rest of her life if he would but come to the realization that they might suit.

But whatever their relationship might be going forward, Cassandra knew she had a long way to go before she would ever be able to claim this man’s heart.

As much as she desired Lucius, she had a brief flash of the unknown that might prevent her from ever loving him completely.

She considered herself a strong woman who could handle any situation that might come her way.

But Lucius Ford might end up being a weakness to her heart she couldn’t afford.

Could she ever trust him completely? She was unsure and now began to rethink everything she’d thought she wanted in her life.

How confident was she that she could change his mind regarding marriage?

As much as she desired him, did she truly know him?

Looks faded and—she knew from experience gained from her previous marriage—in time a couple stopped seeing their spouse’s outsides and focused on who they really were, how they acted, what they needed.

She knew none of these things about Lucius.

Sometimes, our biggest strengths can often become our greatest weakness , she reminded herself.

And sometimes what seems like a weakness is just something we need to develop and make strong.

A broken bone was always stronger once mended, after all.

And a broken heart would still keep beating, no matter how much it felt like it never would mend .

Now her heart urged her to continue this pursuit of one of the biggest rakes in the ton.

She had no choice but to listen and hope that her once-broken heart would be all the stronger if it suffered anything else that might otherwise break it.

As the dance picked up its pace, Cassandra returned her attention to the patterns of the dance before she bumped into anyone else.

When the music faded away, she bowed to the gentleman she had been partnered with and turned to leave the dance floor.

She suddenly tripped on the edge of her gown and all but fell into another man’s arms. A gasp left her when she realized it was Lucius who had his hands around her waist. He tightened them to steady her and keep her from falling.

“Lucius! Good heavens. I seem to bump into you a lot these days,” Cassandra murmured not even realizing she had used his given name until too late. “I mean… Lord Blackthorn.”

“I still prefer when you call me Lucius, my lady. Or perhaps I can call you ‘Cassie’ as your lady friends do.”

She watched as his mouth turned up at one corner giving her a truly sinful smile. No man should be this good-looking or overly-confident, she thought. But why shouldn’t he be confident? Lucius Ford was completely certain he had already won her over.

Perhaps he had. She certainly couldn’t stop herself from desiring him.

Indeed, her heart had begun to race at his touch and her breath caught in her chest. She swallowed and attempted to control her reactions to him.

“Since you yourself said that what was between us was a business arrangement and nothing more, I believe we should keep to the formality of our names,” she said, still holding on to his forearms. If only because to become informal would risk becoming somehow intimate, which would not suit her plans.

Still, she knew she should let go of him but for the life of her, she only wished to remain here for as long as he would stay nearby.

The intensity of his green eyes behind his black domino mask was her undoing even as she took in his black formal attire.

She stared at the ruby jewel in the center of the clasp that held his black cape in place on his broad shoulders.

She wasn’t sure if his costume reminded her of a villain or the hero in some romantic story she had read.

But whatever he was, he was handsome as sin.

She knew she had to look elsewhere if she were to keep her wits about her.

The crowd at the Lyon’s Den would hardly be a distraction when Cassandra could feel the heat of him.

She immediately felt the loss of his warm hands at her waist. Before she recovered from such a disappointment that he no longer held her, his fingers came to gently take hold beneath her chin.

He lifted her face upward so she had no choice but to return her attention back to his handsome features.

There appeared to be so much longing in his intense gaze…

was she imagining such an emotion? And then he spoke, giving her hope.

“What if I want more?” he said in a husky whisper that pierced her heart and caused her to gasp again. Did they mean what she thought they meant or was she mistaken.

“More?”

“Yes, Cassandra. More.” He tore his gaze from her face before scanning the perimeter of the room. “Come with me.”

She had no time to think when Lucius took hold of her hand bringing her fingertips to his lips.

After a quick kiss, he tucked her now quaking limb into his elbow and began escorting through the crowded room.

Her feet flew in an attempt to keep up with his longer stride until he noticed she was all but running to keep up with his pace.

He slowed, pulled her through an arched doorway, through a narrow hallway meant for the servants, and into the first empty room he came to.

Peering inside, he swiftly pulled her forward before closing the door behind them.

There wasn’t much to this room. A small couch, a table, and several boxes sacked against the wall told her this was used as a storeroom.

She was completely alone with this man, and she had to admit she didn’t mind one bit!

“My lord—”

He took both of her cheeks into the palms of his hands. “Lucius,” he urged softly. “Say my name, Cassandra.”

He pulled her into his embrace and Cassandra swore her heart all but beat right out of her chest in excitement. Still holding onto her face with one hand, he rubbed one thumb across her cheek as he silently implored her to say his given name.

Cassandra finally gave in to his demand. “Lucius…” His name lingered on her lips, making her slide her tongue across the seam. It was almost like she could taste his kiss upon her mouth and she stood on the tips of her toes reaching for what she knew he offered.

His head dipped downward until his mouth was but inches from her own. And still, he only continued to stare into her face. Green eyes to green eyes and she was certain hers shone with all the longing she felt for this man.

Cassandra at last realized that he was waiting for her to continue this moment that was being shared between them.

She could easily step back. Nothing held her from doing so since Lucius only lightly held her now.

He would not take what she didn’t offer willingly, and she had to commend him for making sure she consented to their first kiss.

She needed to remember she wanted a marriage and he might only want her as his next mistress.

The reasonable part of her head told her not to give in to temptation that would surely be like a drug.

Once tasted, there would be no going back.

But to hell with reason! Instead of listening to the small voice screaming inside her head, she stepped closer before she wound her arms around his neck and pressed her body intimately into his muscular one.

It was probably a huge mistake on her part when she heard a sound come from him that proved to her that Lucius had barely been holding on to whatever self-control existed within him.

But when she went to place a small chaste peck on those sensuous lips, her world suddenly spun out of control.

His arms swept around her as he pulled her close and his mouth took possession of her own.

There was nothing gentle about this kiss and it certainly wasn’t anything like the quick one she had just given him.

No. This kiss was filled with a passion Cassandra didn’t even know could exist as all the longing for Lucius Ford came bubbling up and overflowing from the depths of her soul.