Page 32 of Enchanted by the Lyon (The Lyon’s Den Connected World #93)

L ucius lounged back in a chair in the bedroom he had taken Cassandra to.

He had ridden fast in order to get her to his country estate as she shivered against him in the pouring rain.

Once he reached their destination, he had held up his arms to help her from the saddle but instead of letting her walk on her own, he carried her into the house.

He began issuing orders for a bath to be drawn for his lady.

A maid had followed them upstairs and while he wanted to take her to his own room, he thought it best if he took Cassandra instead to a guest room.

A tea trolley had been brought in shortly afterwards while his lady sat near the hearth that had been started to warm her.

Between the tea and the nearby flames, she had finally begun to have some color in her cheeks.

Servants began filing in with buckets of water and a screen was placed in front of the tub for her privacy.

Lucius began to take his leave but Cassandra quickly ran over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She begged him to stay and after witnessing her tear-filled eyes, he couldn’t say no.

Reluctantly she followed the maid over toward the screen where the girl helped Cassandra from her still-wet clothes.

When he heard her getting into the tub and he thought about her laying there naked, a part of him rose and strained against his breeches.

There was only so much a man could take.

He had promised her he wouldn’t leave but he was certain staying was going to kill him.

He muffled a chuckle remembering how she had dismissed the maid who quietly left the room.

Now here he sat, very uncomfortable in fact, listening to the sounds of the woman he loved enjoying the warmth of the water.

His cravat was untied, his shirt open, and he thought if he wanted any sort of a reprieve from his manhood straining for release that he might need to break his promise and bolt from this room.

But Cassandra was unaware how much effort it was taking not to rip off his clothes and join her in her bath.

Instead, she was humming a little tune and splashing in the water as she cleaned herself.

When she stopped, he wondered what was wrong until a bar of soap came sliding past the screen.

“Oops,” she said and he wondered if this ploy was deliberate. “Lucius, darling… would you mind retrieving my soap? I fear it’s beyond my reach.”

His control snapped and he pulled off his boots and stockings before leaving his chair and making his way across the room.

Reaching down, he grabbed at the bar of soap and gazed upon his lustrous lady.

Bubbles floated in the water keeping most of what she offered from his view but it was the sight of the rounded tops of her creamy breasts that made his hands itch to caress each one.

When her green eyes mischievously lowered to the bulge in his pants, that was all it took for whatever bit of control he had left.

She gave him a seductive smile. “Well, hello,” she said in a soft tone that was pure sin. “Care to join me?”

Pulling his shirt over his head, he divested himself of the rest of his clothing while her eyes never left his.

She sat up further in the tub making room for him as he lowered himself into the water.

He pulled her to him and she wiggled herself in his lap, almost causing him to unman himself then and there.

“You took long enough,” she purred sweetly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“You tempt a man to forget himself, my love,” he said trying to keep himself from plunging into the very core of her.

“You held out longer than I expected. I thought for certain you would have been here long before now. I figured dismissing the maid would have told you that I wanted you here with me.”

“I’m here now,” he said in a husky whisper and she lowered her head to kiss him.

If her kiss could be an expression of words, it proved to Lucius she wanted him as badly as he wanted her.

For months he had waited to make this lady his in every way.

He lifted her up and slowly lowered her onto his manhood, moving slowly in a rhythm that was sensual and only made him want her more.

She leaned her head back as she moaned in pleasure while he sucked each one of her breasts in turn.

But confined within the limits of her bath, he was left straining for freedom.

“Hold tight,” he murmured as he stood, lifting her in his arms and carrying her over to the bed.

“Lucius, we’re dripping wet,” she declared, laughing.

He nuzzled her neck. “Don’t care…”

Their lovemaking took on a new turn. Lucius was determined to know every inch of his beautiful lady and he took his time kissing every part of her skin.

Her moans of pleasure only heightened his desire for her and when he finally took her again there was a frantic need to find their release.

And when they reached their climax together, they each said one another’s name as they floated down from the heavens and relaxed in one another’s arms.

He pulled her closer into his embrace and her fingertips ran across his furred chest. “You were right,” he said slowly still feeling the effects of their first time together.

She lifted her head from its place on his shoulder to gaze upon him with half-closed eyes. “About what?” she asked.

“You were worth the wait. I swear I’m never going to leave your side or this room again,” he declared leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

She gave a light laugh. “We may wish to move to your room eventually, my love, or at least downstairs so the servants don’t think we’re entirely wicked.”

Lucius pulled her up so he could gaze directly into her face.

He cupped her cheek as she leaned into his palm.

“I don’t give a fig what the servants think,” he declared before bestowing another kiss upon her lips.

“Although I suppose we will eventually need to head back to London. Constable Jones will need a statement from you along with other details about your abduction.”

She traced his jaw with one finger. “Remind me to tell you later where I found Rupert’s will.”

His eyes widened. “You found it?”

“Yes. That last morning after you saw me home,” she answered before continuing. “But I don’t want to talk about any of that right now. Not when you could be making love to me again.”

Lucius wasn’t about to deny his lady any of his attention and for a while they were lost in the moment of being in each other’s arms. As he began making his way down her body trailing kisses along her skin, he looked up to see her watching him intently.

“You will marry me, of course.”

She smiled brightly. “Are you asking or telling me?”

He gave her a roguish grin already knowing his answer. “Will you do me the honor of taking me as your husband, Cassandra?”

She took hold of his arms and he moved back up her body to hover over it. “I thought you would never ask.”

As they sealed their fate together with a kiss, Lucius could never think of a time when he had ever been happier.

He had found a woman who was his match in every way.

Someone who not only could challenge him intellectually but also stand beside him as an equal partner to go through life.

A loving, caring, and beautiful woman that he would one day call his wife.

He was indeed a lucky man and would never take Cassandra’s love for granted.

She had enchanted him at first glance and he now could accept the fact that he would never be the same again.