Kane, Samantha - Brothers in arms 7 (14 page)

“Enough.” Gideon grabbed his crutches from the floor and stood up. “Simply because you cannot train a horse properly does not excuse your boorish behavior in front of my wife.”

Charles looked at Sarah and his mouth thinned to a razor sharp line. “My apologies, madam.” He turned back to Gideon. “But do not hide behind her skirts, Gideon. You are afraid to ride, afraid the cavalry officer cannot ride as well as he used to.”

Gideon’s anger exploded. “You know nothing about why I do or do not choose to ride, Charles, so kindly do not presume that you do. I am well aware that cavalry officer no longer exists. I will not pretend otherwise by getting up on a horse again. Now act the gentleman if you can and give Sarah a proper apology, and then go and wash the dirt off. You should have cleaned up before coming here.”

“You will not pretend to be something you are not, but I am supposed to? I am no gentleman, Gideon, just as you are no officer.” On those words Charles turned and jumped down the stairs as easily as he had jumped up a few minutes before. He angrily stalked toward the house.

Gideon stomped over to the rail and grabbed it with one hand. Only Charles could make him so angry. But then again, only Charles had the nerve to confront him like that. Damn him. Why now, in front of Sarah?

“Gideon.” Sarah said his name quietly and he flinched, anticipating her questions.

She rose from her chair and walked over to stand next to him. He could feel her skirt 71

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brush his leg, smell the subtle flowery scent she wore. “This is probably not the right time to say this. No, actually, I know this is not the right time.”

She placed her hand over his on the rail and Gideon felt her touch everywhere. It was a small, tentative touch, and yet more powerful than a kiss. She had not touched him since the morning after the wedding.

“I want my marital rights.”

Gideon shook his head, sure he had heard her incorrectly. He turned to her and saw her cheeks were so bright he could hardly discern her birthmark. She refused to look at him. “Excuse me?” he asked inanely.

Sarah licked her lips and he noticed she was breathing rather erratically. “I wish to enjoy the physical intimacies of marriage again.” Her hand tightened on his. “With you.” She suddenly whirled away and began to pace the gazebo, her arms wrapped around her waist. “I have been…distraught this past week that you have not come to my room. I was worried that I did something wrong.”

Gideon turned to face her so he could lean against the rail, dumbfounded at her confession. “You did nothing wrong. Nothing at all. It was…an enjoyable experience.”

He nearly groaned aloud at how awkward he sounded. Where had Charles gone? How dare he let an old argument drive him off?

Sarah spared him a tight smile. “Yes, it was.” She took a deep breath. “I need you to know that I will not ask you to give up Charles. I understand how…close you are. If you wish to have both of us, then I will not complain. But I desire that aspect of our marriage. It was one of the reasons I sought a husband, to enjoy…well…” She trailed off and then blurted out, “And I want children.”

Gideon was so astonished it was hard to form a reply. “Give up Charles? If you do not want him in our bed again, then I will concede to your wishes. I do not need him there.” Which was not entirely true. “I, too, desire the physical intimacies of marriage. I wanted to give you time to adjust to your new life here.”

Sarah was facing him now, clearly nervous but determined. “Good. And you may go to Charles as well. I will not say a thing about it.”

Gideon had to force his features to stay blank. “Go to Charles? Madam, I assure you, Charles and I are not intimate in the way you imply.”

Sarah gaped. “But…but, I mean, the way you two act, the lovers’ quarrels…”

“My astonishment knows no bounds at this moment,” Gideon said grimly. “Lovers’

quarrels indeed. Madam, I will blame your erroneous assumption on your lack of experience. We may quarrel but we are not lovers.”

“Then I want him back in my bed. With you.”

Gideon had to sit down. He turned back to the chair and fell into it. “What?” He was having a very hard time grasping the fact that what Sarah had apparently been thinking about all week was exactly what Gideon had been thinking about.

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Sarah covered the painful blush on her cheeks with her hands. “I am trying to figure out how you feel about that, Gideon,” she said tremulously. “It is quite possibly the hardest thing I have ever had to say. But you showed me something the other night, you and Charles, and I want it back. I want that in my life. My new life here with you.”

“And Charles,” Gideon murmured.

“You are my husband,” Sarah said firmly. “You brought him to my bed. Do you not want him there now? I am more confused than you can know, Gideon, about what is right or wrong in this situation. Help me, please.”

It was her heartfelt plea that did it. How could he deny her when he wanted the same thing? Right or wrong, those were not concerns to him. Fair or unfair, that was the question. Was it fair to Charles to drag him into his life even deeper? To rely on him more, to make Sarah dependent on him as well? It would become harder and harder for Charles to leave, to have his own life and his own family, if they invited him to their bed again. Gideon knew it because he knew Charles. But if Sarah wanted Charles, well, Gideon was learning that he could refuse her nothing.

“We will ask Charles tonight.” Gideon’s voice was a rough whisper.

Sarah nodded. “Tonight.” She turned to flee but stopped on the top step, her back to him. “Thank you,” she whispered, and then she hurried down the steps only to slow her walk to a sedate pace on the path to the house. He watched her until she was out of sight.

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“That will be all, Anders. Thank you.”

Charles was as surprised as Anders at Gideon’s dismissal. They’d only just finished dinner and Anders had set the port and whiskey on the table, with a cup of tea for Sarah. They had fallen into a routine this past week. He and Gideon talked about what they planned for the next day while Sarah listened and then they all said a polite good night and went to bed.

Was this because of their fight this afternoon?

Charles had regretted his words as soon as he stormed off. When would he learn not to push Gideon so much? He just got so frustrated with the damn fool. And he was brimming with frustration of another kind, as well. The only real contact he’d had with Sarah in the past week had been their trip to town. Other than that he had seen her only briefly in passing and suffered through stilted conversations over meals. Yet he was constantly aware of her. Her scent permeated the house, and he found himself trying to sniff her out like a dog on the hunt. And Gideon was so painfully uncomfortable and irritable that Charles dared not confront him about Sarah. Had Gideon been to her since they’d shared her on the wedding night? The possibility tormented him.

When Charles had seen them together in the gazebo, watching him and talking like a…well, like a married couple, he had been so jealous he shocked himself. He was being shut out. Gideon had Sarah now, and Sarah had Gideon, and they didn’t need him. And didn’t he just sound like a pathetic old woman?

Christ, he needed a drink. Thank God for Anders and whiskey.

“We would like you to join us again this evening, Charles,” Gideon calmly said a few minutes later after Anders’ footsteps had faded down the hallway.

Charles had just taken a drink and choked on it.

“Oh dear,” Sarah said. She jumped up and rushed around the table to pound him on the back. “Are you all right?”

Charles pushed her away and shoved his chair back from the table, bending over coughing.

“No more whiskey,” Gideon drawled beside him. “We’d prefer you still breathing if possible.”

“Gideon,” Sarah chided, and Charles couldn’t help it—he began to laugh, which caused more coughing.

“Good…scold,” he gasped when he was able to get his breath back.

“Between the two of you I shall have peace no more,” Gideon lamented drily. He stood up and made his way slowly to the door of the dining room. “Come on.”

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Charles looked around and found Sarah standing in the shadows of the corner near the door. “Wait.” His voice was still a little raspy, but it was strong enough to stop Gideon before he opened the door. He turned back to Charles with an inquiring look.

“Who? You or Sarah?”

“I beg your pardon?” Gideon asked coolly.

“Me.” Sarah’s reply was firm, though she still hid in the shadows. Then she stepped forward, just far enough for the flickering candlelight to barely illuminate her. “I asked Gideon for my marital rights. And I told him I wanted you to join us.”

“Clearly I left too soon,” Charles commented in astonishment. Sarah wanted him.

Not Gideon this time. But Gideon had agreed. Why?

He walked over to Sarah. He could see her eyes widen as he approached, and she clasped her hands together before smoothing them down her skirt. Without warning he put his hands on her waist and picked her up, turning around and setting her on the edge of the table. Sarah gasped, her hands going to his shoulders, but she didn’t push him away or protest.

“Charles…” Gideon said in a low, warning voice.

Charles could see him over Sarah’s shoulder. In spite of his warning he just stood there, leaning on his crutches, watching them. Very slowly Charles reached down and wrapped his hands around Sarah’s ankles. Then he slid them up, pushing her skirt before them. He didn’t stop until his hands were on her hips. He stepped between her fully exposed legs, nestling right into her woman’s heat. Then he nuzzled her shoulder, his eyes on Gideon the entire time. “Want me, do you?” he murmured.

Gideon was transfixed. His cheeks were flushed, his breathing ragged, his fist clenched so tight around his crutch Charles was surprised it didn’t break. This was why Gideon had agreed. Because he wanted to watch them, Charles and Sarah. He liked to watch them. Charles felt a victorious thrill shoot down his spine, a thrill that turned to maddening need when Sarah tentatively ran her fingers from his shoulder to his nape, her touch light and so achingly hesitant.

“Yes,” she whispered. Charles looked into her face and she bit her lip then glanced nervously back at Gideon. What she saw relaxed her and she became slightly more pliant in his arms. She knew too. She knew how much Gideon liked this. Was that why she had asked for him? To please Gideon? Charles wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

But he knew he was going to say yes. He would say yes to almost anything they wanted of him. Charles gently kissed her cheek. “Well, come on, then,” he said quietly, and he stepped back, helped Sarah off the table, and they followed Gideon through the door.

“Gideon,” Sarah cried out. Her voice was ragged but his name from her sounded better to him than the sweetest music. He didn’t stop nibbling the peak of her breast. It had clearly been a cry of pleasure and not pain. Her hands tightened on his head, pulling his hair and he grinned, not that she could see it. She was straddling his lap, wild in their arms.

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He still wasn’t sure how they’d gotten to this point. Somehow, as soon as they’d entered her bedroom, Charles had orchestrated the removal of their clothing. Sarah’s had disappeared first. How Gideon loved that—watching her standing there naked, ready for them, flushed with shy anticipation. Gideon had pulled the pins from her hair one at a time while she stood before him, her bare skin rosy, the heat of her beating at him, her scent surrounding him. Her hair fell in a waterfall of shimmering gold down her back to cover her plump bottom and Gideon lost his breath.

Then Sarah was taking his jacket off and Charles had moved behind him to support him while he’d pulled the jacket down Gideon’s arms and off. Gideon had ended up on the bed as they pulled his boots and trousers off, and then Sarah was sprawled next to him and he had been unable to resist the allure of her beautiful body and sweet-smelling skin. He had pulled her to him, pressed her against him, and it wasn’t until he was kissing his way to her breasts that he’d realized he’d forgotten to cover his bare leg.

And Sarah had not said a word. She had not pulled away or averted her face from the unsightly stump. Instead she had wrapped herself around him like a living blanket and held his mouth to her breast as her soft, warm thigh slid over his, clasping him closer.

Then she had moaned Charles’ name. Yet Gideon had not flinched. This was what they all wanted. There were no fences here, no boundaries to be left uncrossed. He raised his head from her breast and rasped, “Join us.” And a moment later Charles had done just that, adding his heat and bare skin to theirs.

Sarah was sweating. They all were. But the salty taste of her on his lips was intoxicating. He could smell their sweat, her arousal and perfume, even the lavender on the sheets and it all went to his head until he was dizzy with need. He felt the bed move and suddenly Charles was straddling his lap behind Sarah. Gideon didn’t pause, but kept laving Sarah’s rough, pebbled nipple. Then Charles sank down so that his backside rested partially on Gideon’s legs. Gideon pulled sharply away from Sarah and swallowed a cry of surprised arousal at the touch.

“Yes, Sarah,” Charles murmured, and Gideon looked down to see Charles’ fingers appear between Sarah’s legs, caressing her mound, lingering at the top of her slit, rubbing the button there. Sarah moaned and thrust against his hand. Gideon looked at her face then. Her eyes were closed, her lashes feathered along flushed cheeks. Her mouth was open as she panted. She was gorgeous.

Gideon slid his left hand up her side and Sarah shuddered. How she loved the rough texture of his scars on her smooth skin. He let his hand travel all the way to her breast and cupped it, bringing it back to his mouth.

“Gideon.” It was Charles.

“Hmm?” Gideon murmured, loath to leave Sarah’s breast for something as