Kane, Samantha - Brothers in arms 7 (6 page)

“Sarah.” His voice was quiet, kind but firm. It told her he would not relent. So she looked. And forgot to breathe.

He had partially disrobed. His upper body was bare and in the candlelight he was a classical sculpture of golden-hued marble, his muscles casting shadows as he moved.

He looked rough, wild, beautiful and so strong. His clothes had hidden all that. How could she have thought him gentle? Her skin broke out in goose bumps and she clenched her hands to keep from touching him to see if he was as hard as he looked. She wanted him to be hard, with that glowing, smooth skin beneath her fingertips.

Mr. Borden picked up one of her hands and gently forced her to unclench her fist.

She couldn’t take her eyes away from his hands on hers. His fingers were blunt, rough, thick. They were the hands of a laborer. She imagined them running up her arms, cupping her cheeks, and with just that touch he had her breathing roughly, shaking with anticipation and dread. Dread that he would find her lacking. Hadn’t all men before Gideon found her lacking?

Then he placed her open palm against his chest, holding it right over his pounding heart. She started at the heat of him. His skin was sticky with a fine sheen of sweat, even as the breeze fluttered the curtains. Sarah realized she was sweating too. She felt the damp on her temples, under her arms, between her breasts. She was overheating too.

He did that to her. Was she doing it to him?

With his free hand he reached up to cup her cheek. Her marked cheek. In a panic she turned her face away and jerked out of his reach. She frantically looked over at Gideon. “Gideon, please.”

Gideon was watching them, leaning on his crutches in the shadows. “What do you want, Sarah?” His voice was as gentle as she had ever heard it.

30

Love’s Fortress

“I want you here too.” He had appreciated her honesty up to this point. She had no intention of prevaricating now. They wanted her to enjoy this bedding. She needed Gideon to truly do that. Mr. Borden was everything desirable, but the way he was making her body react made her feel guilty. Gideon, not Mr. Borden, was her husband.

He should be here, shouldn’t he?

“Are you sure?” Gideon sounded strangely unsure, not reluctant, but there was a hesitation in him she hadn’t encountered before.

“Yes.” Her whisper was almost lost in the flap of the curtain as a strong breeze blew in, stuttering the candle’s flame.

Mr. Borden started to let go of her hand, but Sarah’s fingers flexed, digging into the hard muscles of his chest. She heard him take a sharp breath and then he pressed her hand harder against him. Gideon had begun to walk over to the bed, avoiding the light as best he could. Sarah turned to look at Mr. Borden then and he was watching Gideon too, with a heart-wrenching expression. And Sarah understood at that moment why Mr.

Borden was there. Gideon needed him there because Gideon was afraid.

When Gideon reached the bed he set his crutches against the wall and awkwardly settled behind her. She started to turn, but he stopped her by leaning in close and wrapping an arm around her waist. Sarah got a little lightheaded at the feel of his weight supporting her back, his thickly muscled arm pressing against the side of her breast. Under her hand Mr. Borden’s heart beat faster.

“Like this?” Gideon asked quietly, his breath warm against the nape of her neck.

Sarah began to nod but then shook her head. “No,” she answered honestly, if a little breathlessly. “Like Mr. Borden.”

Gideon went still. “What do you mean?”

“I want to feel you.” Sarah could feel the blush burning her cheeks at her boldness.

When she tried to move her hand on Mr. Borden’s chest, he let her go immediately. In an act that took more courage than Sarah had known she possessed, she ran her shaking hand across his chest lightly, through the small patch of blond hair in the middle and then, after a moment’s hesitation, over one of his nipples.

“How does he feel?” Gideon’s voice was a raspy whisper behind her.

“Mr. Borden—” she began, but he cut her off.

“Call me Charles.” His voice was as rough as Gideon’s now. Sarah’s hand shook harder, but she wasn’t afraid anymore. She didn’t feel afraid.

“Charles feels hard.” Behind her Gideon made a sound that might have been laughter, but it was so quiet and subtle she wasn’t sure. “But his skin is soft, smooth, like marble.”

“Surely I am warmer than marble,” Charles said, sounding amused. “I feel rather warm, truly.”

Sarah licked her lips. “You’re very warm.” She was finding it hard to speak above a whisper. The whole situation was so fantastic, so unbelievable. No man had wanted to 31

Samantha Kane

bed her in her entire life. And now she was with two very desirable men. Two men who seemed to want her. “You’re sweating.”

Charles started to pull away. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be silly,” Sarah said quickly. “I like it.”

“Sarah,” Gideon laid his forehead on her shoulder and rolled his head, rubbing his face in her hair.

“Is that wrong?” Sarah asked in sudden concern. “It just… It just makes him so real.

It makes me know this isn’t a dream. That’s why I need to feel you too, Gideon. I need to know my new life is not a dream.”

* * * * *

Gideon couldn’t deny her. She was so innocent, Charles had been right. But at the same time there was an unconscious sensuality to her that made him hungrier for her than he could ever remember being. Was it because she was his? His wife? His in a way no one had ever been before, not even Charles? And she meant what she said. She wasn’t playing at desire or trying to sweeten her pay by loosening his purse strings with empty flattery. She wanted to feel him.

He pulled back slightly, going slowly so as not to overset his balance. Everything he did these days had to be done slowly. He felt a moment’s anger as he remembered how he used to be—quick, decisive, strong. He was a shell of that man now. But he could still please his own wife, dammit.

He tugged off his cravat first and let it drop to the floor. Sarah must have seen something in the corner of her eye, because she began to turn around.

“No,” he told her. “Charles.” He didn’t know what to tell the other man, he only knew he wanted Charles to keep her occupied. She could feel him but she couldn’t see him, not yet. It was true the scars ended at his collarbone and only began again on his left wrist. But he didn’t want her to see him just the same.

Charles knew. Charles always knew. He reached up and cupped Sarah’s breasts through her thin nightdress and Sarah gasped. Just knowing that Charles held those soft, full mounds in his hands made Gideon’s cock twitch. He’d grown accustomed to that. He’d been disconcerted by it the first few times they’d fucked a woman together, the arousal he felt at watching Charles with someone else. But now he embraced it. It would work out tonight, it would. And Sarah would be more pleasured than any other bride in the country. They’d make sure of it.

Charles climbed up on the bed still holding her breasts in his hands. He was so graceful in everything he did. He was kneeling in front of Sarah now, mirroring her position on the bed.

“Let me kiss you again, Sarah,” Charles whispered.

Gideon worked on the buttons of his waistcoat as he watched Charles lean in and take Sarah’s mouth. His hands were trembling as he watched them. Would he ever kiss 32

Love’s Fortress

Sarah? There’d been a whore once, but she’d closed her eyes. Charles claimed he was still quite a desirable man. Gideon felt his skin heat and thrust aside old memories that tried to surface. He focused on the present. It was a tactic that had served him well the last few years.

When he had his coat, waistcoat and shirt off he moved in behind Sarah again.

Charles gently broke his and Sarah’s kiss and pushed her back against Gideon. It was almost instinctive, the way Charles knew what he was doing and reacted to Gideon’s needs without being told. That was why Gideon wanted him here. Gideon was not good with words, and this…this physical closeness with others made him nervous and fumbling. But Charles smoothed the way for him. Charles made it all work.

“Gideon,” Sarah sighed, and snuggled back against him. She reached back and dragged his arm around her again.

Gideon was having trouble breathing through the lump in his throat at her obvious enjoyment of him. He leaned over and pressed the unscarred side of his face against the side of her head. He could feel better with that side. Feel the softness of her heavy fall of beautiful hair, the warmth of her. He rubbed his cheek against her, wishing he could carry the sweet smell of her always. Gideon tightened his arm around her and she ran a trembling hand from his wrist to his upper arm, just skimming the surface slowly. He broke out in gooseflesh at the caress.

“You’re so warm,” Sarah whispered, “and hard too.”

Charles laughed lightly and Gideon shivered. “Yes.” He didn’t know what else to say.

Sarah reached up and wrapped one hand around his biceps, and he couldn’t stop the instinctive flexing of his arm. She held on while she slid the other hand along his forearm. Gideon nuzzled her hair out of the way and kissed her neck. Very gently he dragged the tip of his tongue along her pulse and Sarah pulled in a shaky breath. Her head fell back on his shoulder and he let his lips trail along her soft, fragrant skin until he softly kissed her cheek. She began to turn her face to him, and Gideon pulled back.

“Sarah, let me see you.” He couldn’t believe he’d had the nerve to ask that. It was too soon. He would frighten her with his demands.

She struggled to turn. “I’m trying…”

“No.” Gideon stopped her again. “I mean let Charles and me undress you.”

She stopped struggling and her heartbeat raced like a small bird trapped beneath his hand.

“Everything?” Her voice was small but steady.

Charles smiled. Gideon could see the gleam of his teeth in the candlelight. “You aren’t wearing that much,” he said. “But if you don’t want to, Sarah, that’s all right.

Gideon and I don’t mind.”

“Would you like that?” she asked, the curiosity in her tone making her voice stronger. “The way I like to see you both?”

33

Samantha Kane

Both. Gideon closed his eyes. She hadn’t seen him yet. But she didn’t realize that.

She felt him. She liked it too. She hadn’t fabricated the pleasure in her caresses. He would keep her that way, enjoying this, enjoying him. He watched as she reached for Charles’ chest again. He had sat back on his heels, putting distance between him and Sarah, but as her hand moved he sat up again and met her halfway. Charles put his hand over hers and ran it over his chest, rubbing her palm across his nipples. It was obvious they both enjoyed it. Gideon could see the outline of Charles hard prick through his breeches. He wanted her. He wanted Gideon’s wife. Gideon felt a deep, smug satisfaction at the sight.

“Yes.” Charles answered for both of them.

Sarah moved then, a little tentatively. She slowly pulled the hem of her nightdress from under her knees so that it pooled on her thighs. Gideon held his breath. Her face was down, hidden by her hair. She clutched the material in her hands, seeming unable to take the next step.

“Let me,” Charles said softly. He pushed her hands away and she allowed it. Then he hooked his thumbs in the hem and slid his hands up her thighs, pulling the gown with them. “Raise your arms,” he told her in the same soft voice, and Sarah rose high on her knees and raised her arms as he instructed. Gideon caught a side view of her face.

Her eyes were closed.

He watched as Charles slowly raised the gown, loosely held with just his thumbs as his hands glided up over her hips and along her sides. Sarah shivered, and Gideon wasn’t sure if it was the breeze on her newly bared skin or the feel of Charles’ hands on her. A little whimper escaped her but it was not of distress, and Gideon had his answer.

It was Charles’ hands, then. Gideon understood that.

Gideon pulled back and looked at Sarah’s exposed back and buttocks. She was exquisite. Her skin was pale, smooth alabaster, a temptation in itself. But covering such delicious curves. Without thought Gideon let his hands, both hands, reach for her. The dimples in her lower back were pronounced, punctuation marks separating a long, elegant back from a full, round derriere. He set his thumbs in the dimples and wrapped his hands around her generous hips just as Charles pulled the nightdress over her head and let it flutter to the floor beside the bed.

“Jesus bloody wept,” Charles whispered worshipfully as he sat back and gazed at Sarah’s naked form with awe.

“Charles,” Sarah said, and she sounded so prim, so shocked at his language that Gideon laughed.

“Beg your pardon, Sarah,” Charles told her with a grin, a blush staining his cheeks.

“But you are so bloody gorgeous I forgot myself.”

Sarah laughed self-consciously. “Yes, of course I am,” she answered wryly. She sighed. “I forget sometimes that you used to be soldiers.”

Charles moved in close to her again, crowding her back against Gideon until her hot flesh was pressed against both men, trapping her between them. Sarah was shaking, 34

Love’s Fortress

but she wrapped a hand around Gideon’s wrist and one around Charles’ upper arm as if steadying herself. She wasn’t shying away.

“If we are too rough, you must tell us,” Gideon told her, hating the rasp in his voice that made him sound harsh.

Sarah didn’t seem to notice it. She shook her head. “No, no, you are not.” She sounded breathless and aroused, and Gideon wanted to lay her down and mount her and fuck her until they both cried out. He squeezed his eyes shut. But he couldn’t do that. Not to Sarah. And even if Sarah let him, he couldn’t do it. He didn’t have the balance for it anymore. But there were other things they could do to her.

Gideon slid his hands up her sides and along the underside of her arms, raising them until they were held straight out from her shoulders. He used his good hand to caress her arm and then glided his hand down and under her breast, cupping it. Sarah jumped and a little squeak broke free. Gideon smiled. He rubbed his thumb over her distended nipple. It felt plump and hard, the size of a firm raspberry. Her body was racked by a shudder.