Her Assassin's Heart - Book 2

Chapter 20

For once, Cassandra didn't flinch at the sound of Graham's voice, and her hackles didn't immediately rise. Instead, she almost welcomed his presence. There was more to this man than she had previously assumed, and she wanted to find out what.

"What's wrong with that?" She turned to look at him, raising an arch brow.

He snorted, his now-familiar, mocking grin sliding into place. "I didn't imagine you were that naive." That awoke her ire.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I grant it. Freely." That devilish smirk further incensed her. "But really, we're old friends. You needn't ask for forgiveness so contritely. We can let bygones be bygones." He lowered himself onto the bench next to her.

"We are anything but friends, Mr. McRoberts." She seethed.

"Oh, dear, and I thought nothing could come between us and our relationship." He placed a stoic hand over his heart as though he'd been greatly injured.

She glared at him, unsure how to respond. How did this man have the power to leave her speechless without hardly trying? It was absurd! She'd never felt so irritatedly stumped in all her life.

"Seriously, though, your advise could cause Lady Irene a fair bit of trouble." The grin didn't disappear, but there was a certain note of seriousness to his voice.

"Is that so?" Was all she could manage.

"Yes. It's not like your sister and brother-in-law. Her interest lies at the feet of a true commoner. While Ethan was disinherited, her affections are directed toward a man who had no inheritance to begin with. It could ruin her."

"I don't expect you would understand what it feels like to love someone, so I won't try to explain it to you as I doubt I could find words small enough for you to understand." Cassandra bit back. She hated to admit it, but he might be right. Irene had suffered a great deal already, had she just been set up to suffer more?

Graham turned to her with a lazy smile. "And you know more of the feeling, I presume?" He was mocking her.

She rose, glaring imperiously at him. "I don't expect an arrogant, self-focused oaf like yourself could have experienced such things. I doubt any sane woman would put herself in such a position with you."

He stood up, too, and she was suddenly aware how close they were together. The mocking glint in his eyes seemed to have died, and his intense gaze flooded her body with warmth. Her heartbeat pounded heavily in her ears, and it was a wonder he couldn't hear it.

His eyes were rings of copper brown and emerald green in the sunshine. She was surprised she'd never noticed the striking colors before. Their meetings, however, tended to be short and in the dark and left little time for remembering details.

He reached up, and for a brief moment, she thought he was going to caress her, but instead, he combed his fingers through his hair. His teasing, arrogant grin returned as his hand fell to his side, and she was snapped out of the trance, taking two quick steps backwards.

He leaned toward her conspiratorially. "Any woman would count herself lucky for just an hour with me,Lady Cassandra." The way he said her name was. . .she couldn't describe it, but it sent a shiver down her spine. "I'm sure you can attest to that."

"What?" Her brain was clouded. She needed to wake up, to think.

"It's all right. Many women have fallen for me without spending any time with me. It's almost expected that you, who live with me, would harbor certain. . .feelings." He raised a brow.

Cassandra's mouth fell open. "You—" she began, but she was lost for words. The smug grin on his face revived her in an instant. "If I ever found myself having any sort of inclination toward you in that respect, Mr. McRoberts, I can assure you I'd take a dive off a running horse. Over a cliff."

He laughed. "Love often drives people to do crazy things."

"Let me make one thing perfectly clear," she wet her lips, anger boiling in the pit of her stomach. "You are the last man on earth I could ever be called upon to love. I would rather meet death than spend an hour in your company. In short, there's no one in the world that I could loathe more."

"And you've met every detestable human in the world, I presume?" He said glibly.

She glared up at him. Whatever she said, he managed to turn it against her, and she was infuriated by his ease in the face of her rage. Perhaps what incensed her further was the fact that she couldn't shake the trembling that had started the moment he stood.

"It's in cases like this that I often wish I was in God's Paradise." He smiled. "If imagine it would solve much in our case, being there together." His sudden subject change baffled her.

"What?" She frowned and moved another step back. Just looking him in the eye sent her mind places she would never dream of going any other time.

"Paradise. God's intended home for us." A wicked glint stole into his eyes. "Tell me that you remember. Honestly, what were you thinking about in church?" She narrowed her eyes and refused to respond. He didn't need the encouragement. Placing a hand stoically over his hear, he began to declaim, his eyes locked on her. "'And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.' I don't believe either of us would have an issue with that."

For one horrible moment, Cassandra couldn't say a thing. She jerked backwards, and her throat constricted upon itself. Though she opened her mouth, words refused to come out. What gentleman would say such things? How dare he?

Then, rage overcame her shock. What made him think he had the right? Glaring at him with all the ferocity she could muster, she drew herself to her full height.

"You seem to be forgetting something, sir." Cassandra ground her teeth together, never had she wanted to strike someone so badly in all her life, but that would only make it worse, she knew. "We're anything but husband and wife, and as I've tried to make quite clear, I wouldn't look your way if you were the last man on earth."

"If I were the last man on earth, sweetheart, you'd have to get in line."

"What? To get away from you? I'm sure I would." She bit back, smiling icily. It felt incredibly good. "As much as you're enjoying this, I have other things that call on my time." Without another word, she whirled about and left him.

Behind her, Graham grinned wickedly.

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I finally posted on a Saturday! Aren't you proud of me? No? Aw, come on! After all my hard work? Psh. Never asking that again. Thanks a lot.

Well, well, well Graham is back at it again. Cassandra seems to be holding her own against him, though. What do you think will happen next? He is rather bold in the way he talks to her. I think, though, that something is coming rather soon that will bring him down to earth. . .Until next time, my wonderful readers!