Druid Temptation (A Druid Quest Novel Book 2) (7 page)

Once he deposited Emilie inside the vehicle, Gabriel turned to her with a smile and offered her his hand.

Diana wasn’t a typical female, nothing about her feminine or weak, and she wasn’t used to having someone take such care with her.

He somehow made her feel dainty and treasured.

“Come.” He took her hand in his much larger one, and escorted her inside the carriage. Every time she turned around, he seemed to be touching her. It left her off-kilter, and her heart slammed against her ribs at the simple brush of his fingers. Diana couldn’t help but admit, if only to herself, that she was learning to anticipate his touch whenever he drew near. And damn him, he saw her telling reaction if the darkening of his eyes was any indication.

The interior of the carriage was surprisingly lush, and she grinned as she remembered the many uncomfortable mail coaches she’d endured in the past. The whole carriage fairly breathed wealth and status, and a shiver of unease slid down her back.

Just how much power did Gabriel wield?

He was so confident he could save her that she dared to hope he actually could.

On the other hand, people of wealth were often not so willing to help without exacting their own price. Would he turn against her when he learned about her magical heritage?

And he would find out eventually.

Nausea twisted through her. The only way he wouldn’t set her aside would be if she somehow managed to convince him to fall in love with her.

Diana stilled as the foreign idea took root.

It would be foolish and dangerous…so why couldn’t she erase the thought, now it had entered her mind?

She shifted nervously in her seat, grateful when Emilie wiggled in next to her.

Gabriel entered but paused while he studied the scene. “Why not put her on the empty seat and let her stretch out for a short nap during the journey to the station?”

Diana shivered at his low, suggestive tone. To have him pressed against her side for the entire ride, brushing against his muscular frame with every bump in the road, would be slow torture.

“No.” The word emerged as a dry croak, and she cleared her throat, practically dragging Emilie onto her lap as a shield. “We’re fine. Thank you.”

He heaved a sigh, and she released her own breath when he took the seat across from them without protest. In an instant, the space shrank down to nothing. His feet bumped into hers, brushing deliciously along her ankles. She shivered at the contact and glanced in his direction. Her eyes narrowed to see him blandly staring out the window. She debated asking him to move, but the once roomy carriage seemed to have shrunk. Besides, where would he go?

Her muscles relaxed slowly as the carriage pulled forward. Darkness departure, but she couldn’t stop staring out the window to see if they were being followed.

A howl came from outside that sent her bolting upright. “Stop!”

* * *

“
I
t is too
late to back out now.” Gabriel glanced at her for the first time since entering the confined space, tension thickening the air between them. His blue eyes glittered in the dim interior, a ruthlessness to them that told her he was plotting something.

A dominating attitude roamed beneath his surface like a predator ready to strike, and she shivered at the delicious danger of trying to figure out his next move.

“I’m not leaving.” Diana huffed a sigh and reached for the door. Lightning quick, he snatched her wrist and held firm, as if he believed she’d jump from a moving carriage to get away from him. She gave a quick twist, escaping his hold and threw the door wide.

Gabriel tensed, ready to tie her up if needed. He’d come too far to let her go now. A large, dark shape barreled through the doorway, and he fell against the seat, cursing when he recognized her beast of a dog. The stench of wet dog immediately filled the carriage, fur coating his pants legs as the mutt wiggled in the tight space, taking up the whole floor.

“Out.” A muscle in his jaw twitched as he ground his teeth, and he pointed to the door. “Get him out.”

“If he leaves, so do I.” Diana’s eyes narrowed as she issued her threat, and his mouth snapped shut. The dog turned to stare at him in challenge with his unnerving yellow eyes, as if he was being assessed and judged by the mangy beast…and found lacking.

“We agreed the trip to London would be miserable for him. He needs to go back to the stables.” He looked up and met her stare, preparing for battle. When she reached for the door, he captured her arm. “Wait.”

He’d barely convinced her to leave the mutt behind in the first place. If they turned back, he feared he would never convince her to get back into the carriage. He marveled at the delicate wrist in his hold, and brushed his fingers along the gap between her gloves and dress. The beast growled menacingly, as if sensing his thoughts, and Gabriel reluctantly released her. “He can stay.”

He saw her hesitate, and his gut clenched in dread until she finally nodded. He hoped to draw her out. He wanted to use the long ride to learn everything about her. He cleared his throat, and the dog lifted his head and growled again.

With a scowl, Gabriel reluctantly subsided. In the dark interior, only occasional moonlight shone through the windows, and he had to satisfy himself with the brief but tantalizing glimpses of his wife to occupy himself during the ride.

When he moved to stretch his legs, the beast shifted and effectively pinned him in place. During the first five minutes of the ride, every time he touched her, she would shift away…until the last time.

He wanted to show her that she had nothing to fear.

Wanted her to anticipate and even crave his touch.

Maybe using the confined space of the carriage was unfair, since she couldn’t retreat, but if he could get her to welcome his touch, when the time came to consummate their marriage, she wouldn’t see the marriage bed as a duty and merely suffer through his attentions.

He could make her enjoy their lovemaking if they took things slowly enough.

During his first marriage, he’d struggled to fulfill his duty in his wife’s bitterly cold bed.

His soul wouldn’t survive going through that again.

D
iana accepted
Gabriel’s hand as he helped her out of the carriage. Wolf rested inside, watching over a slumbering Emilie. Diana glanced around the small train station, not sure what to do with herself. She had lived in the country most of her life, and she didn’t do well in crowds. Only when Gabriel cleared his throat did she become aware that she hadn’t released him, her fingertips absently feathering along the back of his hand.

She jerked back, mortified by her actions…until she saw a satisfied smile spread across his face. “I need to oversee our transfer. I’ll be right back.”

Diana noticed his reluctance to leave and waved him off. “We’ll be fine.”

She watched him saunter away, fascinated by his long, smooth strides, and the liquid way his body moved.

The air was misty with the threat of rain. Steam from the waiting train billowed around them, dropping the visibility to zero. Gaslights were hung at intervals throughout the station, the dim lights barely able to penetrate the fog as it cloaked the platform in shadows. The rest of the world seemed to have vanished.

Gabriel disappeared in seconds.

At this time of night, the place was deserted, giving the station an abandoned, eerie atmosphere. The creak of the train caused her to whirl, and she dropped her hand to her side, ready to grab the knife sheathed at her waist, cursing that she’d left her bow behind.

“Are you ready?” Gabriel had sneaked up behind her, almost startling a scream out of her. Diana barely managed to stop herself from grabbing her blade and using it on him.

She hadn’t even heard him approach.

To give her pulse time to settle, she gave him a smile and stalled. “How did you manage all of this?”

“I telegraphed ahead and asked them to stop and pick us up on their return trip to London.”

Something told her the answer wasn’t that simple.

She couldn’t even imagine the expense.

“They should be ready to depart in a few minutes.” He prowled back and forth, his boots thudding on the wooden platform.

It was foolish, but her unease faded whenever he was near, the menace she felt only moments ago evaporated.

“Lord Mendenhall, this way if you please.”

A dapper man in uniform stepped down from a nearby car and stood back, beckoning for them to enter.

Wolf took that as his cue and bounded from the carriage, coming to a stop at her side, quivering in excitement at the new adventure. Gabriel heaved a sigh, then reached inside to retrieve his daughter and followed the porter inside the train.

Two gaslight lamps illuminated the small car, giving it a cozy, intimate atmosphere. The walls were papered, the polished floor covered with a large rug, while enough ornate furniture was scattered about to prove that someone had invested a great deal of money in creating the luxurious room.

Diana immediately felt out of place, but, what left her even more uncomfortable, Gabriel didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, as if he expected such treatment. The porter tidied the room, opening the curtains at the far side of the chamber to reveal a bed, then calmly walked out of the car as if he hadn’t just turned her insides to jelly.

Images of how most people spent their wedding night flashed through her mind. The thought of touching him so intimately robbed her of breath and sent a rush of stunning pleasure through her. She hadn’t realized until that moment how much she wanted a normal life.

She’d never possessed anything she hadn’t earned.

But having things meant they could be taken away.

It terrified her how easily she could lose everything.

Gabriel nearly smacked into Diana when she stopped abruptly in the middle of the car. Following her line of sight, he saw the bed and realized all the progress he’d made in wooing Diana had disappeared in the space of a second.

The hope in his chest slowly deflated, and he walked around Diana, carefully slipping Emilie beneath the covers. She gave him a sleepy smile and immediately snuggled down under the blanket, and the lead ball in his gut gradually eased.

“It’s going to be a long night. Why don’t you wash up and get ready for bed?” Gabriel straightened and unbuttoned his jacket, calmly taking a seat and picking up the waiting paper. It took Diana nearly a minute to start moving again.

He read the same sentence three times when he gave up the pretense and looked up at Diana over the top…and lost all ability to breathe when she began unbuttoning her dress.

Three buttons.

That’s all it took for his resolve to crumble.

One by one, she plucked at the fingers of her gloves, before pulling them off and tucking them away.

He’d never seen anything so erotic.

To make matters worse, she wasn’t even aware of the effect she had on him. If she ever wanted to punish him, watching her strip and not being able to touch her would be excruciating torture enough. He watched as she picked up a cloth and ran it over her neck and face, leaving her smooth, bare skin glistening with water.

His mouth immediately became parched.

She removed the clip from her hair, and he stopped breathing when her glorious tresses cascaded down her back. When she ran her fingers through the silken strands, his hands twitched to help her with the task.

Her hands were strong and capable, and he couldn’t stop imagining what they would feel like on his body.

Her touch would be sure, taking what she wanted without hesitation.

Small scars dotting her hands and arms drew him out of his fantasy, and his gut knotted when he recognized knife marks. Helplessness burned in his chest and his grim determination to keep her safe swelled once more.

No one would ever hurt her again.

He yanked his attention away from Diana before he did something stupid…like demand she tell him how she’d gotten those scars.

Like a magnet, his eyes were drawn back toward the bed.

The large mutt lumbered to his feet and jumped on the mattress. Taking his spot. The dog circled and lay down as if staking claim, then stared at Gabriel as if he knew exactly where his thoughts had landed, which was impossible. Wasn’t it?

Gabriel was ready to get up and drag the mangy beast off when a knock sounded on the door, breaking the stalemate.

As soon as he stood, the room exploded into motion.

The dog bristled with menace and stood protectively in front of Emilie.

More shocking, Diana whirled and pulled a knife—from lord knew where. One minute her hand was empty, the next she was armed, angling herself in front of him as though to protect him.

He should be alarmed, but instead, he was aroused by her complete lack of fear, and the smooth, graceful way she took charge.

Deadly and capable came to mind.

To his shock, his cock hardened over—of all things—her ability to take charge of the situation, and her deadly skills.

She lifted her hand, signaling him to remain still while she slipped into position, flattening her back against the wall near the door.

He suddenly realized he probably had those same weapons trained on him when he knocked on her door the night before. She gave him a nod, and Gabriel found himself obeying. He stepped forward and opened the door.

“We will be leaving in five minutes. The lunch cart is closed, but I can gather some food if you need anything.”

Without missing a beat, Diana stepped forward and smiled like nothing happened, the knife nowhere in sight, as if he imagined the whole thing.

“We’re good for the evening, but we would like a small basket prepared for the morning, if you would be so kind.”

The porter blushed and nodded, doing his best to look anywhere but at the opened buttons of Diana’s gown. “Yes. Of course. A basket.”

“Thank you.” Diana smiled again and firmly closed the door in his face. As if she hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary, she crossed the room, sat and began removing her boots.

Gabriel had to admire her ability to adapt. He could easily understand how she’d eluded Williams for so long…she never let down her guard.

At the first sign of danger, she didn’t hesitate.

She didn’t panic.

His initial image of her as a warrior princess came back to him.

While he marveled at her abilities, they also saddened him. Being constantly on alert was no way to live.

She deserved more, and he was determined to give it to her.

“Why don’t you turn into bed and get some rest? I’ll stand guard for the night.”

Diana shook her head. “There are no exits. If Williams is on this train, we’ll be trapped. Two are better than one.”

Gabriel’s heart sank to realize that, instead of enjoying herself, she had been worried about how to stay alive. “Milles is traveling with the bags. He’s keeping track of who has entered and exited the train. If Williams were here, he would have notified me. We’re safe for the night. The train will travel non-stop to London, so you can get some sleep.”

Diana hesitated, exhaustion slumping her shoulders. “Thank you.”

Gabriel resumed his seat as she slipped into bed, partially closing the curtains. That damned beast of hers taunted him by slinking into bed next to her. Gabriel dimmed the lights, but he couldn’t bear to lose sight of them.

Throughout the night, every time he shifted, that damned beast of hers would crack open an eye and lift his lip to reveal his fangs. Gabriel snorted and turned away. In the confined space, her scent wrapped around him until every breath he took invaded his senses. A movement from the bed drew his attention, and he saw her hair spread over the pillow. He nearly groaned when he imagined the same hair spread across his bed and over his chest.

“You can’t sleep.” Diana rolled over and pinned him with her cool, pale eyes.

Gabriel stiffened, wondering if she knew he’d been fantasizing about touching her. When she didn’t throw things at him or start cussing, he allowed himself to relax. “No.”

“It’s no wonder, the way you’re crammed into that tiny chair. You could join us.”

His heart missed a beat at the invitation, and his cock throbbed in anticipation. It had been years since he last slept with a woman. If he got into that bed, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from touching her. “Thank you, but no.”

No expression crossed her face, but the skin around her eyes tightened, a slight flinch at his rejection. Her fingers sank into the dog’s wiry fur, seeking comfort, and he was chagrined to note he was jealous of the simple gesture. Remorse immediately grabbed him by the balls, and he desperately tried to think of a way to cover the mess he’d made of things. He had no doubt the tentative invitation would never come again if he didn’t find a way to make amends. Everything inside him rebelled at sharing his private life, but he very much feared he might lose Diana even before he had the chance to get to know her.

Something he refused to let happen.

“When we reach London, you might hear rumors about me.” He stopped, pain gathering in his chest as his lungs momentarily forgot how to function as he struggled to repress the memories of his past.

“What kind of rumors?”

The softness in her voice eased the pressure enough for him to speak. “My first wife and I didn’t get along. We were essentially separated when she died. Some people even blamed me for her death.”

“Were you?”

He went rigid at her question. “Of course not. Meredith was beautiful and sophisticated and very reserved. She stood out among the other young misses. As a young man, I found her irresistible.”

“You thought she was like you.”

Gabriel slumped back into his seat, not surprised Diana noticed his reticence around other people. “I thought our common phobia would draw us closer together. It wasn’t until after the marriage that I understood the truth…she simply didn’t care about anyone else but herself.”

“What happened?” Diana sat up, leaning against the back of the headboard.

“She lived for the life in town, loved the parties and attention. When we moved to the country, I took her away from the only things she cared about, and things became progressively worse. The marriage was a disaster. She was determined to do her duty and bear a child so she could return to the London.” Unable to stomach witnessing her reaction, he stared down at his feet. “She reduced our lovemaking to a perfunctory duty. It was a relief when she finally conceived.”

To his shame, when the maid announced her pregnancy and told him he no longer needed to visit his wife’s bed, he felt nothing but relief. At first, he tried to reassure her that their lovemaking would be better next time, only to freeze when she grimaced in distaste and told him not to bother. After a while, he couldn’t touch her without feeling like he was raping her.

She made him feel like the beast she’d called him.

Ever since, he couldn’t bear to touch any woman…until Diana came into his life.

“I thought things would change, but she detested being pregnant. She was revolted by the changes to her body and blamed me. After the baby was born, she left to attend the balls and teas as soon as she was able to travel, refusing to have anything to do with Emilie.”

Gabriel fell silent as his words dried up, his gut feeling hollow after his confession.

“Gabriel.”

His head jerked up at the sound of his name.

“You are a wonderful father. What happened to your wife is not your fault. You are not a beast.”

Gabriel snorted. “You don’t know—”

“A monster would not offer to help a lone woman in trouble. A monster would not offer her marriage. A monster would not volunteer to sleep in a chair much too small for him just so his new wife wouldn’t fear him.” His adamant refusal to join them had smarted, but his confession eased the hurt.

He stared at her with his deep blue eyes, almost as if afraid to move. “You’re tired. I promise we’ll be here in the morning. Why don’t you close your eyes and get some sleep?”

To her shock, he released a deep breath and obeyed.

In a matter of seconds, tension eased out of him as he fell asleep.

Her throat ached at his vulnerability.

She doubted he meant to reveal so much, but his dark expression had grown more brooding with each word. The terrible experiences with his first wife still festered in his soul, tainting his entire life.