Free And Then Comes Marriage by Celeste Bradley Page B

it had not occurred to him before. Why would a woman, even a free and sexually available widow, take a man home within moments of meeting him? When did a woman require no preamble, no dancing or flowers or pretty conversation?
    All the things Poll was so very good at.
    Cas took a step backwards, away from his brother. Guilt washed over him. He’d been so casual, so reckless.
    He thought of lovely, honest Mira—who belonged to Poll.
    I like you, she’d whispered to him as she sheltered in his arms. Now I think I like you even more.
    Him, not Poll. “You courted her for how long?”
    “Since the beginning of last month.”
    “Nearly four weeks. Four weeks before I first encountered her.”
    “Yes! You saw what I had and you wanted it for yourself!”
    Cas shook his head. “No. Poll, no. It was a mistake. She confused us … as people so often do. She must have followed me into the alley, thinking I was you.” He explained his flying leap of rescue and that he had escorted the lady home.
    Poll halted in his fury. “That’s—but how could you let her think you were me?”
    Cas shrugged. “It honestly didn’t occur to me. She was pretty and bold and I thought she was just another widow with a taste for adventure.”
    Poll stared at him in sudden horror. “Yesterday?”
    Cas looked up sharply. “Yes. I told you, she followed me into the alley. We nearly blew her up!”
    It was Poll’s turn to rub at his face. “I went to Miranda’s last evening, before I attended the party. She … she was different, more open, more…” The remembered delight made his throat close now. “She almost kissed me, at last.”
    Cas’s expression cleared. “Then I was first,” he stated calmly.
    “What?”
    Cas folded his arms. “I was first to kiss her, so it is you who should step down.”
    Cas knew he wasn’t making much sense. Yet as quickly as he realized what he’d inadvertently done, he decided he just didn’t bloody care.
    Mira was his and he was going to keep her.
    Poll stared at his brother as if he were a stranger. “You … you can’t! You know now—I am courting her! She is mine. You can’t keep seeing her!”
    Cas shrugged. “I don’t know that she is yours. I don’t know what would have happened if you had saved her yesterday instead of me,” he pointed out. “You might have missed her meaning, you might have decided to wait a little longer.” He lifted his chin. “But I didn’t hesitate. I took her home and I kissed her first. She is mine.”
    “Yours! You stole her!”
    Cas held up his hands in defense. “I didn’t know—I swear I didn’t!”
    “I’m sure!” Poll scoffed. “You just happened to trip and fall onto her lips, I suppose. Have to watch out for those troubling carpets and all.”
    He saw anger flash in Cas’s eyes. Good. Bastard.
    Cas unfolded his arms and straightened. “It was you who couldn’t get the merry widow to sign on the dotted line!”
    Poll flinched. “I was building her up,” he retorted. “Of course, now you’ve ruined all that work—”
    “Done you a favor, you mean! I was the proud recipient of her first kiss,” Cas taunted. “That will make a woman lean toward gratitude.”
    Poll frowned. “Her first? Ever?”
    Cas grimaced. “Yes, poor thing. That husband of hers was too bound up to do more than peck her on the cheek!”
    The fact that Mira had enjoyed his brother’s attentions did not actually help. A red fog flirted with the edge of his vision. Poll’s fists clenched. Then they eased and his eyes narrowed. “Ha. She has better taste than to settle for a bounder like you.”
    Cas snorted. “I’m a bounder? When every woman you get involved with ends up thinking you’ll love her forever, only to see the back of you by month’s end!”
    Poll snarled. “That’s right, they’re begging me to stay. Yours are begging you to leave, or they would be if you ever stuck around long enough!”
    Cas’s face darkened. “Mrs. Talbot wasn’t