waiting for you to grow up while I finished my education. I would have started calling on you this spring. But Black got the jump on me.”
Chloe stared at him. “But Kitty brought him home.”
“Yes, and I wanted to strangle her pretty little neck for that.” Roarke drew near to Chloe again.
“She didn’t know that you loved me?” Chloe gazed toward him as if studying a stranger. The low light and her hat brim veiled her eyes. What was she thinking?
“Not too perceptive about her brother,” Roarke said with chagrin. “‘Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.’ That’s my sister.”
“Kitty’s my friend,” Chloe said with a lift of her chin.
“And she’s my sister. I love her, too. I just didn’t need her flashing good-looking strangers in your face. I’m not handsome or a dashing soldier. But I love you, Chloe. I’ll do my best to make you happy.” He claimed her delicate hand, its cotton covering soft in his palm, and waited. The silence between them swelled like a force of its own. He realized he’d stopped breathing and made himself inhale normally—as normally as his speeding heart would permit.
With a sigh, she withdrew her hand from his. “I’m sorry, Roarke. I can’t turn back now. I won’t be a jilt,” she repeated. Her voice still held a note of uncertainty.
“Theran Black isn’t part of our world.” Roarke played his best card. “No one will think less of you. Heck, no one but Kitty, Minnie, and I need ever know about your engagement to Black.”
“I gave him my promise.” Chloe sounded as if she were working hard to convince herself. The fragments of sky between the trees glowed bronze and violet now.
“I love you, Chloe. More important,” he said, laying down all his aces, “I won’t let your parents use you anymore. As my wife, you won’t be available to them. I won’t allow you to electioneer for your daddy. I won’t let your mother tell you what to wear and whom you can talk to. I can’t take you away to another state or city, but I can exert my authority as your husband. I’ll protect you from them, you have my word.”
Chloe took another step backward and then turned away. Shadows from the fluttering leaves flickered over her back. “Please don’t ask me again, Roarke. My mind is made up.”
Her uncertain tone didn’t convince Roarke. He came up behind her and gripped her slim shoulders with tender regard. She tensed so he didn’t turn her. He began to massage the tight muscles under his fingers. She didn’t pull away and, emboldened, he whispered, “Chloe, kiss me. Turn around and kiss me and then tell me I don’t have a chance.”
She turned under his hands and looked up into his face. “Roarke, you’re one of my two best friends in the world—”
He bent and kissed her.
Love me, Chloe. I’ll take good care of you always. Love me.
For a moment, she remained still within his embrace. And then her lips answered his. The kiss brought her closer to him. His hopes soared.
But she tugged free, raising her hands to her mouth and shaking her head. “No. Theran will be waiting for us.” She turned and hurried away over the rutted trail.
Roarke watched her run away. In spite of losing this skirmish, he didn’t allow himself to think defeat yet. It would be a long night before Chloe would come face to face with taking wedding vows with Theran Black.
“All right for now, Chloe,” he said just loud enough for her to hear. “But I haven’t given up. Any time this evening all you have to say is ‘Roarke, I changed my mind.’ And I’ll take care of everything.”
Just after nightfall, at the Baltimore Union Station, Chloe walked—outwardly composed—beside Roarke with Minnie just a step behind her. Her insides twirled as she wondered what lay ahead. Would Roarke challenge Theran in some way? Roarke’s declaration had sent her thoughts chasing themselves ’round and ’round. Why hadn’t he kept silent? Wasn’t this hard enough?
As
Chloe stared at him. “But Kitty brought him home.”
“Yes, and I wanted to strangle her pretty little neck for that.” Roarke drew near to Chloe again.
“She didn’t know that you loved me?” Chloe gazed toward him as if studying a stranger. The low light and her hat brim veiled her eyes. What was she thinking?
“Not too perceptive about her brother,” Roarke said with chagrin. “‘Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.’ That’s my sister.”
“Kitty’s my friend,” Chloe said with a lift of her chin.
“And she’s my sister. I love her, too. I just didn’t need her flashing good-looking strangers in your face. I’m not handsome or a dashing soldier. But I love you, Chloe. I’ll do my best to make you happy.” He claimed her delicate hand, its cotton covering soft in his palm, and waited. The silence between them swelled like a force of its own. He realized he’d stopped breathing and made himself inhale normally—as normally as his speeding heart would permit.
With a sigh, she withdrew her hand from his. “I’m sorry, Roarke. I can’t turn back now. I won’t be a jilt,” she repeated. Her voice still held a note of uncertainty.
“Theran Black isn’t part of our world.” Roarke played his best card. “No one will think less of you. Heck, no one but Kitty, Minnie, and I need ever know about your engagement to Black.”
“I gave him my promise.” Chloe sounded as if she were working hard to convince herself. The fragments of sky between the trees glowed bronze and violet now.
“I love you, Chloe. More important,” he said, laying down all his aces, “I won’t let your parents use you anymore. As my wife, you won’t be available to them. I won’t allow you to electioneer for your daddy. I won’t let your mother tell you what to wear and whom you can talk to. I can’t take you away to another state or city, but I can exert my authority as your husband. I’ll protect you from them, you have my word.”
Chloe took another step backward and then turned away. Shadows from the fluttering leaves flickered over her back. “Please don’t ask me again, Roarke. My mind is made up.”
Her uncertain tone didn’t convince Roarke. He came up behind her and gripped her slim shoulders with tender regard. She tensed so he didn’t turn her. He began to massage the tight muscles under his fingers. She didn’t pull away and, emboldened, he whispered, “Chloe, kiss me. Turn around and kiss me and then tell me I don’t have a chance.”
She turned under his hands and looked up into his face. “Roarke, you’re one of my two best friends in the world—”
He bent and kissed her.
Love me, Chloe. I’ll take good care of you always. Love me.
For a moment, she remained still within his embrace. And then her lips answered his. The kiss brought her closer to him. His hopes soared.
But she tugged free, raising her hands to her mouth and shaking her head. “No. Theran will be waiting for us.” She turned and hurried away over the rutted trail.
Roarke watched her run away. In spite of losing this skirmish, he didn’t allow himself to think defeat yet. It would be a long night before Chloe would come face to face with taking wedding vows with Theran Black.
“All right for now, Chloe,” he said just loud enough for her to hear. “But I haven’t given up. Any time this evening all you have to say is ‘Roarke, I changed my mind.’ And I’ll take care of everything.”
Just after nightfall, at the Baltimore Union Station, Chloe walked—outwardly composed—beside Roarke with Minnie just a step behind her. Her insides twirled as she wondered what lay ahead. Would Roarke challenge Theran in some way? Roarke’s declaration had sent her thoughts chasing themselves ’round and ’round. Why hadn’t he kept silent? Wasn’t this hard enough?
As
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