Colin knew very few members of the haut ton who were, in fact, honorable.
Eve was one such exception.
At the time, he perceived no other choice than to disappear. Lachlan left him no choice, damn the vindictive old man to hell. As long as Colin lived, he would never forget the pure panic he felt when his father threatened to destroy Eve. Like a monster, Colin’s rising anxiety clawed at his chest with talons sharp as knives, germinating and intensifying until it stole his very breath.
Because of Eve … the woman he can never have.
“Colin,” Eve brushed her palm against his arm. “Emma refers to me as her aunt because that is how she has known me since birth.”
He met her concerned gaze. Being here, standing upon his illegitimate father’s soil, reminded him of how different his life would have been if he had never learned the truth.
Squeezing his arm, Eve leaned forward. “Colin?”
“You had every right to move on with your life.” Colin took great pains to keep his voice free from censure. “You don’t owe me an explanation,”
“Yes, I do,” Eve’s gaze held his. “I was too harsh with you this afternoon. I am aware of that now.”
He arched his brow.
“Honestly,” Eve insisted.
A golden curl had fallen out of place, brushing against Eve’s cheek. Colin reached for it, tucking it behind her ear. Her silken locks were softer and emanated a warmer glow that he remembered … as if kissed by the sun itself.
Eve’s lips parted, ever so slightly as if she wanted to say something. She then averted her eyes from him, apparently thinking better of it.
He tipped her chin up, forcing her gaze to meet his once again. “What?”
Eve studied a vibrant rose bush, contemplating whether or not to continue he suspected. She then turned to him, her green eyes more striking than the verdant garden shrubbery that surrounded them, emanating such honesty that Colin was certain he could see into her soul if he tried. “I never expected you would care about me. In truth, I believed that you departed because you never did.”
“Nothing could be further from the truth.” Colin yearned to caress her face, show her how much he adored her; however, he would never betray Tristan by doing so. Instead, he clutched the rose his niece had given him, making certain that a sharp thorn pierced his flesh. The sting kept him from doing something he would regret.
Eve’s heart-shaped pout became more pronounced. “I’m sorry I lost faith in you,” she spoke in a broken whisper that alluded to promises unfulfilled and a yearning for what might have been.
It was the latter that caused Colin to reach for her without thinking before caressing Eve’s soft cheek with his free thumb. He wanted to kiss her. No, it was more than desire. It was a burning need, coursing through his veins.
Inhaling a ragged breath, she leaned towards him, and he wondered if she wanted their kiss as much as he did. Then Eve leaned further towards him, just a fraction of an inch. It was a slight gesture signifying so much.
She wanted to kiss him.
Colin was convinced of it as he gazed into the depths of her green eyes, now enhanced by specks of gold as if they possessed tiny fragments of the sun. He knew her too well. Her eyes grew warmer with desire.
His past experience with her made him an expert.
In spite of everything, Eve still desired him. Such a revelation was enough to cause him to contemplate kissing her, consequences be damned. But his conscience reminded him of his brother and it warred with his heart in a heated inner struggle.
As much as Colin wanted Eve, cared about her, he refused to hurt his brother and to go further would certainly wound Tristan.
“Bloody hell,” he muttered aloud.
Colin jerked his hand away from her cheek, the very motion all but killing him. It was the definition of insanity – having no choice but to retreat from Eve for a second time.
Eve swayed as he released her, as if
Eve was one such exception.
At the time, he perceived no other choice than to disappear. Lachlan left him no choice, damn the vindictive old man to hell. As long as Colin lived, he would never forget the pure panic he felt when his father threatened to destroy Eve. Like a monster, Colin’s rising anxiety clawed at his chest with talons sharp as knives, germinating and intensifying until it stole his very breath.
Because of Eve … the woman he can never have.
“Colin,” Eve brushed her palm against his arm. “Emma refers to me as her aunt because that is how she has known me since birth.”
He met her concerned gaze. Being here, standing upon his illegitimate father’s soil, reminded him of how different his life would have been if he had never learned the truth.
Squeezing his arm, Eve leaned forward. “Colin?”
“You had every right to move on with your life.” Colin took great pains to keep his voice free from censure. “You don’t owe me an explanation,”
“Yes, I do,” Eve’s gaze held his. “I was too harsh with you this afternoon. I am aware of that now.”
He arched his brow.
“Honestly,” Eve insisted.
A golden curl had fallen out of place, brushing against Eve’s cheek. Colin reached for it, tucking it behind her ear. Her silken locks were softer and emanated a warmer glow that he remembered … as if kissed by the sun itself.
Eve’s lips parted, ever so slightly as if she wanted to say something. She then averted her eyes from him, apparently thinking better of it.
He tipped her chin up, forcing her gaze to meet his once again. “What?”
Eve studied a vibrant rose bush, contemplating whether or not to continue he suspected. She then turned to him, her green eyes more striking than the verdant garden shrubbery that surrounded them, emanating such honesty that Colin was certain he could see into her soul if he tried. “I never expected you would care about me. In truth, I believed that you departed because you never did.”
“Nothing could be further from the truth.” Colin yearned to caress her face, show her how much he adored her; however, he would never betray Tristan by doing so. Instead, he clutched the rose his niece had given him, making certain that a sharp thorn pierced his flesh. The sting kept him from doing something he would regret.
Eve’s heart-shaped pout became more pronounced. “I’m sorry I lost faith in you,” she spoke in a broken whisper that alluded to promises unfulfilled and a yearning for what might have been.
It was the latter that caused Colin to reach for her without thinking before caressing Eve’s soft cheek with his free thumb. He wanted to kiss her. No, it was more than desire. It was a burning need, coursing through his veins.
Inhaling a ragged breath, she leaned towards him, and he wondered if she wanted their kiss as much as he did. Then Eve leaned further towards him, just a fraction of an inch. It was a slight gesture signifying so much.
She wanted to kiss him.
Colin was convinced of it as he gazed into the depths of her green eyes, now enhanced by specks of gold as if they possessed tiny fragments of the sun. He knew her too well. Her eyes grew warmer with desire.
His past experience with her made him an expert.
In spite of everything, Eve still desired him. Such a revelation was enough to cause him to contemplate kissing her, consequences be damned. But his conscience reminded him of his brother and it warred with his heart in a heated inner struggle.
As much as Colin wanted Eve, cared about her, he refused to hurt his brother and to go further would certainly wound Tristan.
“Bloody hell,” he muttered aloud.
Colin jerked his hand away from her cheek, the very motion all but killing him. It was the definition of insanity – having no choice but to retreat from Eve for a second time.
Eve swayed as he released her, as if
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