in a month; I should think you would be more than willing to give me something as simple as a little kiss." He huffed, fingering a lock of her hair.
Eden yanked her hair out from his unwanted grasp. The man may be well manicured, but to her, his hands felt filthy. Every touch from the monster made her want to scrub her skin raw.
Why had her father left her alone in the house with this man? Why, even the servants were off work today.
"Please, sir, I have no desire to kiss you." Eden glanced at the door anxiously, longing to escape from him.
"But you have no choice, my flower. You must do as I tell you, as my fiancée.” His green eyes seemed to read every single thought that passed through her head. “I will not be denied by a simple wench. As your husband, I have a right to a kiss and far more from you, Eden!" he exploded, handsome face growing red with anger, a color almost the exact shade of the auburn hair that fell in disarray around his narrow shoulders. She wished he did not have the right to even call her by her Christian name. "For heaven’s sake, I have every right to take you up to my bedchamber! I may just have a mind to yet!"
"You are not my husband yet, now are you, sir ? Why, you have no right to anything at all from me," Eden cried. Tears stung her eyes. No, she would not give him the satisfaction her tears would bring.
How could she escape this man?
Lord Rutger backhanded her. The sharp sting burned her face, and she almost lost her balance as her vision blurred with tears. She refused to cry in front of the monster.
He dug his hands on her waist and planted his lips on hers in an aggressive kiss. Eden threw her face to the side. She gasped for air, desperate to escape his hounding lips, and twisted in his arms to break away from his audacious grip. Raising her hand, she smacked his insolent face although he deserved much more than a simple slap. Turning, she fled to her room and latched the door shut before she could face the consequences her actions would bring.
Heavy footsteps clomped behind her. The doorframe shivered under Lord Rutger’s pounding fists. A louder banging commenced. He was kicking in the door.
She knelt behind her bed and squeezed her eyes shut.
And then she woke. Eden took a deep, calming breath.
Just a dream. She opened her eyes. And discovered a tall man looming above her.
****
Eden shot out of bed. She searched for a weapon, anything she could use to protect herself from the man. Finding nothing, she fisted her hands and swung about to face her attacker.
Captain Archer smirked down at her. From the moonlight that filtered in through the porthole, she could identify amusement sparkling in the man’s eyes. Eden spotted a pistol on his desk. She seized the weapon and pointed it at the captain. Finding the foul handgun too heavy, she held it with both her hands although she was still shaking. How in the world did one work these wretched things?
****
Caspian chuckled. He must admit, he had never had a woman point a pistol at him. Even most of the men he knew were too frightened to threaten him. They knew the consequences of confronting Captain Caspian Archer.
This girl was quite plucky indeed.
He took a slow, calculated step toward her as if she were a young doe he was terrified of frightening off.
"Milady, you have naught to fear from me." Caspian held his hands up in an innocent gesture and glanced over at his son, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed. The child could sleep through just about anything. Yet another way the lad took after his mother.
Eden fumbled with Caspian’s pistol, and he chuckled yet again.
"You don't even know how to shoot a gun, do you, Eden?" He realized he had called the lady by her Christian name, but he could not stop himself. She was so frightened of him, and he wanted to reach through the haze of terror that clouded her eyes. By thunder, he had only been waking her from her nightmare, but now he realized the exact same nightmare may
Eden yanked her hair out from his unwanted grasp. The man may be well manicured, but to her, his hands felt filthy. Every touch from the monster made her want to scrub her skin raw.
Why had her father left her alone in the house with this man? Why, even the servants were off work today.
"Please, sir, I have no desire to kiss you." Eden glanced at the door anxiously, longing to escape from him.
"But you have no choice, my flower. You must do as I tell you, as my fiancée.” His green eyes seemed to read every single thought that passed through her head. “I will not be denied by a simple wench. As your husband, I have a right to a kiss and far more from you, Eden!" he exploded, handsome face growing red with anger, a color almost the exact shade of the auburn hair that fell in disarray around his narrow shoulders. She wished he did not have the right to even call her by her Christian name. "For heaven’s sake, I have every right to take you up to my bedchamber! I may just have a mind to yet!"
"You are not my husband yet, now are you, sir ? Why, you have no right to anything at all from me," Eden cried. Tears stung her eyes. No, she would not give him the satisfaction her tears would bring.
How could she escape this man?
Lord Rutger backhanded her. The sharp sting burned her face, and she almost lost her balance as her vision blurred with tears. She refused to cry in front of the monster.
He dug his hands on her waist and planted his lips on hers in an aggressive kiss. Eden threw her face to the side. She gasped for air, desperate to escape his hounding lips, and twisted in his arms to break away from his audacious grip. Raising her hand, she smacked his insolent face although he deserved much more than a simple slap. Turning, she fled to her room and latched the door shut before she could face the consequences her actions would bring.
Heavy footsteps clomped behind her. The doorframe shivered under Lord Rutger’s pounding fists. A louder banging commenced. He was kicking in the door.
She knelt behind her bed and squeezed her eyes shut.
And then she woke. Eden took a deep, calming breath.
Just a dream. She opened her eyes. And discovered a tall man looming above her.
****
Eden shot out of bed. She searched for a weapon, anything she could use to protect herself from the man. Finding nothing, she fisted her hands and swung about to face her attacker.
Captain Archer smirked down at her. From the moonlight that filtered in through the porthole, she could identify amusement sparkling in the man’s eyes. Eden spotted a pistol on his desk. She seized the weapon and pointed it at the captain. Finding the foul handgun too heavy, she held it with both her hands although she was still shaking. How in the world did one work these wretched things?
****
Caspian chuckled. He must admit, he had never had a woman point a pistol at him. Even most of the men he knew were too frightened to threaten him. They knew the consequences of confronting Captain Caspian Archer.
This girl was quite plucky indeed.
He took a slow, calculated step toward her as if she were a young doe he was terrified of frightening off.
"Milady, you have naught to fear from me." Caspian held his hands up in an innocent gesture and glanced over at his son, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed. The child could sleep through just about anything. Yet another way the lad took after his mother.
Eden fumbled with Caspian’s pistol, and he chuckled yet again.
"You don't even know how to shoot a gun, do you, Eden?" He realized he had called the lady by her Christian name, but he could not stop himself. She was so frightened of him, and he wanted to reach through the haze of terror that clouded her eyes. By thunder, he had only been waking her from her nightmare, but now he realized the exact same nightmare may
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