across the paleness of her skin, carving tempting shadows between her gently rounded breasts. He groaned, lowering his mouth to taste her perfection.
She seemed to shudder, though she didn’t make a sound, merely lifted a hand to brush the hair from his brow. The muted gleam of her wedding band distracted him and he pulled back, looking at her, seeing her clearly for the first time that night.
And what he saw stopped him cold.
A solitary tear traced a path down the waxen curve of her cheek, and he took a quick step back, disgusted by what he’d been about to do. And yet, despite that disgust, every instinct he possessed railed at him to finish what he’d started, to put his mark on her in the most basic way possible. He’d never considered himself noble or honorable or decent. Tonight confirmed that beyond any doubt. But looking into Wynne’s wide, unflinching eyes, seeing her acceptance of such an untenable situation very nearly unmanned him.
What the hell had he done, marrying her like this?
He took another step back and then another and another until he’d put as much room between them as he could. “Get in the bed,” he whispered harshly.
Still she didn’t speak, merely drew her nightgown back in place and obeyed. She clambered onto the mattress, and in that moment, he knew. He couldn’t touch her,couldn’t risk hurting her. Not now. Not even if it meant losing the inheritance he’d fought so hard to win.
He forced himself to turn his back on her, staring instead at the desert skirting the hotel, feeling oddly at one with the bleak beauty. Slowly the serenity of the landscape crept into his soul, calming him, and he gained a small measure of control. Only the strongest and most determined survived in such an arid section of the country—just as only through sheer strength and determination had he survived the aridness of his youth. But his survival had never been at anyone’s expense but his own.
Until now.
“Jake…?”
He didn’t turn around. “Go to sleep, elf. We’ll talk in the morning.”
He heard the rustle of sheets as she left the bed and approached, felt her icy hand slip across his bicep. “Have I done something wrong?” she questioned quietly.
His laugh rang out, cold and humorless. “Yeah. You did something wrong. You married me.”
“No,” she protested. “Marrying you was the smartest thing I ever did.”
He spun around, grabbing her shoulders. “Don’t you get it? Don’t you realize what happened here tonight? I almost…I almost…” He couldn’t speak the words, couldn’t admit he’d nearly committed such a vile act.
“Don’t say it,” she urged, pressing her fingertips to his mouth. “You did nothing wrong. I’m your wife, remember? You could never hurt me.”
“If that’s what you really believe, then you’re setting yourself up for a mighty big fall.” He stepped away, warning, “It’s not wise to stand this close, not the way I’m feeling right now. Wife or not, it’s clear I can’t be trusted.”
She stood her ground. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’d trust you with my life. Please come to bed with me, Jake. I don’t want to sleep alone on our wedding night.”
He shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“No, I don’t suppose I do. Come, anyway.” She tilted her head to one side and a smile trembled at the corners of her mouth, erasing all vestige of her earlier tears. “I promise I won’t take advantage of you.”
Not bothering to argue further, he swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed. Tucking her carefully beneath the covers, he started to return to his stance by the window, but found it impossible to leave her side. Instead he stripped off his robe and joined her between the sheets. More than anything he wanted to pull her into his arms. But that would be begging for trouble. He’d narrowly escaped their last encounter with his sanity intact. He’d never escape this one if he gave in and held
She seemed to shudder, though she didn’t make a sound, merely lifted a hand to brush the hair from his brow. The muted gleam of her wedding band distracted him and he pulled back, looking at her, seeing her clearly for the first time that night.
And what he saw stopped him cold.
A solitary tear traced a path down the waxen curve of her cheek, and he took a quick step back, disgusted by what he’d been about to do. And yet, despite that disgust, every instinct he possessed railed at him to finish what he’d started, to put his mark on her in the most basic way possible. He’d never considered himself noble or honorable or decent. Tonight confirmed that beyond any doubt. But looking into Wynne’s wide, unflinching eyes, seeing her acceptance of such an untenable situation very nearly unmanned him.
What the hell had he done, marrying her like this?
He took another step back and then another and another until he’d put as much room between them as he could. “Get in the bed,” he whispered harshly.
Still she didn’t speak, merely drew her nightgown back in place and obeyed. She clambered onto the mattress, and in that moment, he knew. He couldn’t touch her,couldn’t risk hurting her. Not now. Not even if it meant losing the inheritance he’d fought so hard to win.
He forced himself to turn his back on her, staring instead at the desert skirting the hotel, feeling oddly at one with the bleak beauty. Slowly the serenity of the landscape crept into his soul, calming him, and he gained a small measure of control. Only the strongest and most determined survived in such an arid section of the country—just as only through sheer strength and determination had he survived the aridness of his youth. But his survival had never been at anyone’s expense but his own.
Until now.
“Jake…?”
He didn’t turn around. “Go to sleep, elf. We’ll talk in the morning.”
He heard the rustle of sheets as she left the bed and approached, felt her icy hand slip across his bicep. “Have I done something wrong?” she questioned quietly.
His laugh rang out, cold and humorless. “Yeah. You did something wrong. You married me.”
“No,” she protested. “Marrying you was the smartest thing I ever did.”
He spun around, grabbing her shoulders. “Don’t you get it? Don’t you realize what happened here tonight? I almost…I almost…” He couldn’t speak the words, couldn’t admit he’d nearly committed such a vile act.
“Don’t say it,” she urged, pressing her fingertips to his mouth. “You did nothing wrong. I’m your wife, remember? You could never hurt me.”
“If that’s what you really believe, then you’re setting yourself up for a mighty big fall.” He stepped away, warning, “It’s not wise to stand this close, not the way I’m feeling right now. Wife or not, it’s clear I can’t be trusted.”
She stood her ground. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’d trust you with my life. Please come to bed with me, Jake. I don’t want to sleep alone on our wedding night.”
He shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“No, I don’t suppose I do. Come, anyway.” She tilted her head to one side and a smile trembled at the corners of her mouth, erasing all vestige of her earlier tears. “I promise I won’t take advantage of you.”
Not bothering to argue further, he swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed. Tucking her carefully beneath the covers, he started to return to his stance by the window, but found it impossible to leave her side. Instead he stripped off his robe and joined her between the sheets. More than anything he wanted to pull her into his arms. But that would be begging for trouble. He’d narrowly escaped their last encounter with his sanity intact. He’d never escape this one if he gave in and held
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