strain between them increased. Instantly, Jane’s body
and mind betrayed her. Her skin tingled at the very sight of this man.
Kiss me , she wanted to say. Love me. Hold me.
Please. Show me you love me still.
He kept staring at her, and for a moment, she saw his face
soften. Suddenly, he turned toward her bed, fiddling with the ribbons on her side
table. She could see him frowning.
Her heart seemed to stop as she watched him continue to toy
with the blue strands of silk. She remembered those powerful hands loving her,
holding her. He could be as gentle as a lamb if he wanted and strong as a lion at
other times.
She wanted that strength now. She wanted him. Needed him.
She loved him.
Without a word, he started for his door.
Shocked at his abrupt departure, she said anything that came
to mind. “Roderick, do you think this gown makes me look fat?”
He glanced over his shoulder and pulled at his cravat. Sunlight
angled across his face, making her yearn for the days when she believed he
loved her and would never stop loving her.
“Well,” he uttered. “Uh, now that you brought the
matter up…I must say, I am rather concerned. After your, well, loss, you have
put on a few pounds. Maybe the doctor—”
Outraged, she threw her hands to her hips. First Captain
Argyle and now this! “So, you think I am fat?”
His face turned a deep red. “It’s not that. I was just thinking
that after…” He shrugged. “Well, you know…”
She glared at him. “After the loss of the baby. Is that what
you cannot say?”
He swallowed. “Yes, after your, uh, loss. In fact, I have
been thinking about that and thought perhaps you should speak to the doctor about
your eating habits lately.”
Eating habits, she thought sadly. “It was not just my loss, Roderick. You did have a hand in the process, you know.” The bitterness
of her words echoed in the air.
His expression darkened. “Don’t you think I know that? You
almost died. How do you think that makes me feel?”
“Oh, we’ve talked this to the ground. I want a baby. Can you
give us another chance? Please, Roderick, don’t push me away.”
She ran to him, pressing her head against his chest. “Oh,
please, please, love me,” she cried. She didn’t care what it took to be back in
his arms. If she had to plead with him, so be it. She needed him to love her
again.
He curled his arms around her. “Jane,” he said, his voice
cracking.
His hands ran down her back, caressing her. “Jane, Jane.”
His voice was silky and low, touching the very depths of her heart.
His heart beat against her ear, making her feel safe again.
She lifted her head, her soul bursting with love for the
only man she had ever loved. “Oh, Roderick. Kiss me.”
Two smoky gray eyes stared back at her. Hesitation lingered
in his face, but it only lasted a few seconds before she knew she had won.
“Jane,” he said, crushing his warm lips to hers.
Her spirit soared. The very touch of him made her go weak. She
ached for this moment. His kisses moved along her cheek to behind her ear, then
down her neck. Passion flowed through her like a raging fire. Her thoughts
whirled as his hands wrapped around her waist, and he lifted her closer. His
hunger for her sent a surge of heat flowing through her veins.
Her arms tightened about his neck, and her heart sang with
happiness.
“Oh, Roderick,” she purred. “I have missed you so.” She
leaned back and cupped his face with her hands. “Don’t ever leave me again,”
she said breathlessly. “Promise me, you will always love me.”
Their eyes met, and unexpectedly those beautiful pools of
liquid silver changed to an ominous black. In a matter of seconds, the
temperature in the room seemed to drop about fifty degrees. She felt her toes
curl in dread when his entire expression turned to ice. A cold chill ran
through her.
“Roderick?” she asked, frowning, touching his cheek.
He flinched and stepped back. Her heart shattered. What
and mind betrayed her. Her skin tingled at the very sight of this man.
Kiss me , she wanted to say. Love me. Hold me.
Please. Show me you love me still.
He kept staring at her, and for a moment, she saw his face
soften. Suddenly, he turned toward her bed, fiddling with the ribbons on her side
table. She could see him frowning.
Her heart seemed to stop as she watched him continue to toy
with the blue strands of silk. She remembered those powerful hands loving her,
holding her. He could be as gentle as a lamb if he wanted and strong as a lion at
other times.
She wanted that strength now. She wanted him. Needed him.
She loved him.
Without a word, he started for his door.
Shocked at his abrupt departure, she said anything that came
to mind. “Roderick, do you think this gown makes me look fat?”
He glanced over his shoulder and pulled at his cravat. Sunlight
angled across his face, making her yearn for the days when she believed he
loved her and would never stop loving her.
“Well,” he uttered. “Uh, now that you brought the
matter up…I must say, I am rather concerned. After your, well, loss, you have
put on a few pounds. Maybe the doctor—”
Outraged, she threw her hands to her hips. First Captain
Argyle and now this! “So, you think I am fat?”
His face turned a deep red. “It’s not that. I was just thinking
that after…” He shrugged. “Well, you know…”
She glared at him. “After the loss of the baby. Is that what
you cannot say?”
He swallowed. “Yes, after your, uh, loss. In fact, I have
been thinking about that and thought perhaps you should speak to the doctor about
your eating habits lately.”
Eating habits, she thought sadly. “It was not just my loss, Roderick. You did have a hand in the process, you know.” The bitterness
of her words echoed in the air.
His expression darkened. “Don’t you think I know that? You
almost died. How do you think that makes me feel?”
“Oh, we’ve talked this to the ground. I want a baby. Can you
give us another chance? Please, Roderick, don’t push me away.”
She ran to him, pressing her head against his chest. “Oh,
please, please, love me,” she cried. She didn’t care what it took to be back in
his arms. If she had to plead with him, so be it. She needed him to love her
again.
He curled his arms around her. “Jane,” he said, his voice
cracking.
His hands ran down her back, caressing her. “Jane, Jane.”
His voice was silky and low, touching the very depths of her heart.
His heart beat against her ear, making her feel safe again.
She lifted her head, her soul bursting with love for the
only man she had ever loved. “Oh, Roderick. Kiss me.”
Two smoky gray eyes stared back at her. Hesitation lingered
in his face, but it only lasted a few seconds before she knew she had won.
“Jane,” he said, crushing his warm lips to hers.
Her spirit soared. The very touch of him made her go weak. She
ached for this moment. His kisses moved along her cheek to behind her ear, then
down her neck. Passion flowed through her like a raging fire. Her thoughts
whirled as his hands wrapped around her waist, and he lifted her closer. His
hunger for her sent a surge of heat flowing through her veins.
Her arms tightened about his neck, and her heart sang with
happiness.
“Oh, Roderick,” she purred. “I have missed you so.” She
leaned back and cupped his face with her hands. “Don’t ever leave me again,”
she said breathlessly. “Promise me, you will always love me.”
Their eyes met, and unexpectedly those beautiful pools of
liquid silver changed to an ominous black. In a matter of seconds, the
temperature in the room seemed to drop about fifty degrees. She felt her toes
curl in dread when his entire expression turned to ice. A cold chill ran
through her.
“Roderick?” she asked, frowning, touching his cheek.
He flinched and stepped back. Her heart shattered. What
Similar Books
