“We will be engaged,” he cut her off. “For one month only. Enough time to improve my reputation and your own so my niece will have a chance. One month and then you will be free of me.”
“And then what happens?”
He shrugged. “Whatever you desire. I know you do not wish to marry, so you will not have to worry about other lords courting you once you are done with me. Perhaps I will even bare the brunt of our engagement ending, making it appear as if you hurt me such that I cannot bear it.” He chuckled. “This will have the added effect of scaring other suitors away from you. Thus, you will be free to do what you want, how you want it. Your life will be your own and with it, you will be able to protect those you love like you never have before.”
That got her. That final offer… feeding into her desire to protect those she loved… and he saw in her eyes that she was finally starting to consider his offer.
Now, we find out just how desperate she is…
Every word that he spoke was the truth. And while he saw much in the way of future problems when dealing with Miss Celestine, what he could say without fear of being proven wrong was that when their month came to an end, she would have no desire to remain by his side.
Just as he knew there was no chance that she would ever fall in love with him. Or him with her…
“You’re lying.” The shock left her, and it was replaced by defiant anger that he felt burning from her like a hearth in winter.
“I am not.”
“Why would I ever believe you?” she snarled. “After everything I have heard of you, this…” She bared her teeth. “This is a trick. You mean to use me somehow.”
“I told you already how I mean to use you.”
“And I should just believe you.” She laughed mockingly. “You are a rake and a scoundrel. Your reputation is worth less than the mud on your boots. I will not be trapped by you.”
Edward liked to think of himself as a patient man but there was only so much that he could take. And the way she spat her defiance, how darn brave she was… it irked him more than he liked.
“Careful now. I have been nothing but polite –”
“Polite!” she laughed. “You barge into my home and make demands as if I should be so grateful. That is not polite. It is… it is dishonest and cowardly and –”
“Enough,” he growled before he could stop himself.
Her eyes widened and then she smirked. “See! You are exactly as I thought. A wolf in sheep clothing. Nothing more.”
“A wolf, you say…”
Edward sensed that she was purposefully trying to upset him. And while he knew that he ought to control himself, he also realized that Miss Celestine was not the type to be convinced through sheer pleading and kind words spoken.
She was stubborn. She was arrogant. And women like that responded to one thing only…
“If I am a wolf than you are a sheep, and if that is the case…” He flashed his eyes, he let her see them roam her body, and then he pounced.
She gasped and stepped back but the door blocked her way.
He was on her, his body pressed against her soft curves so that he felt her trembling. One hand went to her waist, and he tooka little too much pleasure in feeling her softness beneath her gown. The other went to her throat… then to her chin, which he forced to look up as he towered over her.
“The problem with you, Miss Celestine, is that you have lived a life without consequence. No doubt there are many who you can speak to like that in your world. But this is my world, and I will not be spoken down to.” He forced her to look into his eyes, and he made sure that she saw the fire burning behind them.
“I… I…”
“What?” he growled as he leaned into her, pressing his body so that he felt her tremble. “Are you trying to apologize?”
“No.” She flashed her eyes at him. “Never.”
He chuckled, just as he felt that fire in him burn so hot that he could hardly control himself. He could smell her. He could feel her. And his eyes flicked to her soft lips… her pink skin… and oh, how he wanted to put her in her place.
“My words are real,” he growled to her, making sure to hold her against the door. “My offer is real. One month is all that I require of you. No more, no less. I will not beg. I will not plead. But I will be expecting an answer…” Shaking, unable to help himself, he leaned in. She turned her head away, exposing the side of her face, and his lips when to her ear. They found her earlobe, they wrapped it, sucked and nibbled, and he heard her moan. “Think on what I have said,” he breathed into her ear. “And the next time I see you, I will expect an answer.”
“You have my answer,” she said, her voice cracking.
