“Will we only stay friends once we are married? Do you think you will hate me for ruining your life and bonding it with my
own?”
My eyes softened a little as I thought of her words. I wish I knew the answer. I knew I could never hate her, but right now
all I wanted was to fill the remaining space between us and cover her lips with mine. But she was clearly lost in her own
thoughts of worry, which I needed to help ease.
“I could never hate you. And having you in my life will not ruin it. If you wish to only stay friends, then that is what our
relationship shall be. If you wish for me, then you only have to ask.”
She rolled her eyes at me then squared her shoulders, the sudden change in her body language made her stand up
straighter.What wrong thing have I said now?
“You have already told me when we are alone, that I will find no comfort from you. Which is it, Nic? Are you to be a
devoted husband outside these walls as well as in them? Or will I have to find someone to keep my bed warm when you refuse
to enter it?”
Grabbing her by the waistline, I parted her legs and pulled her against me. The same surge of anger ran through me as it did
with Percy. Seeing her or envisioning her with another man made me want to skin whoever it was alive.
“All this back-and-forth hurt and confuse me, Nic. I do not know what you want from me,” she muttered, her breath fanning
against my skin as I came close to her face.
“I told you once, when you are my wife, I will show you things no other woman has ever seen before. I am just as confused
as you are with my feelings. All I know right now is I want you—I want every inch of you—but I will not push, and I will not
beg for you to want me back.”
She bit her lip again and I wanted to claim her there and then. I wanted to fill her and make her mine. However, I controlled
myself, regardless of how difficult it was becoming with her this close to me.
I went to loosen my grip on her, and her hand flew up to hold mine there before she looked up at me under her hooded
lashes.
“Ever since that day in the woods, where we danced, I have wanted you, too. But I am afraid I will fall, and you will not be
there to catch me. You continue to push me away and hurt me, all for reasons I am unsure of. I should have told you I still
wanted to marry you yesterday, but I also wanted you to heal my brother,” she admitted, a tear escaping her eye.
I brushed it away with my thumb, holding my breath as I waited for her next words.
“We will take the marriage rites and the vow to each other, but only then will I allow you to have every inch of me. That is,
when I am ready, and I trust you will not break my heart.”
She pressed up onto her toes, brushing her lips against mine. This was the first time she has chosen to kiss me. I wasn't
