Page 34 of The Trouble with a Dare

“Grace.”

This time she did not respond, still turned away from him.

Sterling put an arm about her shoulders, gently coaxing her to turn back to him.

“Grace, look at me,” he commanded, his voice firm.

She did, her grey eyes full of such misery his heart twisted in his chest. Christ. If he ever found the bastard who did this to her, he’d bloody kill him.

“Ah, love,” he said, and pulled her into his arms, pressing her head against his shoulder and stroking her hair. She gasped, stiffening for a moment, and then all at once the tension went out of her. Grace wrapped her arms about him tightly, the pleasure of her nearness almost enough to chase the words from his head. “I’ll have no more of this, love, do you hear me?”

She sniffed and looked up at him. “I’m s-sorry. I know I’m an awful bother, I don’t mean to make a scene.”

He tsked at this and shook his head. “Tears don’t frighten me, silly girl, I don’t mind that. I only mean that I’ll not have you living with such guilt, always thinking I’ve made some great sacrifice when I’ve done nothing of the sort. I’m glad, Grace. Not for your pain, which I would take from you if I could, but glad for the child and glad for you and I don’t care if it’s my blood or no. If not for that new life, I might never have been given this chance and so I can’t find anything in it to regret. I know you can’t say the same and I understand that, but I beg that you not feel shame or guilt before me for I see none in you.”

“You don’t know that,” she protested, her voice cracking. “You don’t k-know what I did, how b-badly I behaved and—”

“I know,” he said, the word hard, almost angry, as he forced her to listen and believe him. “I know how a man like that works, luring you in till you discover you’re in too deep and you never even realised you’d put a toe in the water.”

She blinked at him with wide-eyed surprise.

“I know,” he said again, gentler now but no less forceful for it.

Her breath hitched, and he reached out to wipe a tear away with his thumb. She stared at him with her grave, cloud-filled eyes and the desire to kiss her overwhelmed him. Still, he had wit enough to go slowly, to give her the chance to deny him if she wished. He’d not be another man who took and took with no care for the damage he wrought. With his heart thundering in his chest, he touched his mouth to her cheek, then a little closer to her mouth, and then the tantalising corner of her lips. She made no protest and so he slid his mouth over hers, the silken touch like a downy petal beneath his own and evoking such a profound surge of desire, it stole his breath. He knew it was more complicated than mere lust, for it contained a spark of hope that now blazed to light, that dared to flare to life and brighten the monotony of his existence. It was the promise of a future, of trust and happiness, and the realisation of how desperately he wanted and needed it made him quake inwardly. Yet, if he did not dare to claim it, if he did not risk his heart, he would never get the chance at all, for she would never trust a man who did not open his heart to her. Not now. Not after everything she had experienced. He must be honest with her, always, and hope that she learned to believe in him.

To his delight, she showed not the least resistance to his kiss as he pressed his mouth against hers again, with more intent this time. Instead, she melted into him and slid a hand about his neck, tangling her fingers into his hair.

Sterling wished then that they were at home, that there was time to never break this kiss but to linger and see where it might lead. Not that he wished to tempt her as she’d been tempted before, only to kiss her. A kiss like this was something he could savour for hours, for the entire afternoon, and never grow tired of the taste of her. Though the parlour was a private one, it was no place to linger on exploring this new delight, and yet her mouth was so impossibly sweet, beguiling, tempting him on, and when she opened to him, welcoming him in he could only groan with pleasure. She responded at once, pressing closer, inviting him to take more, and it was so hard to resist.

His hands moved over her waist to her hip, careful not to push his luck, but delighting in the curves of her body. She was such a slight little thing, but he had noticed the changes in her, the way her gowns hugged her tighter than before, her breasts fuller as the pregnancy progressed. Everything about her was a joy to him, and whilst there might have been a frustrated part of him that howled impatiently for more, he was content to his bones, his soul singing with the happiness of it. He was a patient man, and he did not wish to rush ahead and spoil the tenderness of the moment to satisfy his baser passions, no matter if she seemed willing. She was too vulnerable to hurry. Her heart must be bruised and fearful after all she had been through, and he would not damage it further by forcing things to move too fast. They could wait, and the waiting would only make their final coming together all the sweeter.

He lifted his head, gazing down at her, pleased by the glassy, dazed look in her eyes. She stared up at him, her lips plush and inviting, reddened by his kisses, and he could not resist the desire to take another. The way she yielded to him was both a torment and an indescribable joy. She sighed with pleasure as he pulled away at last, her eyelashes fluttering as they lifted again. It took a moment before he saw her focus on him until she came back to the real world.

“No more regrets, Grace. Promise me.”

He saw the pleasure dissipate, replaced by a deep pain that flashed in her eyes and he understood it was not that easy, but he would keep reassuring her until she believed him. There was no hardship in that.

“You are too good to me.”

Her expression was so grave and serious he could not help but laugh.

“No, love. I’ll be a rare trial to you, I don’t doubt. I—” He hesitated, suddenly feeling as clumsy and tongue tied as he often did with strangers, though she was coming to know him far more intimately than he had ever allowed another living soul. “I know I’m not the man you’d wished to have wedded. I care little for parties or society, but I shan’t deny you anything you wish. You must ask it of me though for I’m not used to having a wife and will likely not understand your wishes unless you hit me over the head with it.”

Her lips twitched a little. “You wish me to hit you over the head?”

He smiled and took her hand, lifting it to his lips. “It may be necessary.”

“I think you are far more perceptive than you would have me believe,” she said, holding his gaze, studying him as though she would look into his soul and unearth all his secrets. Sterling let her look, though it made his heart tremble with anxiety.

“It’s as well to have a last resort if I vex you too badly,” he said, lightly.

“Perhaps I will vex you,” she countered. “I’m afraid I have tongue enough for two sets of teeth and will chatter on at you, especially in the morning when perhaps you wish for some peace in which to break your fast.”

Her voice was laced with amusement, but he caught the worried glint in her eye and knew she was not entirely joking.

“I like to hear you talk. It pleases me,” he assured her, as it was nothing but the truth. “And I know I’m not much of a one for conversation, but I will try, Grace. I’ve spent too long alone and… well, I’ve never had someone so agreeable to converse with before. It might take some getting used to.”

She shook her head, still studying him with that grave, piercing way she had. He did not believe anyone had ever striven so hard to understand him, to put themselves into his world and view it through his eyes.