Page 86 of A Stranger’s Gamble

“Whose fault is that?” he murmured.

Sophie yanked her head in his direction. “I-I… That is, it is your fault.”

“Contrary to what you believe, my dear, I am a gentleman, and a gentleman does not force his way into a woman’s bed. Even if that woman is his wife.”

Sophie stared. “Do you mean to say that— I mean, you have not consummated our marriage because you believe I do not want to consummate our marriage?”

“You did tell me on our wedding night that our marriage would not be consummated.”

“But that is ridiculous,” she cried. “You could not expect to agree to consummate a marriage you tricked me into.”

He shrugged. “As I said, a gentleman does not force a lady.”

Sophie shook her head. “Nae, you misunderstand. You could not have expected me to agree to consummate the marriage that night.”

“True,” he replied. “But you have no indication you had changed your mind.”

She stared. “I shot a man to save you.”

“For which I have thanked you.”

Sophie jumped to her feet. “I would not do that for just anyone.”

“Nae?” he asked in a too-casual voice.

“That is, I would help someone in need, but I specifically set out to save you because….”

“Because….”

“Oh,” she said on the rush of a frustrated breath. “You are odious.”

He regarded her. “I did not marry you for your money, Sophie.”

She threw her hands into the air. “But you did.”

“You were not the only heiress thrown in my path. In fact, there was one young heiress who would have been much less trouble than you.”

Sophie narrowed her eyes. “Then why did you not marry her?”

He pushed to his feet and took two steps, then stopped so close she could feel his warmth. “Because she did not shove me out of a carriage—nor did she defy my instructions and save my life.” He smiled. “Though, if I recall, you did that after I married you.”

Her heart fell. “Then you feel obligated to me.”

He laughed. “God help me, no.”

The man was a bundle of contradictions.

He grasped her arms, and she stared up at him. “Are you inviting me into your bed, Sophie?”

The timbre of his voice made her stomach do a somersault. Part of her wanted to run away and hide under the bed, but she nodded. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her so close he crushed her breasts against his hard chest.

“We do not have to have children right away,” he said.

Sophie blinked. “I-I beg your pardon?”

“I do not want you to think that I am after the money your father promised for each child you give me.”

“Oh, that is right,” she said in a small voice.