Page 26 of A Momentary Marriage

She stood up, planting herself squarely in front of him and folding her arms. “Do you really expect me to be satisfied with that?”

“No.” James heaved a sigh. “I am certain you won’t be satisfied until you’ve dragged it all out and turned it over twice.” He rose to face her. “He was rude. Insulting.”

“You mean because of his jabs at me last night at dinner? I took care of him well enough, didn’t I?”

“Of course you will win any contest of wits with Salstone. That’s not the point. You are my wife, and if he cannot speak of you with respect, he isn’t welcome in my house,” James said with finality, turning and starting back up the path to the house.

“Wait.” Laura caught up with him. “It rather lacks respect, don’t you think, to go charging off in the middle of a discussion without so much as a pardon me or good-bye.”

He half turned, giving her a slight bow. “Pardon me. Good-bye.” He strode away.

“James!” She trotted after him. Blast it, the man was supposed to be sick. Why did he walk so fast? “Will you stop? Just because I agreed to your proposal doesn’t mean I’m going to keep silent—”

“I am well aware of that.”

“Or let you direct my life. Or treat me as something less than your wife.”

“For God’s sake.” His long legs ate up the ground, and they passed through the wisteria arbor into the lower garden. Glancing up at the terrace, where Tessa and Patricia were now sitting, James cursed again and whipped around to face Laura. “Why can’t you leave it alone? I am trying to be courteous.”

“Then be rude, as you usually are, and tell me.”

“He insulted you!” James’s eyes flashed. “Don’t you understand? I warned him. I told him what would happen if he behaved that way toward you. Then he had the gall to make a remark that I am not going to repeat to you even if you plague me all day.” The words spilled forth, his voice low and fierce and almost breathless.

Suddenly his face turned ashen, and he swayed.

chapter 10

“James!” Laura stepped in, wrapping her arms around him and bracing to take his weight as he sagged against her. She clung to him, her body flush against his. “No. You cannot faint on me now. I won’t be able to hold you up.”

Her head was turned, her ear flat against his chest, and she could hear the rapid pounding of his heart, feel his chest rising and falling as he sucked in air. He rested his head against hers, his arms curving around her. His words came out in short, sharp pants, gusting against her ear. “I. Won’t. Faint.”

For a moment he wavered, then gradually she felt him straighten, taking more of his own weight. He leaned his forehead against her head in a pose she imagined looked loverlike. “I beg your pardon. I was . . . dizzy for a moment.”

“You wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t been racing away to keep from answering me.”

She felt him shake a little in silent laughter. “Laura . . . Laura . . . trust you to get the last jab in.”

Raising his head, he gazed down into her face for a long moment. “Thank you. Why did you do that?”

“Did you think I would let you fall without trying to help?”

“No, but you needn’t have made it appear we were embracing, either.”

“I thought you would rather . . . since there were people watching . . .”

Color returned slightly to his face. His mouth curved up on one side. “Still . . . it’s a trifle improper, isn’t it, snuggling in plain sight?”

“Snuggling! I like that—I try to help you, and you call me improper.”

“I rather liked it, too.” He leaned closer, murmuring, “Perhaps we should add to the verisimilitude.” His lips touched hers, light as they had been after their vows, but clinging a little this time, then pressing closer. He straightened, his eyes warm, his expression faintly bemused.

Flustered, Laura drew in a quick breath. She could feel her cheeks heating, and she didn’t know where to look. “I—there is a bench over there. We should sit down.”

“Perhaps we should.”

She turned, sliding her arm around his waist, and urged him toward the bench. He went docilely, his arm around her, though his steps were steady enough now. His body was warm against hers, solid beneath the separation of their clothes. Her lips still tingled from his kiss. His taste lingered on her mouth.

Why had he kissed her? What did it mean? He was putting on a show for his family. He was teasing her. But there had been that look on his face, a little surprised, a little amused, even a little wistful.