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“Kalila. What is it?”
Megan looked up. Moonlight striped Caz’s face; she saw herself reflected in his pupils, a small, pathetic woman crying as if her heart might break, and for what reason? He’d done exactly as he’d promised. Saved her from Ahmet by marrying her, by pretending a wedding was what he’d wanted, by carrying her from the hall in the sight of hundreds of cheering barbarians and bringing her to this beautiful room…
To what should have been her wedding night.
The man she’d married was a man of his word. He’d done all he’d said he would…and her heart was breaking. Until this moment, she hadn’t been brave enough to face the reason. Now, in that deepest time of night when truth is all that matters, she understood her despair.
She hadn’t wanted Caz to bring her here and treat her honorably. She’d wanted him to lock the door, take her in his arms, tell her he was going to make her his wife.
“Megan.”
His voice was ragged as their eyes met. Her heart began to race. Could he read her thoughts? What could be more humiliating than to have him realize that she wanted him?
“Megan,” he said again, in a velvet whisper, and he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her.
His kiss was soft; his touch gentle. He held her as if she were made of glass.
Still, she wept.
“Don’t cry, kalila. I won’t let anything hurt you.”
He wouldn’t, not if he lost his life defending her. She was safe now, but he knew what it had cost her. He’d put her through hell, brought her into the lair of a barbarian, forced her into marriage.
When you came down to it, how much difference was there between him and Ahmet?
But she’d accepted his kiss, even moved closer to him, her body pressed to his, taking comfort from his strength.
He rocked her against him, whispered words to soothe her in his own tongue.
She smelled of flowers, night and woman. Caz shut his eyes, buried his face in her hair, let her scent fill him.
His mouth twisted with irony.
His bride was clinging to him because he was the only familiar thing in her life, and he could only think how incredible it felt to hold her…
And how badly he wanted her.
So badly that he was going to give himself away, if he let her lean against him much longer.
Carefully he clasped her shoulders and tried to put some space between them. Megan shook her head and burrowed closer.
“It’s okay,” he murmured. “You’re safe. I’ll always keep you safe.”
She sighed. He felt the flutter of her breath on his skin. Caz swallowed hard and reminded himself that this was all about offering comfort.
“Shall I get you a drink of water? Some coffee? I can slip downstairs…”
“Coffee’s the last thing I need right now,” she said with a little laugh. “Please, just—just stay with me.”
Megan slipped her arms around his waist. Her cheek pressed against his chest. God, what was she doing to him? He had to think about something else. The night. Tomorrow’s weather. Would it be okay? The helicopter…
“Caz?”
“What?”
“I’m sorry.”
She was sorry? He held her away from him again, just enough so he could see her face. “For what?”
