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“You are more beautiful than I remember,” he whispered.
Her rail was bunched up between them. She’d loosed her hair after her bath and hadn’t brushed it. Her breasts were ridiculously large. She could hardly be called beautiful in this state.
But how could she care when Roman was the only man to see her as the wife and woman she was meant to be? He pushed deep. “Don’t think about it. You are everything to me. Everything.”
He moved faster, his control slipping away beneath the long period of abstinence. They were both breathing hard. Roman’s back was damp from exertion. He slid his fingers into her hair and closed his eyes. He thrust in and out and she lost the ability to think. Only feel.
Her body was attuned to him, yearning for him as she had from the day she’d met him. The rising tide, the forgotten tension of pleasure all coiled within her burst in a sudden hard clutch. Her core contracted over his manhood in a hard wave, then pulsed slower and slower.
No, she had forgotten much of the strange and indescribable pleasure.
Roman stiffened and moaned, pouring into her then growing heavy as he relaxed over her. His nose was pressed into her skin. His breath tickled.
He rolled from her, remaining on his side, then pulled her into his body, curling around hers. The last thing he did was pull the light covers over her and say, “Wake me in a few minutes, we need to talk to your father.”
* * * * *
Roman closed his eyes, basking in the first moment of true peace he’d had since leaving Shelene. She could not understand his dilemma in leaving her or his own heartache, nor would she ever know. There were some things a man should not burden a woman with, and his fear was one of them.
He might want to sleep, but he could feel Shelene’s quizzical gaze boring into him. “Why do you need to talk to Papa?”
“Are you going to let me sleep, if I don’t tell you now?”
“Of course not.”
He opened one eye. “I have something I need to share with you and him, which needs to remain private for now. But I am rather exhausted at the moment.”
She sat up in bed. “Roman, something’s happened?”
Shelene shivered then she took his hand in hers. Her eyes were wide with worry. All those things heknewwould happen were about to come to a very nasty conclusion, but he’d hoped to have a few more minutes beside her before the wheels were set in motion.
“Come then. Your father is expecting us.” Roman swung his legs over the bed on the opposite side and quickly dressed. Shelene straightened her gown, pulling it below her knees then found her robe, tying it at her waist.
He took her hand, peeked through her door to the interior balcony then led her to Hightower’s room, tapping softly.
“Hightower,” Roman said when the door creaked open.
“Is aught amiss?” he asked. “Daughter, you are well? I feel certain I should be worried when I am summoned by the Lion of England.”
Roman shook his head, not willing to waste a breath on the silly nickname.
“Yes, Papa, I’m fine. Roman, tell us what is happening.” She sat on the soft chair, crossing her legs and folding her arms about her middle.
Roman led Hightower to the chair near her. “This must stay between the three of us. For now,” he whispered. “I received a note this afternoon from my solicitor in Cadiz, Mr. Fisk. You both know him. When we all returned from Argentina and I found out that Belgrano was back, I had my suspicious about him. Fisk has confirmed my worries. The king never issued him a pardon.”
“Oh my God,” she said.
“You couldn’t have known, Shelene.”
“But it’s what he does, and with impunity. I never should have trusted him,” she said.
“What is to be done?” her father asked.
“A cavalry regiment is being sent. They are coming to the valley, and they are going to find him. It is my hope that they can find him here at Las Colinas rather than require them to force their way through the valley, beating on every tenant’s door, but Belgrano has always had his confidants, so I think we can assume he will find out.”
“When?”
“A few days, maybe even a week, I would imagine. It will depend on the number of cavalry men and the day they left.”
