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‘You’re wrong there. Completely wrong.’
Her eyes widened but her expression turned mulish as she crossed her arms.
‘You’ve never been interested in our marriage as anything more than a convenient arrangement.’
His bark of laughter exploded before he could stop it. ‘The joke’s on me then, isn’t it?’ he said as he stalked closer. ‘Convenient isn’t the way I’d describe the last year.’
She returned his stare. ‘That proves my point. Our marriage is a mess. There’s nothing holding it together except the legalities.’
All day Jack had reined in his emotions. He’d been calm and understanding, not berating her for running out on him or letting him find out about their baby from the media. Not smashing even one paparazzi camera.
He’d allowed her silence and space. He’d held back and let her decide what she’d like to do and where she’d like to go rather than take charge. He’d risen above his indignation at seeing her turn to another man, letting him touch her yet shrinking away from Jack.
He’d ignored the hunger riding him so hard, the need to reach out to her, not just to reassure her but to ease the deep ache inside him.
Now his control splintered. He could cope with anything but lies. They’d littered his childhood. Broken promises about caring for him, reading bedtime stories, taking him to some event, even simply being in the house when he woke up. How many times had he counted on a promise or told himself that a casual parental hug meant they really cared, only to find himself deserted and alone for days on end?
His words emerged softly. ‘Nothing holding our marriage together?’ He watched her eyes flare, felt the need pulse between them. ‘Then what about this?’
He bent slowly, watching her parted lips, daring her to step away and lie to him, and herself, again.
He paused, his mouth millimetres from hers.
There was a sound—a sob?—and her eyelids drifted down. That sound yanked at his heart. Despite everything she’d done he didn’t want to distress her. But he refused to let her hide behind a blatant lie.
Jack cupped her cheek, fingertips sliding into her silky hair. Her sigh was a puff of warmth on his face.
When he touched his lips to hers it was as he’d known it would be. Fire and dazzle and the familiar, sudden rush of pleasure. But something deeper too. Tenderness. The world telescoping to the pair of them in this fragile moment of connection. Their mouths barely connected yet the very air felt heavy with anticipation.
Her hands landed on his chest and she leaned in, angling her head for better access. The tip of her tongue stroked his lips then his tongue, and abruptly that moment out of time dissolved into a rush of heady excitement.
Jack wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her in, feeling her nestle between his legs. His other hand cupped her head as he deepened the kiss.
Far from objecting, Elisabeth looped her arms around his neck, straining against him. She tasted of fruitcake and something more tantalising, something utterly feminine. Her slim frame was supple yet strong and it blew his mind to think she cradled his child inside.
That had to be why this kiss seemed different from any he’d known. Despite their rising excitement, betrayed by their increasingly urgent caresses, this felt profound rather than carnal. Like a question asked and answered. Like revelation and affirmation.
Jack breathed in the dusky rose scent of her, stroked her trembling body and kissed her with all the passion he’d held back. He bent her over his arm, holding her securely against him, uncaring that with their hips melded together his eagerness for her must be unmistakable.
Maybe her thoughts followed the same path. Elisabeth gave a sinuous wriggle and pressed against his groin, as if trying to melt their clothes with her body heat.
Her tongue danced against his, demanding then retreating, leaving him so eager and needy it would only be moments before he shed the mantle of sensible adult and took her against the closest flat surface like a gauche teenager.
His blood thickened to lava, muscles turning rigid and his caresses more demanding.
She welcomed that, sliding against him as if intent on sending him over the edge.
It would be easy to forget his good intentions. But his brain still worked enough to remind him that no matter how good they were together sexually, Elisabeth didn’t trust him.
He had to win that trust. There was no other option. He refused to walk away from their marriage, and their child, in defeat.
Finally, he dragged his head up, lungs heaving like bellows as her stunned amber eyes opened. Gently he unwrapped her hands from his neck.
‘When you have time to think you’ll realise our marriage is more than a legal agreement. It’sreal. And it’s a perfect basis for bringing up our baby together.’
Reluctantly he stepped back. ‘You’ve made it clear you’re not ready to face that yet. So I’ll leave you to think and rest. We’ll talk later.’
Jack turned and made himself walk out the door.
