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His smile slanted into a knowing tilt. “I’m not at liberty to say.”
“Wow. With warnings like that, it’s a wonder you took this job at all.”
Laughing, Rupert offered a dismissive shrug. “A man is willing to risk just about anything if the pay is right. Even your iffy driving skills.”
“Smart ass,” she quipped.
“Better smart than dumb,” he offered.
Taylor cleared her throat and peered down over the railing at him with a pointed expression. She fought a smile as his cheeks colored and he flushed.
“I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
Folding her arms, she cocked her head. “Uh huh. I see how it is. First you attack my driving, then you insult my IQ.”
He snorted and lowered his shades. “I say this with all politeness, but maybe you should get it checked, Ma’am. There’s obviously something misfiring in that head of yours if you think I would ever stand here and insult you.”
“That’s interesting,” a soft voice interjected. “I hope that is because you consider yourself a gentleman, Rupert.”
Taylor startled. Her grip on the railing tightened upon hearing the familiar silken rasp, and she whirled with her heart in her throat to find Sebastian leaning against the open door. His eyes held no hint of emotion as they flickered past her to land on the man stationed in front of them in the yard. The blood drained from Rupert’s face and his throat bobbed as he forced a respectful nod.
“Good afternoon, sir.”
“Is it?” Sebastian asked, prowling to the front of the deck to join Taylor’s side.
She let her eyes drift shut as he wrapped a possessive arm around her waist and drew her closer. Warm breath fanned the side of her neck, joining the gentle caress of the wind sweeping off the mountains as he nuzzled her hair out of the way. Despite the heat, she shivered as a very distinct chill settled into her bones.
“What’s this? No greeting?” Sebastian asked, his voice bearing a hint of hurt and disappointment.
“Of course there is. You have no idea how much I missed you, handsome.” Turning, Taylor wound her arms around his waist and searched his pale stare. “I didn’t hear them announce you pull in.”
“Obviously.” He let the word hand between them for several seconds before snaring her chin and stealing a forceful kiss. Releasing her, he took a step back and studied her face. “Is there something I should be concerned about here?”
Folding his arms, he turned his attention Rupert’s way.
The hulking Cajun looked a bit taken aback as he gave an adamant shake of his head. “No, sir. Not at all.”
Capturing his bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger, Sebastian stroked it several times in thought before nodding. Taylor held her breath when he seemed to come to a visible conclusion and sauntered over to the rail, his lean body moving with its trademark sway. Her eyes darted to the slight bulge of the pistol strapped to his thigh beneath the hem of his overcoat, and she fought the urge to reach for his arm.
“I appreciate your friendship and loyalty where my fiancée is concerned, Rupert. I’m aware that you serve her well, but there is a very definite line with me that you do not want to cross. Joking or not, I don’t ever want to hear you insult her again. If you value your job, among other things, you will find a way to be playful without putting her down. Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir. I’m very sorry, Miss Taylor.”
“It’s okay, Rupert. No harm done.”
She hoped. Dear God did she hope.
She took a quick step back as Sebastian whirled on his heel. In a moment of typical Irish grace, she stumbled over the back of her own feet and caught herself on the rail. Embarrassment flamed in Taylor’s cheeks as her lover’s jaw steeled and he gave an incredulous shake of his head.
“Go inside before you hurt yourself,” Sebastian ordered dryly.
Shooting a hard, final look at Rupert over his shoulder, he ushered her through the sliding glass doors and eased them shut behind him. Wringing her hands, Taylor stood riveted in the center of the kitchen as her heart pounded a frantic drumroll inside her chest. Images of what happened the last time he’d caught her chatting outside with one of the security guards played and replayed in her head with horrifying clarity. She tried to tell herself this was different. That he accepted her socializing with Rupert. That she’d been smart and not left herself wide open by sticking to the relative safety of the deck, but she wasn’t so sure. Opening her mouth, she thought to offer an apology but quickly clamped it shut. It wouldn’t matter either way.
Sebastian studied her for a long moment before indicating toward the steps leading off the kitchen with a slight tilt of his head.
“Let’s finish this discussion upstairs.”
Her stomach knotted. Gripping the thick, polished railing, she forced herself to make the arduous journey one agonizing step at a time. The back of her neck prickled, alerting her to the fact that Sebastian followed close behind. When they reached the top of the broad landing, her fear got the better of her and she faltered.
Part of her argued that he wouldn’t hurt her when she was pregnant. Another pointed out that he was perfectly capable of swinging a belt without it getting anywhere near the baby, and the timid voice of uncertainty insisted there were far more painful and controlled ways for him to express his displeasure. Tensing, she bit her tongue as he brushed past her and swung the heavy wooden doors to their bedroom open.
The simple fact was, none of it mattered. Sebastian was going to do what he wanted to do. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, her fate had most likely been decided before they ever set foot in the house.
Hanging her head, she dragged her feet across the carpeted threshold and stepped into the sitting area off their bedroom. Cold silence hung between them until the tension became almost too much to bear. Turning his back on her, Sebastian wordlessly stripped the thick leather belt of his overcoat free.
“It’s nice to see you up and moving around,” he stated, his voice soft and almost conversational in tone. He draped the outer layer of his uniform over the arm of the micro suede loveseat before turning to face her and unbuttoning his sleeves. “I am going to assume that means you are feeling better.”
She shifted uneasily on her feet. There was no winning here. It was a lose-lose answer either way. Sighing, she nodded. “Yeah. I am.”
“That is good to know, Taylor,” he stated. Unbuttoning the top of his shirt, he headed toward the bathroom and shot a look over his shoulder that clearly indicated she should follow.
The stone slabs felt cold and jarring beneath the bare soles of her feet. Confused, Taylor watched him peel his shirt free. Ignoring her for the moment, Sebastian reached in to turn on the shower. The forceful blast of the water hitting the walls roared in her ears. She took an uncertain step as he rounded on her, his eyes blazing and intense.
His laughter was dry and humorless as he pinned her against the wall and raked a hand through the matted curls on his head. “Okay, Taylor. That’s enough. I am going to ask you something and I want the truth. Believe me when I say I will know if you are lying to me,” he said, trailing a fi
nger along the underside of her jaw. “And I don’t think either one of us wants that.”
“No, Sebastian,” she agreed in a hoarse whisper. Resisting the urge to hold onto him, she tried to still the anxious jitter in her knees.
“Why are you so nervous?” he asked. “Did you do something wrong?”
“No.” She shivered as his forefinger traced an idle path between the heavy mounds of her breasts. Taylor froze when she found herself suddenly trapped between the unyielding lines of his body and the cold, stone-tiled wall behind her.
“You have nothing to be afraid of. I’m not going to hurt you, Taylor,” he murmured, stroking the side of her cheek. “Everyone else may be a different story, but I have no desire to hurt you. After all, you would never do anything to hurt or betray me. Isn’t that right?”
Lifting her hands, she braced her palms against the rigid bulge of his pecs. “Right. You know that, Sebastian. Just calm down. Please.”
“I am calm. I’m perfectly calm, Taylor. You are the one who seems on edge here. Not me.”
Icy terror crawled through her veins and her bladder throbbed. Nothing in his assurances matched the cold calculation gleaming in his eyes.
“S-Seb…”
“Look at me,” he growled. His fingers bit into her chin and she silenced a frightened yelp. “Look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t regret the choices you have made. Tell me you don’t regret being with me. I don’t know how, but that is what you need to make me believe.”
She clung to his wrist, unable to help the beginnings of the heartbroken sob. For the first time she not only saw, but truly understood, what motivated him. It wasn’t crazed anger flashing in his eyes. There was jealousy, yes, but for the most part, it was fear and pain.
“How?” she asked once his grip lessened. “How can I do that when all you ever do is doubt me? Why is it always one step forward with you and three steps back? We just spent the last few days spilling our hearts out to each other. We shared it all, Sebastian. The good, the bad, and everything in between. Do you really want to hear the truth?”
Releasing her, he took a step back. A brief glimmer of hesitation crossed his face as he sniffed and tilted his head. Lifting his chin a prideful notch, he cast his arms open.
