will
have to make love again. Sophy, this first time for you, well, it's rather like
falling off a horse. If you don't remount, you might never ride again."
"I'm not certain that would be such a terrible fate," she muttered.
"Sophy."
"Yes, of course. There is the little matter of your heir. Forgive me, my lord,
it almost slipped my mind."
Self-loathing ripped through his gut. "I was not thinking of my heir. I was
thinking of you," he ground out.
"Our agreement was for three months," she reminded him quietly. "Do you think we
could return to that understanding?"
Julian cursed violently under his breath. "I don't think it would be a good idea
to wait that long. Your natural uneasiness will grow to unnatural proportions if
you have three whole months in which to dwell on what happened last night.
Sophy, I have explained to you that the worst is over. There is no need to
retreat behind that agreement you insisted upon."
"I suppose not. Especially since you have made it clear I have so few means by
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
which to enforce the agreement." She pulled out of his arms and walked over to
the window. "You were quite right, my lord, when you pointed out that a woman
has very little power in a marriage. Her only hope is that she can depend upon
her husband's honor as a gentleman."
Another wave of guilt rolled over him, drowning Julian for an instant. When he
surfaced he longed to be able to confront the devil himself rather than Sophy.
At least that way he could fight back.
The position he was in was intolerable. It was shatteringly clear that there was
only one honorable way out and he had to take it even though he knew that it
would ultimately make everything far more difficult for her.
"Would you be able to trust my word a second time if I agree to return to our
three month arrangement?" Julian asked roughly.
She shot him a quick glance over her shoulder. "Yes, I think I could trust you
this time. If, that is, you would agree not to seduce me as well as not to force
me."
"I promised you seduction last night and forced myself on you, instead. Yes, I
can see where you might want to expand the terms of the original agreement."
Julian inclined his head formally. "Very well, Sophy. My judgment tells me it is
the wrong course of action, but I cannot deny your right to insist upon it after
what happened last night."
Sophy bowed her head, her fingers clenched in front of her. 'Thank you, my
lord."
"Do not thank me. I have a strong conviction I am making a serious mistake.
Something is very wrong here." He shook his head again, trying to will forth the
memories of last night. He got only a blank wall. Was he losing his mind? "You
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
have my word I will make no attempt to seduce you for the remaining time of our
agreement. It goes without saying that I will not force myself on you, either."
He hesitated, wanting to reach out and hold her close again but he did not dare
touch her. "Please excuse me."
He let himself out of her bedchamber feeling he could hardly sink lower in her
eyes than he already had in his own.
The next two days should have been the most blissful of Sophy's life. Her
honeymoon was finally turning into the dream she had once fondly conceived.
Julian was kind, thoughtful, and unfailingly gentle. He treated her as if she
were a rare and priceless piece of porcelain. The silent, subtle, sensual threat
that had plagued her for days was finally removed.
It was not that she no longer saw desire in Julian's gaze. It was still there,
but the fires were carefully banked now and she no longer feared they would rage
out of control. At last she had the breathing space she had tried to negotiate
before the marriage.
But instead of being able to relax and enjoy the time she had bought, Sophy was
miserable. For two days she fought the misery
have to make love again. Sophy, this first time for you, well, it's rather like
falling off a horse. If you don't remount, you might never ride again."
"I'm not certain that would be such a terrible fate," she muttered.
"Sophy."
"Yes, of course. There is the little matter of your heir. Forgive me, my lord,
it almost slipped my mind."
Self-loathing ripped through his gut. "I was not thinking of my heir. I was
thinking of you," he ground out.
"Our agreement was for three months," she reminded him quietly. "Do you think we
could return to that understanding?"
Julian cursed violently under his breath. "I don't think it would be a good idea
to wait that long. Your natural uneasiness will grow to unnatural proportions if
you have three whole months in which to dwell on what happened last night.
Sophy, I have explained to you that the worst is over. There is no need to
retreat behind that agreement you insisted upon."
"I suppose not. Especially since you have made it clear I have so few means by
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
which to enforce the agreement." She pulled out of his arms and walked over to
the window. "You were quite right, my lord, when you pointed out that a woman
has very little power in a marriage. Her only hope is that she can depend upon
her husband's honor as a gentleman."
Another wave of guilt rolled over him, drowning Julian for an instant. When he
surfaced he longed to be able to confront the devil himself rather than Sophy.
At least that way he could fight back.
The position he was in was intolerable. It was shatteringly clear that there was
only one honorable way out and he had to take it even though he knew that it
would ultimately make everything far more difficult for her.
"Would you be able to trust my word a second time if I agree to return to our
three month arrangement?" Julian asked roughly.
She shot him a quick glance over her shoulder. "Yes, I think I could trust you
this time. If, that is, you would agree not to seduce me as well as not to force
me."
"I promised you seduction last night and forced myself on you, instead. Yes, I
can see where you might want to expand the terms of the original agreement."
Julian inclined his head formally. "Very well, Sophy. My judgment tells me it is
the wrong course of action, but I cannot deny your right to insist upon it after
what happened last night."
Sophy bowed her head, her fingers clenched in front of her. 'Thank you, my
lord."
"Do not thank me. I have a strong conviction I am making a serious mistake.
Something is very wrong here." He shook his head again, trying to will forth the
memories of last night. He got only a blank wall. Was he losing his mind? "You
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
have my word I will make no attempt to seduce you for the remaining time of our
agreement. It goes without saying that I will not force myself on you, either."
He hesitated, wanting to reach out and hold her close again but he did not dare
touch her. "Please excuse me."
He let himself out of her bedchamber feeling he could hardly sink lower in her
eyes than he already had in his own.
The next two days should have been the most blissful of Sophy's life. Her
honeymoon was finally turning into the dream she had once fondly conceived.
Julian was kind, thoughtful, and unfailingly gentle. He treated her as if she
were a rare and priceless piece of porcelain. The silent, subtle, sensual threat
that had plagued her for days was finally removed.
It was not that she no longer saw desire in Julian's gaze. It was still there,
but the fires were carefully banked now and she no longer feared they would rage
out of control. At last she had the breathing space she had tried to negotiate
before the marriage.
But instead of being able to relax and enjoy the time she had bought, Sophy was
miserable. For two days she fought the misery
Similar Books
