factor in his feelings. Sixteen years of life in England among the spoiled aristocracy would take its toll on anyone.
Brace suddenly understood that what bothered him was that she’d never had a chance to know anything other than her role as a titled woman. In truth, that he loved her but could never have her was what troubled him the most.
For another two hours, Brace alternately stood and paced, and drank and thought, until everything blended into a maze of hazy, brandy-laden, half-formed ideas. He did not hear the horse approach the house, nor the rider come up behind him as he leaned on the railing of the veranda.
When moist, warm lips traced a path along the back of his neck, and two small hands stole around his abdomen, he stiffened, pulled away, and turned.
“You’ve never done that before,” came Colleen’s throaty voice.
Brace gazed down at Colleen Simpson as if she were a ghost.
Not for the first time did Brace think she was a pretty woman. She had large, thrusting breasts, a narrow waist and wide, flaring hips. Her long blonde hair fell to the middle of her back, and her eyes were pale blue. But when he looked deeply into her eyes, he saw desperation within them—it was what made people think Colleen wasn’t ‘quite right’. Brace believed he knew her better than that.
“You took me by surprise,” Brace said.
“I’ll take you by more than that,” she replied, pressing herself against him. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered. Her hands went to his head, winding into his hair and then pulling his face down to her. Their lips met and Brace felt the passionate demand in her kiss.
The kiss lasted for several long seconds before Colleen drew away. Her eyes were alive now, and Brace could feel the heat of her body on his.
“It’s been so long, Brace, too long a time to be apart,” she said, rising on her toes to kiss him again.
Brace fought a backwash of sadness as he steeled himself to say what he had to. He pushed her gently but firmly away. “No, Colleen.”
“No?” she echoed. “No what?”
“No more. Colleen, I’ve tried to tell you before that there’s nothing between us.”
Colleen shook her head. “There is something between us. There always has been. Are you telling me that our loving means nothing to you?”
Brace stared silently at her. They had been lovers for two years, drawn together by loneliness. He had never told her he loved her; he had never spoken of love at all.
“The times we had together were good. We filled a need in each other,” he said in a soft voice.
“I still need you, Brace,” she whispered. “We only have each other.”
“We have ourselves, Colleen.”
“And a cold bed! I love you, Brace. I always have. Please,” she cried moving against him again, burying her face in his chest, “love me.” Her arms went around his back, her hands turning into claws, digging into his muscles. She pressed wantonly against him, forcing the heat of her loins upon him.
Fighting off the effects of the brandy, Brace took a deep breath in an effort to clear his mind. Then he put his hands firmly but gently on her shoulders and pushed her away.
“It’s over, Colleen, go back home.”
“Why?” The single word was rife with anger. “To be pawed over by the customers? To be offered money to share their beds? You know what they think of me - a debtor’s daughter.”
“I know.”
“Yes, you do!”
Silence reigned. Brace was conscious of the way Colleen’s breasts rose and fell, knowing it was anger that caused her deep breathing and not the passion of moments ago.
“We only have each other. Marry me, Brace.”
Brace took a deep breath and shook his head. “I can’t marry you.”
“You mean I’m not good enough for you?”
“You’re good enough for anyone you choose! I mean I can’t marry you,” he snapped, his anger gaining momentary control and making his words turn blunt. “I don’t love you.”
“Then there’s someone else? Who
Brace suddenly understood that what bothered him was that she’d never had a chance to know anything other than her role as a titled woman. In truth, that he loved her but could never have her was what troubled him the most.
For another two hours, Brace alternately stood and paced, and drank and thought, until everything blended into a maze of hazy, brandy-laden, half-formed ideas. He did not hear the horse approach the house, nor the rider come up behind him as he leaned on the railing of the veranda.
When moist, warm lips traced a path along the back of his neck, and two small hands stole around his abdomen, he stiffened, pulled away, and turned.
“You’ve never done that before,” came Colleen’s throaty voice.
Brace gazed down at Colleen Simpson as if she were a ghost.
Not for the first time did Brace think she was a pretty woman. She had large, thrusting breasts, a narrow waist and wide, flaring hips. Her long blonde hair fell to the middle of her back, and her eyes were pale blue. But when he looked deeply into her eyes, he saw desperation within them—it was what made people think Colleen wasn’t ‘quite right’. Brace believed he knew her better than that.
“You took me by surprise,” Brace said.
“I’ll take you by more than that,” she replied, pressing herself against him. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered. Her hands went to his head, winding into his hair and then pulling his face down to her. Their lips met and Brace felt the passionate demand in her kiss.
The kiss lasted for several long seconds before Colleen drew away. Her eyes were alive now, and Brace could feel the heat of her body on his.
“It’s been so long, Brace, too long a time to be apart,” she said, rising on her toes to kiss him again.
Brace fought a backwash of sadness as he steeled himself to say what he had to. He pushed her gently but firmly away. “No, Colleen.”
“No?” she echoed. “No what?”
“No more. Colleen, I’ve tried to tell you before that there’s nothing between us.”
Colleen shook her head. “There is something between us. There always has been. Are you telling me that our loving means nothing to you?”
Brace stared silently at her. They had been lovers for two years, drawn together by loneliness. He had never told her he loved her; he had never spoken of love at all.
“The times we had together were good. We filled a need in each other,” he said in a soft voice.
“I still need you, Brace,” she whispered. “We only have each other.”
“We have ourselves, Colleen.”
“And a cold bed! I love you, Brace. I always have. Please,” she cried moving against him again, burying her face in his chest, “love me.” Her arms went around his back, her hands turning into claws, digging into his muscles. She pressed wantonly against him, forcing the heat of her loins upon him.
Fighting off the effects of the brandy, Brace took a deep breath in an effort to clear his mind. Then he put his hands firmly but gently on her shoulders and pushed her away.
“It’s over, Colleen, go back home.”
“Why?” The single word was rife with anger. “To be pawed over by the customers? To be offered money to share their beds? You know what they think of me - a debtor’s daughter.”
“I know.”
“Yes, you do!”
Silence reigned. Brace was conscious of the way Colleen’s breasts rose and fell, knowing it was anger that caused her deep breathing and not the passion of moments ago.
“We only have each other. Marry me, Brace.”
Brace took a deep breath and shook his head. “I can’t marry you.”
“You mean I’m not good enough for you?”
“You’re good enough for anyone you choose! I mean I can’t marry you,” he snapped, his anger gaining momentary control and making his words turn blunt. “I don’t love you.”
“Then there’s someone else? Who
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