sensations build and build inside her until they had nowhere else to go.
The quiver between her legs where he touched tightenedinto a frantic pulsing. She didn’t know what to do. Her hips moved against his hand, seeking pressure. It felt as if she were reaching for something that hovered just out of her reach.
Frustrated, she writhed in his arms. “Please … Oh, God.”
“Let go, my sweet. Don’t fight it.”
She couldn’t if she wanted to. Not with the magical way he was touching her.
And then she felt it take hold, a feeling unlike anything that had come before, a feeling as close to heaven as she had ever thought to experience on earth. She cried out. Her entire body clenched. For a moment she thought her heart had stopped, then everything shattered and the spasms of release crashed over her.
When it was over she sagged against him, drained by the power and wonder of what had just happened.
Her heart stalled.
By what had just happened.
She opened her eyes, seeing Jamie Campbell holding her in his arms. Restraint pulled tautly across his handsome features in the hard flex of his jaw and the fierce intensity in his eyes. She felt his body against her, the hard length of his manhood throbbing against her hip, the furious pounding of his heart that had yet to slow. The stark reality of what had only a few minutes ago been cloaked in passion hit her with the force of a thunderbolt.
Dear God, what have I just done?
Shame crawled over her as she was forced to acknowledge the intimacy of what they’d just shared. She’d allowed Jamie Campbell to touch her in places and do things to her that belonged only to a husband.
Pushing him away, she staggered out of his arms, her eyes burning with humiliation.
He tried to take her arm to steady her, but she flinched away.
“There is no shame in what just happened to you, Caitrina.” His voice was soft and soothing, so understanding.
But she didn’t want to hear it.
“How can you say that?” she cried, her voice tight with the ball of emotion lodged at the back of her throat. She gazed down at her breasts bared over her stays and loosened gown, her nipples tender and rosy from his wicked kiss. Mortified heat spread across her cheeks. Turning, she made quick work of covering herself, trying to restore some semblance of modesty.
Despair drained through her as she recognized the truth: Some things would never be restored—like her innocence and illusion of indifference.
When she turned back around, she avoided his gaze but noticed that all vestiges of passion had been erased from his face. His expression was once again implacable. She hated his control. That he could be so unaffected when her world had just shattered seemed somehow all the more devastating. What would it take for this man to
feel?
“Everything will be all right, Caitrina.” He tried to take her hand, but she yanked it away. There was nothing he could do to comfort her. “I will speak to your father—”
“No!” Her eyes flew to his in panic. “You will do nothing of the kind.”
His steely gaze bored into her, and he drew himself up to his full height—which was imposing indeed. “I will, of course, offer for you.”
She shook her head. “There is no need—”
“Yes”—he caught her arm, this time not letting go—“there is. I want you.”
Her chest squeezed:
possession.
“You don’t want
me.
I’m merely another battle to be won. Something you saw and decided you had to have. A pretty decoration to keep by your side. You don’t even
know
me.”
His jaw clenched. “I know all I need to know. You areclever, beautiful without artifice, strong, and care deeply for those you love. I’ve seen the way you look after your father and brothers.”
“Because I
love
them. You can’t think that I’d ever feel the same—”
“No,” he cut her off curtly. “I’d not expect that of you, but after what just happened, you can hardly claim that you are indifferent to
The quiver between her legs where he touched tightenedinto a frantic pulsing. She didn’t know what to do. Her hips moved against his hand, seeking pressure. It felt as if she were reaching for something that hovered just out of her reach.
Frustrated, she writhed in his arms. “Please … Oh, God.”
“Let go, my sweet. Don’t fight it.”
She couldn’t if she wanted to. Not with the magical way he was touching her.
And then she felt it take hold, a feeling unlike anything that had come before, a feeling as close to heaven as she had ever thought to experience on earth. She cried out. Her entire body clenched. For a moment she thought her heart had stopped, then everything shattered and the spasms of release crashed over her.
When it was over she sagged against him, drained by the power and wonder of what had just happened.
Her heart stalled.
By what had just happened.
She opened her eyes, seeing Jamie Campbell holding her in his arms. Restraint pulled tautly across his handsome features in the hard flex of his jaw and the fierce intensity in his eyes. She felt his body against her, the hard length of his manhood throbbing against her hip, the furious pounding of his heart that had yet to slow. The stark reality of what had only a few minutes ago been cloaked in passion hit her with the force of a thunderbolt.
Dear God, what have I just done?
Shame crawled over her as she was forced to acknowledge the intimacy of what they’d just shared. She’d allowed Jamie Campbell to touch her in places and do things to her that belonged only to a husband.
Pushing him away, she staggered out of his arms, her eyes burning with humiliation.
He tried to take her arm to steady her, but she flinched away.
“There is no shame in what just happened to you, Caitrina.” His voice was soft and soothing, so understanding.
But she didn’t want to hear it.
“How can you say that?” she cried, her voice tight with the ball of emotion lodged at the back of her throat. She gazed down at her breasts bared over her stays and loosened gown, her nipples tender and rosy from his wicked kiss. Mortified heat spread across her cheeks. Turning, she made quick work of covering herself, trying to restore some semblance of modesty.
Despair drained through her as she recognized the truth: Some things would never be restored—like her innocence and illusion of indifference.
When she turned back around, she avoided his gaze but noticed that all vestiges of passion had been erased from his face. His expression was once again implacable. She hated his control. That he could be so unaffected when her world had just shattered seemed somehow all the more devastating. What would it take for this man to
feel?
“Everything will be all right, Caitrina.” He tried to take her hand, but she yanked it away. There was nothing he could do to comfort her. “I will speak to your father—”
“No!” Her eyes flew to his in panic. “You will do nothing of the kind.”
His steely gaze bored into her, and he drew himself up to his full height—which was imposing indeed. “I will, of course, offer for you.”
She shook her head. “There is no need—”
“Yes”—he caught her arm, this time not letting go—“there is. I want you.”
Her chest squeezed:
possession.
“You don’t want
me.
I’m merely another battle to be won. Something you saw and decided you had to have. A pretty decoration to keep by your side. You don’t even
know
me.”
His jaw clenched. “I know all I need to know. You areclever, beautiful without artifice, strong, and care deeply for those you love. I’ve seen the way you look after your father and brothers.”
“Because I
love
them. You can’t think that I’d ever feel the same—”
“No,” he cut her off curtly. “I’d not expect that of you, but after what just happened, you can hardly claim that you are indifferent to
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