Part 47 (1/2)
”Not involved! This is about me, remember?”
She was a fighter, he knew, and would want to be there for the battle-and the victory. Every day that pa.s.sed Alex began to doubt he would ever own Gealach outright. He would not have her near if things turned ugly.
”Not anymore.”
Her words reminded him of all he had to do. It was light out and soon Skelley would come to relieve him and wonder that no one was outside Fayth's room, guarding her. He lifted her off him and sat up, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed.
She grabbed his arm. ”You're wrong. Gealach is not Ridley's unless I marry Carlisle. And Carlisle is not the kind of man Ridley can push around.” She became gravely serious. ”You must use me. I want to help you.”
Alex searched the floor for his breeks. ”What are you suggesting, la.s.s?”
”I could go with them... pretend I'm glad to be escaping from you-”
”b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l-no!” He found his breeks and yanked them on.
”I would escape from them and come back-”
”No!”
She was on her knees on the bed, the sheet wrapped haphazardly about her body, her jaw set mutinously. ”Why? I owe you!”
Alex grabbed his s.h.i.+rt off the floor and shrugged into it. ”You owe me nothing. I kidnapped you!”
”I was escaping anyway.”
”I meant to rape you!”
”But you didn't!”
He waved his hands at the bed. ”I've ruined you!”
Her cheeks reddened indignantly. ”I wanted you to ruin me.” She said it like a queen, delivering a verdict.
He was inflamed with l.u.s.t at her bold declaration, but he would not risk her. And he would never tell her why. ”We are enemies.”
”We were enemies.”
By G.o.d, she was stubborn! He crossed to the bed, placing his hands on her bare shoulders. She glared up at him, challenging him to keep her away. ”If we're not enemies, la.s.s... then what are we?”
Her lips trembled and she swallowed hard, but she squared her shoulders, tilting her chin up slightly. ”After last night, I'd say lovers.” She leaned toward him, emboldened by the unmistakable evidence of his l.u.s.t. ”You're the only man I've ever lain with. I'm your mistress now. Doesn't that mean we're in this together?”
She was defiant in everything she did, even taking a lover. He wondered how much of it was calculated to gain his cooperation and how much she truly felt. Was he another Jack? A wild grab at freedom? But he was not a fool like her Jack had been.
She held his gaze, her hands sliding inside his s.h.i.+rt. ”What are you thinking?”
He stared down at the wide eyes, gazing up at him with earnest trust, and found he didn't particularly care if he was nothing more than a tool. h.e.l.l, she would have married Jack, had he lived. Of course, Jack had been a Graham. She would never wed a Maxwell.
The sheet slid down to drape about her hips and as she struggled to cover herself again, he knew he'd take whatever she deigned to give him. He caught at the sheet, pulling it up around her and using it to drag her against him.
She exhaled in surprise, but her eyes glowed with pa.s.sion, as unquenchable as his own. ”I'm thinking, la.s.s, I'm safer as yer enemy.”