Engraved (A Private Collection) by Fresina Jayne

Author:Fresina, Jayne [Fresina, Jayne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Published: 2011-03-21T07:00:00+00:00

“Why marry him?” He knew why. He wanted to hear her confess.

Shockingly, she did. “He was safe and ordinary, like this village.”

Smug, he laughed. “So you settled for dull and dreary.”

“I didn’t settle.” She bristled, shoulders back. “I had several offers at the time and I chose him.”

“Offers? What other offers?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised.” She stood and walked to the large welsh dresser against the wall. “He wasn’t the only man in the village who wanted to marry me, and several still do. Now that I’m out of mourning, I have my share of suitors.”

Adam’s desire to laugh faded quickly. He glared at her, wondering if she deliberately sought to make him angry, but she was solemn, bringing a glass to the table and pouring herself some ale.

“Surely you wouldn’t marry again at your age.” He meant that she was no young, naïve girl anymore, anxious not to be left on the shelf, but it came out wrong. Had he heard himself, he would have realized his mistake, but his mind sparked with deafening jealousy while a serpent-like possessiveness writhed sensuously around his innards. Never having known either emotion, he dealt with it badly, clumsily.

Her lashes flickered and she sucked in a sharp breath. “Why wouldn’t I marry again?”

His anger mounted. “Why would you?”

She brought the glass to her lips and sipped, very dainty and ladylike. “There is security in marriage, respectability.” Raising her dark lashes she flung a hot glare above the rim of her glass. “Even for a woman of my advanced years.”

When she was rolling around in her bed with him, he thought acidly, she wasn’t very concerned about respectability. But he was good only for this sport. He wasn’t safe enough for anything more. She, the woman with shifty eyes that were never still, didn’t trust him when all he’d ever said to her was honest, perhaps even too honest. Almost from their first meeting he’d spilled his thoughts to her, let her know how much he wanted her. He should have had more restraint. No wonder she thought him a boy.

“Not that I have any need to explain my reasoning to you,” she added. “Who, when, and where I marry is certainly no business of yours, Adam Blackwood. What do you know about marriage? I’ve heard you proclaim you will die a happy bachelor.”

It was true, he had said that many times. But now he was getting married, seeking something secure in his life, finally. Just as she was. He wondered if he should tell her about his engagement. No, perhaps this wasn’t the ideal moment.

“I’m inclined to think you made the right choice by remaining unwed,” she said, briskly brushing crumbs from her chemise. “If only women were entitled to enjoy sex and not be consumed with guilt, then perhaps there wouldn’t be so many miserable marriages.” Looking up, catching his expression, she carefully softened her words. “Don’t frown.”

He hadn’t realized he was frowning.

“Let’s not quarrel,” she said gently.

Why not? Because she wanted to

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