Her Reluctant Groom by Rose Gordon

Author:Rose Gordon
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781935171973
Publisher: Second Wind Publishing, LLC
Published: 2011-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

“What are you doing in here?”

Emma jumped at least a foot in the air at Marcus’ shout. Trying to regain her composure, she sat up and clenched her fists together under the counterpane. “Nothing.” She swallowed hard, pretending she hadn't just stammered.

“This isn't nothing,” Marcus pointed out, crossing his arms.

Clearly she wasn't doing nothing. She'd been sleeping. However, Marcus’ rigid face and disapproving tone suggested she had better have a better reason for being here other than she was passing by and decided she needed a little nap before heading upstairs to her room.

“Why did you come here?” he asked more softly, taking a seat in the chair close to the door.

She swallowed convulsively. “You told me to go to bed.”

“I didn't mean my bed.”

“But we were...” she shrugged. “Then you said…” Unease settled over her. Not only had she misunderstood his words, but it would seem that Lady Bird's book had been incorrect on the part about a man being unable to resist a scantily clad woman in his bed. Not that she'd been planning to try out that suggestion so soon, but when he'd told her to go to bed...

His unblinking eyes stared at her, making her squirm.

Raising her chin a notch, she slipped out of bed. “I can see that I was clearly wrong.”

“Emma,” Marcus whispered. He reached out for her hand to stop her before she could leave. “I didn't mean to make you think I intended for you to shame yourself.”

She winced at his words. Her parents had always stressed the importance of the wedding before the bedding, but she'd known Marcus nearly her whole life and knew he'd not take her virtue then desert her. That was the only reason she'd not been offended or appalled when he'd told her to go to bed. Though he'd not made a formal proposal to her, she knew he intended to marry her. He loved her. It was that simple. The way she'd reasoned it as she left his study was that his word was as solid as stone. If he'd said he loved her, he did. Since he loved her, he'd marry her. Therefore, she'd been willing to go against everything she'd ever been taught about virtuous young ladies and join Marcus in bed this once before their wedding. And now he'd forever think she was a woman with loose morals.

She pulled her wrist from his hand and angled her blushing face away from him. “I merely misunderstood.”

“I do want you that way,” Marcus admitted after she'd crossed the threshold. “I desire you more than you'll ever know, but I—”

“Want me to be a virgin on my wedding night,” she finished for him, blinking back the tears of mortification that stung her eyes.

“Exactly. You deserve that, Emma.”

“Yes, I do,” she agreed stiffly, then walked down the hall to the staircase.

Marcus hollered for her to stop, but she didn't; she sped up. She was too mortified by his rejection to stop and listen to whatever it was he was hastily spouting behind her.

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