Regardless of anything he could say, her tumble down the stairs had been nothing more than an accident. She wished she understood him better so that she would know what to say to absolve him of guilt—something to prove that she didn’t blame him.
Almost before forming her thought, an idea came to mind.
She swallowed another drink of water and then set the glass aside. He was her husband, after all.
Inspired by her feline friend, she leaned forward and crawled to the end of the bed to where Rock sat.
He stared at her cautiously but she wasn’t going to let that deter her. In all likelihood, he only felt that way because he considered her injured and fragile. He was heroic like that.
But she didn’t feel at all fragile.
She halted and then kneeled before him on the mattress. “Will you kiss me?” She would have initiated the kiss herself, but she was not that bold. She tilted her head. “We are newly married, are we not?”
A rueful grin tipped up the corners of his lips. “We are.”
“I won’t break. I’m well on the mend.” She scooted closer and landed one hand on his shoulder. A thrill shot through her at the hardness of his muscles, and she couldn’t help but massage the sinewy cords with her fingertips.
His skin broke into gooseflesh.
“Am I not a stranger to you?” He met her gaze, looking almost pained. So very much the gentleman. He wasso very honorable. Was it possible he feared that his kiss would frighten her? The poor, dear, foolish numbskull of a man.
“You are not a stranger. You are my husband.” Her voice caught. “You are my Rock.” And feeling no fear, no discomfort or embarrassment, Tabetha leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.
Chapter 11
Rationalizing
At the first touch of her lips, Stone didn’t move. Instead, he steeled the inappropriate desires that roared to life, hoping she would become shy and push away.
She did not become shy.
Nor did she give up easily. She parted her lips, and he responded instinctively.
He’d give her this kiss. Finch had instructed him to keep her happy—not to upset her. Who was he to deny her anything?
Her mouth tasted sweet, reminding him of candy, and her lips were soft—and plump. And more talented than he’d have imagined with her limited experience.
When her slender arms curled around his neck, the image of a seemingly innocent spider weaving her web flashed through his mind. Because she felt like silk beneath his hands, luring him into her trap.
And succeeding.
Fire and confusion swept through him. Fire, because his blood flowed hot with desire. Confusion, because his body was taunting him. This was Tabetha! The woman who’d made herself the bane of his existence these past weeks.
The woman who’d scoffed his very existence as beneath her notice—who’d only ever valued gentlemen of rank.
And yet the desire that came to life had him wondering if he’d wanted her all along—just like this—warm, willing.
In bed, beneath him, surrounding him.
This was everything a kiss should be—hot, demanding, searching, fulfilling one promise even as another unfolded. And now his racing heart matched the throbbing in his cock. A tortured groan rumbled through the room. The groan came from him.
“Rock,” she pleaded. “Rock.”
Rock!
He tore his mouth away from hers, gasping. She believed she was kissing her loving husband—Rock Chester. It was all a lie. He was her husband, yes, but the rest of it was make-believe.
He couldn’t do this.She is not herself.
