“You’ll not risk your neck like that again,” he said sternly. “You’re too important.”
“I... am?”
At the shy yearning in her look, his heart gave an erratic beat. He calmed it. It wouldn’t do to be controlled by sentimentality. “Certainly. You are the mother of my future heirs.”
“Oh.” She blinked, then shook her head. “You speak as if it’s afait accompli. It’s not.”
“Tell me how to make it so,” he said with steely determination.
“Shouldn’t we get to know one another better before making a permanent decision?”
To his mind, the decision was made. But if he went head-to-head with her, she’d only dig her heels in more. If she needed time to reach the inevitable conclusion, then so be it.
“I’ll court you,” he said decisively. “How long?”
“I don’t know.” She nibbled on her lip. “Until we’re certain that we’re suited?”
“If you still need convincing after what just happened at Marieur’s, I would be happy to provide another demonstration. I can still taste your honey, pet, and already I hunger for more.”
Her cheeks turned a charming shade of pink. “You oughtn’t say such things.”
“Why not? You’re the one who’s always insisting that I tell the truth.”
“Not aboutthat.” She huffed out a breath. “The point is that there is more to a relationship than physical intimacy. We hardly know one another. We come from different backgrounds, have differing views on marriage and—”
“Tell me how your views differ from mine.”
Her lips pursed. “I believe in fidelity, for one.”
“Agreed. Next.”
“Wait—that’s it? Don’t you want to discuss the issue?”
“What is there to discuss? There will be no other man for you. And I’ll be so busy attending to your pleasure,”—he lifted his brows—“that I won’t have time for anyone else.”
She flushed. “You would be faithful to your vows. Truly?”
She’d obviously heard the rumors about his first marriage. Bitterness rose, yet he told himself that Laura was in his past. His future would be different; he would make it so.
“I was a faithful husband,” he said coolly, “regardless of what you may have heard.”
“Your first marriage... what was it like?” she asked tentatively.
He didn’t want to talk about his mistakes. Didn’t want the trail of filth to follow him into the present. Yet he knew that in order to gain Emma’s trust, he had to give her something.
“I was young and foolish when I met Laura, taken in by her beauty and charm. I married her after a whirlwind courtship. Our marriage was not a happy one.”
The understatement of the century.
“Why weren’t you happy?”
His jaw tautened. “Laura and I did not suit, let’s leave it at that. But I was faithful until the day she died. God knows I’ve been no saint since, but when I marry again, I intend to honor my vows.” For some reason, he heard himself ask, “Do you believe me?”
After a moment, Emma gave a brisk nod. “Yes.”
“Just like that?”
“You are arrogant, controlling, and manipulative at times. As far as I can tell, however, you’ve never lied to me.”
