Warwick seemed to constantly put his foot in his mouth around this woman.
“Go away, Warwick. It is extremely difficult to find my humor at the moment.”
She turned from him, and he studied the rigid set of her shoulders.
“I-I feel like…” Her words fell away.
“Feel like what?” He moved closer.
“Everything has suddenly changed, and the ground is no longer steady under my feet. I need steady, Warwick.”
“I know you do.”
“I need to feel like my life will never again be anything but what it is. I know that is not rational or reasonable and that one day I will likely marry and leave everyone I love dearly, but—”
“You are not leaving us.” His words came out as a snarl. Anger and fear pulsed through him at the thought of her not being exactly where he could find her in a matter of minutes.No!It will not happen.
“I may have no choice.”
“Stop being dramatic. Your family would never allow you to leave if you did not wish it.”
“I’ll be bloody dramatic if I want t-to.”
Warwick heard the catch in her voice and knew she was fighting tears. He cupped her shoulders. It was instinctive that he pull her back into his body and wrap his arms around her. Instinctive that he give her the comfort she needed. She’d always made him feel protective of her.
“It will be all right, Samantha.” She was stiff and tense. “We will protect you, and you will never leave us.” His words came out a vow.
She turned in his arms, and suddenly, there she was. That beautiful face of hers just inches from his. They looked at each other for long heartbeats. He studied her watery blue eyes and the shadows beneath. She was pale and unhappy. His chest hurt just seeing her distress.
“I don’t understand any of this,” she whispered.
He couldn’t speak. Just feel. Her body pressed to his, her lips so close. Samantha. The woman who had teased and tormented him right alongside his sisters.
Her lashes fluttered down as his head lowered.
“Warwick?”
“Yes,” he breathed the word against her lips, and then no more were needed.
The kiss started soft and grew. One of his hands splayed on her spine, pulling her close. The other tilted her chin, so he could take the kiss deeper.
His head spun with the taste of her. The feel of her lovely breasts crushed to his chest. She felt so small in his arms and so right.This,he thought,is what I wanted.
His body was hard with need for this woman. A need he’d fought since he’d collected her off that boat from Ireland.
“I—this,” she whispered against his lips.
“I know.” He pulled her closer and kissed her again.
She leaned into him, closing the tiny gap between their lips. His hand slid lower. He needed to feel her. He mapped her sides, felt the curve of her waist. He swallowed the small sound she made and moved his hand higher. His fingers splayed and touched the side of her breast.
Lust bolted through him. He’d never felt so aroused in such a short time, and this was Samantha. His Samantha, sister and yet not that. Never again would he think of her that way.
“I’m sure she’s fine, but it’s not surprising after everything she’s been through that Samantha is unsettled.”
He eased back. Her lashes lifted, and Warwick bit back a moan. She was there with him, wanting this. Needing him.
“Rose is coming, Samantha.”
