He took a few steps toward her and forced himself to stop. The muscles in his arms flexed and unflexed.Be rational, not a barbarian.“You can't marry someone else. You are bound to me for a year. The handfast can't be repudiated until then.”
“Oh, that.” She waved her hand dismissively. “My brother assured me that since there were no witnesses, it would be difficult to prove valid.”
Patrick's fists clenched at his side. The little wave almost pushed him over the edge. His body tightened with anger, and it took every ounce of his strength to rein it in. “It was valid to me.”
“Is that so? Strange way you have of showing it.” She smiled. Actually smiled. “In any event, it was for the best. It was so lovely of you and my brother to see to my happiness like this. I don't know what I would have done without you two looking after me.”
The lack of sarcasm in her voice was the first inkling he had that something wasn't right. Uneasy, he studied her face, not exactly sure what he was looking for.
“If that is all that you have to say, I'm afraid I'm quite busy.” She turned to dismiss him, but he had his hand on her arm before she could move away.
“That is not all that I have to say. You can't marry someone else, because you love me, and I love you.”
Tiny white lines appeared around her mouth, the first sign that she was not as unaffected as she appeared. “Love? You certainly have an odd way of showing it.”
He cupped her chin in his hand and forced her gaze to his. The raw emotion radiating from her pale, upturned face socked him right in the gut. He'd hurt her terribly. “I love you with all my heart. It's because I love you that I left. I thought I was doing what was right. I thought you would be better off without me.”
Her eyes searched his, probing. “What changed your mind?”
“I realized that if you were half as miserable as I was, there was no way you would find happiness with someone else.” His heart pounded with dread, with fear. “Was I wrong?”
Tears blurred her eyes. And his chest squeezed with hope.
“How could you leave me like that? After what we'd shared?” The tiny fist of her hand slammed against his chest with surprising force. “You wanted me to believe that you didn't care about me.”
He pulled her into his arms and smoothed his hand over her silky head. “I'm so sorry, love. My only defense is that I love you so much, I only wanted what was best for you.”
She whacked him again.
“Ow,” he said, rubbing the spot. His wee kitten had a bit of a vicious streak.
“You'rewhat's best for me, you overbearing oaf.”
Sweeter words had never been spoken, though he would have to work on her vocabulary. He pulled her into his arms again and squeezed her tightly. “Does that mean you won't be marrying someone else?”
Lizzie pulled back to look into his eyes, a mischievous twist to her sensuous lips. “Don't you want to ask who it is that I'm marrying?”
He frowned. “I assumed it was Robert Campbell.”
She shook her head.
His face hardened. “Then who is it? Tell me so I can kill him.”
“Another ‘random’ attack on the road, perhaps? Thank you, but there will be no more severed limbs in my name.”
He lifted a brow. She'd figured it out, had she? Since he had none, he didn't bother feigning remorse. “The bastard is lucky I didn't know the extent of his blackguard behavior. Now tell me.”
“I don't know,” she hedged. “I haven't decided whether to forgive you or not.”
His lips covered hers in a soft, coaxing kiss, his heart soaring with happiness when he felt her sweet response. He pulled his mouth away and gazed into her eyes. “Name your price, my love. I will do whatever it takes to win you back, even if it means getting down on my knees and begging.”
Her nose wrinkled, as if she were seriously considering it. “Sounds intriguing. I recall the last time you were on your knees.” He met her amused gaze and a bolt of hot lust went straight through him. “But I don't think that will be necessary. I'm thinking that what Caitrina threatened my brother with will be enough.”
He hated to ask. “And what's that?”
Lizzie moved his hand to cover her stomach. “She swore she would bear him only girls.”
His heart plummeted, the blood in his face draining at her words. He suddenly felt unsteady on his feet and had to brace himself against the wooden table beside them. “A babe?”
