“Regardless of aesthetic appeal, one does not generally expect to encounter a half-naked man outdoors where anyone might see him.” Catherine shook her head.
“Aesthetic appeal?” Alaric arched an eyebrow at her. “A rather clinical way to say you find me handsome, Catherine.”
Catherine’s cheeks flushed, and Alaric watched as she opened and closed her mouth several times. “I do not... I mean, I... what I… Ugh! Must you always be so infuriating?”
“I would not know. I have no memory of how appealing or unappealing you have found my company before now. I am simply pointing out that you can just say you think I am handsome. It is hardly a scandalous thing to say. We are married, after all.” Alaric shrugged.
“I am aware of that.” He saw her play with the gold band on her left hand. “It is rather hard to forget it.”
“Why would you want to forget it?”
“We are getting off topic.” Catherine shook herself. “Your little display by the lake was improper, and I have absolutely no wish to repeat it.”
“Very well, I shall ensure that in future I swim with my shirt on.” Alaric smiled.
“I am serious, Alaric. You have a son, and you need to set a good example.” Catherine’s frown deepened.
Alaric raised a finger. “Firstly, we do not know if he is my son. Secondly, I do not think my swimming in my own lake sets a bad example for the boy. Though maybe it would be best to make sure he knows how to swim, lest he decide to follow my example.”
“It is improper and reckless.”
“Yet it does not explain why you seem determined to avoid my company.” Alaric finished his whiskey. “You can hardly be worried about stumbling into me in another state of undress in the castle. Though truth be told, I have no idea why you should worry about it at all. I know why the sight of your body might be a surprise to me– ”
Catherine let out a little squeak of indignation as her cheeks went a delicate shade of scarlet, but Alaric continued, ignoring the interruption. “But as far as I know, your memory is intact.”
“You... I... do not– ” Alaric heard her mutter several distinctly unladylike things under her breath before she crossed the room, grabbed the extra glass of whiskey, and downed it in one go.
“So you do like whiskey then.” Alaric could not keep the amusement from his face.
“Let me make myself perfectly clear, Your Grace. I do not care how addled your memories are, you will not make such lewd suggestions about me again.” Her blue eyes flashed as she met his gaze.
How does she manage to be so beautiful even when she is furious?
Alaric sensed it would be best not to voice this particular thought aloud and shrugged, letting his confusion show on his face.
“You are my wife.”
“And it ismybody. I cannot control what you think, but I do not have to sit here and listen to such vulgarity.” She stepped away from him and let out a shaky breath.
He arched an eyebrow at her, frustration rising up in his chest. “Vulgarity? I am simply pointing out that this shame you have about our intimacy makes no sense. I know enough about marriage to understand its intimate nature. Yet you balk as though you are some blushing maid.”
As he had predicted, her cheeks flushed again, but to his surprise, the anger in her eyes did not fade. She tilted her chin toward him, fists clenched.
“There will be no such thing in our marriage.” The words were clipped with anger.
Something snapped within Alaric.
Why does she insist on treating me like the villain?He did not remember what kind of man he had been, what he had done, but he would not allow this to continue.
He took a step toward her, his heart thundering in his chest as he met her defiant gaze with his own.
“Why are you so determined to keep this distance between us? To treat me as though I am no more than a stranger? I am yourhusband, and yet you rebuff me at every opportunity. I am not your enemy, Catherine. I want you to trust me, for us to be a real partnership.”
Alaric watched Catherine’s mouth open and close several times before she stepped back and let out a burst of laughter.
His heart thundered, and he folded his own hands over his chest, his brow furrowing. “I fail to see what was so amusing about my statement.”
“Of course you do not.” Catherine threw her hands up in the air. “Suffice to say, that is not the sort of marriage we have.”
