He knelt by her side, taking her hands in his. “I am sending you home for your own safety. Believe me when I say that deep inside my heart, I really do not want to let you go, but I worry about my uncle harming you. I shudder to think what kind of torture he would put you through if he was able to take you away from me.”
“I thank you for caring about my welfare, but I think you are using your uncle as an excuse.” She yanked her hands away and stood. Pushing past him, she marched to the window. She parted the curtains slightly and peered out onto the street.
He sighed heavily and stood. “You still do not believe me?”
She shrugged. “Not about this.”
“But I suppose it does not matter now. You will be leaving later today, anyway.” He stepped up behind her and stroked her hair. “I just want you to know how much I will miss you.”
She remained silent as she fought the tears threatening to come forth.
“My sweet Maxey, I don’t quite understand why you are so angry. If you recall, you didn’t want to come with me in the first place. Now I am sending you home, and you are still not happy.”
Huffing, she spun around and faced him, crossing her arms over her chest. “Yes, I’m still not happy. I’m beginning to think this was all planned.”
He shook his head. “Planned? What exactly do you mean?”
“I think you go around the world setting out to break women’s hearts. I think it satisfies your male pride. You planned to make me fall in love with you, didn’t you? And yet you are going to send me back home anyway. You don’t care about my feelings, so quit pretending like you do.”
Large but tender hands cupped her face as a smile touched his mouth. “You…really love me?”
Another wave of pain yanked at her from the softness in his chocolate eyes. “Not anymore.”
He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “When did you lose this feeling?”
“During the carriage ride from the ship. As I looked out the vehicle’s window and realized you are truly sending me away. I lost all emotion where you are concerned.”
A twitch in his lip lifted to a grin. “Ah, but, my sweet, you cannot turn loving feelings into hate that fast.”
“What’s the use of loving you?” Her voice trembled. “I tried, heaven knows I tried not to give my heart to you, but you purposely teased me with your sultry kisses and made me develop strong feelings for you. I’m innocent, and you know it, but you still played out your gentle seduction. Couldn’t you tell how you affected me?”
“Maxey,” he whispered, leaning forward as he brushed his lips over her cheek. “I wanted to affect you. I wanted you to love me.” He pressed his mouth over hers, but she turned her head and broke the contact.
“Why?” A sob tore from her throat. “So you can send me home? If you wanted me to love you, why are you being so merciless? Can’t you tell I want to be with you? Can’t you see I want to help? And can’t you see that leaving you will rip the heart from my chest and leave me lonely for the rest of my life?”
Nash groaned, buried his face into the curve of her neck, and wound his arms around her. Heat surged through her body, and she trembled with desire.
“Oh, Maxey, you don’t know what your words are doing to me.” He lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. “As much as I want to keep you near me and love you like you deserve, I’m still fearful my uncle will find and kill you.”
“But Nash…” She threaded her fingers through the hair on his nape as she held on to him. “You have guarded me so far this trip, and when I’m in your arms, I feel so protected. How can your uncle get to me when you have been my hero since our first meeting?”
He groaned and covered her mouth with his, silencing her words. With a sob of pleasure, she clung to him and returned his kiss with urgency. Although her mind told her to stop, she didn’t. She couldn’t. This was her last chance to show him just how much she loved him.
The tightness in her throat made her realize he must have also been struggling with an intense desire he couldn’t control. She could think of nothing else, for she burned with yearning beyond description.
As he kissed the pulse of her neck, he murmured tender endearments. Smiling, she tilted her head, enjoying the sensations running amuck through her. While she listened to his deep voice, chills raced over her arms. She loved this man, and nothing would change her mind about him now. If only she could change his mind about returning her love.
The mere thought of leaving his side and never seeing his handsome face or feeling his intoxicating touch again caused tears to gather in her eyes once more. She tightened her arms around him, pressing herself closer, hoping to show him how she felt through her kiss.
How she wished he would confess his love. But therein lay the problem. Did he love her as much as she loved him? Dare she say it aloud again, in hopes that he would repeat those words? The way he kissed her made her think he did have those feelings for her after all.
He flicked his tongue possessively inside her mouth, and she tingled with rapturous pleasure. Her limbs grew weak, leaving her trembling as her breaths became more ragged.
A moan ripped through her throat, and she thought he replied with the same passionate sigh. She couldn’t let him leave her. She must convince him that they had to be together. Forever.
He broke the kiss, but only to slide his lips over her chin and down to her neck, kissing the pulse of her throat. She moved her hands to his shoulders, then to his chest. The rhythm of his heartbeat hammered against her palm.
“Oh, Nash.” She sighed heavily as her mind repeated the wordsI love you.
