“Of course,” Daniel whispered. “Of course.”
* * * * *
What a pathetic son of a bitch you are. Daniel flopped down on his bunk after Talon had left. The web of lies and deceit his father had forced on him was unbearable.
He found himself liking Talon, something he never would have expected in a thousand years. After all, he’d spent years building his hatred for the brother who was everything he’d tried and failed to be.
Talon the perfect. Talon the brave. Talon the hero.
When he thought of all the times his father had sung his brother’s praises, all those dark, black moments he’d tried so hard to forget, he wished desperately for the tenuous calm he’d only managed to find at the bottom of an opium pipe. Perhaps the lack of that old, familiar escape was the worst part of this hellish journey. He would have liked to ignore the whole situation, pleasantly drifting along in a drug-induced haze. Instead, he’d been forced to get to know his brother and his wife, only to find he liked them both and didn’t want to see them hurt.
Talon loved Kate, loved her fiercely and passionately. Daniel had never known such love existed. What he had with Philip didn’t even come close.
It made him wonder what it would be like to have a relationship that was based on something other than sex and drugs. He’d been thinking too much lately about what might have happened if his father had allowed him and Kate to have a child together.
For the last week, he’d watched Talon, wondering if his brother might somehow figure a way out of this mess. He’d decided perhaps he could live without Philip, could even stay in the godforsaken Carolinas and remain celibate for the rest of his life, merely for the pleasure of watching his father thwarted just this once.
But in the end, his father had won, as he always did.
Poor Kate. Talon was right. She was probably beating herself up over what had happened. He should do as his brother asked and go to her.
And he would. In a little while. But first he was going to write a letter to Philip and let him know he would be coming home soon.
* * * * *
Kate woke late in the afternoon. She stretched, reaching for Talon in the bed beside her, only to find herself alone.
Her body still tingled, and she was sore in a very agreeable way. She smiled when she saw the rose on the pillow beside her. “Talon,” she whispered, loving the sound of his name on her lips.
She wondered where he’d gone and if last night had been as special to him as it had been to her. Never in all her wildest fantasies had she dreamed making love to him would be so beautiful, so consuming.
She slipped out of bed and reached for her nightgown, suddenly self-conscious of her nakedness. As she slipped the fabric over her head, she saw the dark red stain on her sheets.
Letting the concealing fabric slide down over her hips, she reached out a trembling fingertip and touched the dried blood, sobered by the dreadful finality of it.
There was no going back now. She would never be innocent again. What would happen when she saw Talon? Would he act as though nothing had happened? Or would he take her in his arms, kiss her and tell her he loved her?
And what about Daniel? What did he think about this whole mess?
She bathed with the chilly water left over in her basin and then dressed, knowing she couldn’t put off facing him any longer.
A few moments later, she opened the door to the sitting room. Daniel looked up from the desk, hastily shoving the letter he’d been writing into the drawer. Standing, he took her hand and escorted her to the chair. “How are you feeling?”
His concern made her burst into tears. She had wronged him in the worst possible way, and still he was being nice to her. “I’ve done a terrible thing. I’m so sorry.”
“Hush.” Daniel patted her awkwardly on the back. “It’s all right, Kate. I understand.”
“How can you understand? I don’t. I’m not the kind of person who does things like this.”
“Yes, you are.”
She glanced at him, stung, but he grinned and waved a dismissive hand.
“You were meant to be with a man like Talon,” he clarified. “Besides, I’m hardly in a position to begrudge you any happiness you might find.”
Her cheeks grew hot when she thought of the rapture she’d found in Talon’s arms. He did make her happy. Happier than she’d ever been.
“You’re blushing.” Daniel sat back and gave her an appraising glance. “So, tell me. Was it everything you’d thought it would be?”
