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“No, it’s true. I swear!” She sat up and swiveled toward him. “I’m so sorry. There—there’s one other thing—”
“What?” he asked ominously, his heart thudding hard in his chest.
She dropped her head. “I lied about my age, too. I thought you would think I was too young for the position, that I wouldn’t have enough experience. And then when you proposed marrying me, I—I was afraid—”
“How old are you?” he asked, looming over her.
“Twenty,” she said faintly, flinching.
“You’re not of age.” His voice was flat. He sank back against the pillows. Somewhere he was conscious of a smoldering rage, but the uppermost emotion was disappointment. A deep, heartrending disappointment.
She nodded. “I was afraid you’d pack me off back to my parents if you knew, or if they found out and came after me, they’d drag me back home.” She stopped, her voice cracking. “I don’t want to go home. I’ve been so happy with you. Please don’t send me home!” She flung herself on his chest, openly weeping.
Stunned, Deo froze. He didn’t know what to do with a weeping female. Especially one half dressed and draped across his naked chest.
“Please, Deo, don’t send me home!” she begged, her little hands clutching at him. The gentle swell of her small breasts was pressed against his chest, her scent of roses and something else filled his nostrils, and her body was warm and shaking against him.
Kes, woken by the disturbance, came and rested a comforting jaw on her leg, and Deo found himself patting her soothingly and saying, “Don’t cry, I won’t send you home.” He swallowed; his throat was tight. “Damn it, Emily,” he said softly, “don’t cry. I can’t stand it!”
Her sobs tumbled down into a hiccoughing mess, her hot tears dripping down his bare skin. He put his arms around her and discovered anew just how small she was. The rage and the disappointment were still there somewhere, but right now they were buried under a layer of need to get her to stop crying. Her sobs were tearing him to pieces.
“Hush!” he said a bit more loudly. “Stop it, Em, please!”
This seemed to reach her, and she made an effort to stifle the sobs.
“I’m s-sorry!” she said woefully.
He pulled her away a bit with his hands on her arms, so that he could see her face. It was blotched and her eyes were red and swimming in tears. He knew he was frowning fiercely. “I won’t send you home, Em, but this is serious. I’ve married you without your father’s permission.”
She nodded, a hand to her mouth to stifle the sob. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“Stop saying you’re sorry. It doesn’t help!” he said irritably. “What a damned coil!”
She swallowed and wiped her face on the sheet and sniffed.
He got up and fetched her a handkerchief and climbed back into bed. She sat up and blew her nose. Wiping her face, she said thickly, “What will you do?”
“Seek the advice of my solicitor. I need to understand the legal ramifications. Damn and blast!” He stared angrily at the bed post. “Is there anything else you haven’t told me?”
“No, no, I swear. Everything else was true. I should have told you; it was stupid not to.”
“Yes, it was,” he said harshly.
She nodded dolefully and wiped fresh tears off her cheeks.
“Bloody hell, Em!” he said helplessly and pulled her into his embrace. “I’m no good at this!” he said, his voice anguished.
She buried her face in his chest, wetness on his skin. “I’m so—”
“Don’t!” he admonished and kissed her hair. Fuck! I don’t do kisses, I don’t do hugs, and I cannot cope with her crying.
“Thank you,” she whispered, and the anger leeched away, leaving him feeling drained and slightly heartsick.
“We’ll sort it out when we get to The Castle. I’ll write to my solicitor and find out where we stand. Once I know that, I’ll write to your parents. We may need to be married again; I don’t know.”
“You’ll still marry me?” she asked, raising her head.
“My reasons for marrying you haven’t changed,” he said roughly, flushing. “You make me comfortable—when you’re not crying all over me.”
She smiled tentatively, and she leaned forward and kissed his chin. “You make me so happy,” she said softly.
His whole body flushed with pleasure, and his traitorous cock stiffened in his breeches. Good thing I left them on.
“We need to sleep,” he said abruptly, pushing her away.
She nodded, dropping her head and moving away to her side of the bed. He heaved a sigh of relief to have the temptation of her body separated from his treacherous cock. Yet his body now felt cold without her warmth. He pushed the thought away and suppressed the ache in his chest. He had a contract to uphold. And in any case, she might not be legally married to him, in which case there was even more reason to keep his distance.
