Biting her lower lip, she seethed, but held her tongue. She should have known not to expect fair play from a man used to gaining whatever he desired. At any cost.
He strolled to the nearest chair and turned it about to face the bed, rather than the grate. Then he sat, crossing one ankle over the opposite knee and adjusting his heavy silk robe with studious leisure. The traitorous key was slipped into his pocket.
“You are the most arrogant man I have ever met.”
“You are welcome to discuss my perceived flaws at a later date. At the present moment, let’s keep to the topic of why you’ve been barring me from your bed.”
She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “You know why.”
“Do I? Well then I appear to have forgotten. Would you be so kind as to remind me? And be quick about it, if you please. I’ve done my best to allow you time to set aside your pique, but a sennight of waiting has stretched my patience.”
Elizabeth growled. “I am not merely a cunt to rut in. If you need sex so badly, take yourself in hand.”
His harshly indrawn breath was the only sign she’d struck effectively. “If all I needed was sexual release, I would have done just that. Now, the reason for the locked door?”
She sat there for a long time, thinking it would be best if he determined what was wrong on his own. But finally the pregnant silence was too much to bear. “You owe me an apology.”
“I do?”
“Yes.”
“For what, pray tell?”
“You know why. It was wrong to involve William when I asked you not to.”
“I will not apologize for that.” His large hands, with their long, elegant fingers, curled over the carved wooden arms of the chair.
She lifted her chin. “Then we have nothing more to discuss.”
“Ah but we do,” he drawled softly. “Because I’m sharing your bed tonight, my lovely wife, and I prefer it to be a pleasurable experience.”
“I have feelings, Marcus, and a mind. You cannot just trample over those things and expect me to welcome you with open arms.”
“I covet your feelings, Elizabeth, and I respect your mind. I could not have married you otherwise.”
Her head tilted as she considered him, so tall and broad he dwarfed the chair he occupied. “If you speak the truth, why didn’t you discuss your intent with me and allow me to offer my opinion? You belittle me by acting without my knowledge and then concealing your actions.”
“I concealed nothing. When you asked, I told you. And your opinion was known to me. I am fairly clever,” he said dryly. “You can tell me something once and I’ll retain it.”
“Then my opinion is of so little consequence it does not bear considering?”
He stood. “I will always consider your opinion, and give it as much weight as my own, but your safety will always come first. Always.”
Feeling on unequal footing, Elizabeth slid from the bed. Although Marcus was far taller than she, it gave her some comfort to stand tall against him. “And what of William’s safety? And his family?”
Marcus crossed to her, and lifting a hand, brushed the back of his fingers along her cheekbone. His eyes closed, as if he savored the touch of her. For her part, she shivered at the smell of him, that warm scent of sandalwood and citrus she knew and loved so well.
“I worry for him, yes. And I regret I was forced to involve him. Should something happen to him or his wife I would be forever wracked with guilt and I would mourn the loss of a man who was once, and hopefully will be again, as close to me as my brothers.” His voice lowered, became almost wistful. “But I would survive. I could not say the same were I to lose you.”
“Marcus …” Stunned by his words, her hand came up to catch his and hold it to her cheek.
“I don’t know how I lived those four years without you. Looking back now, remembering the endlessness of days, the aching longing, the sense I was missing something vital …” He shook his head. “I couldn’t go through that again. And that was before. Before I knew the many facets of your smiles, the warmth of your skin, the sounds of your pleasure, feeling you next to me both in public and private.”
Suddenly, she felt overwhelmed and she gasped for breath.
He tugged her closer and embraced her within gentle arms. “I am sorry you are hurt by my decision, but I would make it again, a hundred times over. This is difficult for you, I know, and I understand you cannot collect how I feel. I would sacrifice my own life to protect yours, because none of it would be worth anything without you. And so I am resigning my commission, because my work jeopardizes you.”
“Wh-why …” She swallowed hard and held him tight. “I never expected you would say such things to me. I-I don’t know how to reply …”
“A week without you was enough to realize it was best to explain myself plainly, so there would be no doubt.”
“I never thought you would love me. Not after all that I’ve done.”
His cheek rested atop her head. “I used to wonder why it had to be you. I’ve met beautiful women, smart women, funny and bold women. Why Elizabeth? Why not someone who could open her heart to me? Perhaps it was the chase. Perhaps it’s that you are wounded and I wish to heal you.” He shrugged. “The Lord only knows.”
“I still cannot help but wish you would have told me your intent,” she grumbled, even though her upset was immeasurably soothed by his declaration of her importance.
“In the future, I hope I have more time to convince you of the merits of my opinion, but in this case I didn’t have that luxury.”
She leaned against his arms and narrowed her eyes. “How long could it have possibly taken?”
He laughed. “A sennight it seems, and we didn’t have that.”
Looking up at him, seeing the warmth in his eyes and the loving curve of his mouth, she wanted to sigh like a besotted schoolgirl. Time and intimate familiarity did not lessen the effect of his masculine beauty. She didn’t have the words to say things like he did, so plainly and with such courage. But she would do the best she could.
Her hands slipped between them and parted the front of his robe, revealing the body that made her mouth dry and her sex clench in eagerness. Her fingertips drifted over taut, warm skin, across his abdomen, and down to his thighs.
“Feel what you do to me?” he asked, his eyes drifting shut as he quivered beneath her touch. He licked his lips and clutched her waist, the crests of his cheekbones flushing with arousal. “I ache for this, Elizabeth, burn for it.” Reaching for her hand, he brought it to his cock, already hard and throbbing. He drew in his breath sharply when she curled her hands around it.
Awed, her gaze roamed the length of his body, helpless in the grip of only exploratory caresses.
Trust, he’d said to her once. This is trust.
She would have to trust that he would always do what was best for her, even if she did not agree with his methods. Would she not do the same to protect him?
Filled with feelings that had no outlet, she sank to her knees and opened her mouth, giving him the pleasure she knew he desired.