Page 30 of Beau
His eyes glittered with anger.
“Then I suppose I am going to have to set them straight. You are my wife, and I will not tolerate anyone disrespecting you.”
“Where are you going?”
“To remind them who is paying their fee.”
“No. Please, don’t. You are going to make things worse.”
He had ignored that and went downstairs to speak to Armand. The big blustery man had humbly apologized to her and promised that it would never happen again.
“Everything okay now?”
“Yes,” She had told him hesitantly.
The memory brought a smile to her face. “Remember when we first met?”
His smile was crooked. “Absolutely. You were wearing a plum-colored gown that left your shoulders and back bare. I saw you from across the room and knew that I had to dance with you.”
“You came over and rudely interrupted the conversation I was having with Richard, my date.”
“That guy was a tool. I couldn’t believe you were with him," he said with a snort.
“I was not exactly with him. I had to go to the function, and he was my plus one.” She rolled her eyes at him. “I saw you marching toward us with that determined look on your face and realized what you were up to.”
“You refused my offer.”
Turning her head, she stared at him with raised brows. “It sounded more like a command, and it got my back up. I knew of your reputation and was determined not to be one of your women.”
His finger trailed over her lush bottom lip. “And I was determined not to give up. I cut in on you and that positively boring guy and gave you no chance.” His eyes darkened. “It was just a challenge at first, but as soon as I took you in my arms, it became more than that. Your scent assailed my nostrils, and I was filled with you.
The dress you had on was scanty up top and you were not wearing a bra. I could feel your nipples like branding irons through my jacket. You felt it too, the shock of awareness that took us both by surprise.”
“I ran away.” She shook her head as she thought back to that night and how frightened and confused she had been.
“I came after you. I knew I had to find out what was going on between us.”
“You hauled me into your arms and kissed me forcefully. I felt the sting on my lips.” Her breath was strangled inside her throat.
“You tried to push me away.” He lifted her and repositioned her so that she was lying next to him on the pillows.
“I wouldn’t allow it. Lust like I had never felt before was pouring through my body. I was overwhelmed by it. I had to taste you, and it had to be right then and there.” His trembling hands cupped her face. “You responded with a similar passion, and I thought I had gotten through to you.”
“When I heard sounds of laughter coming from the bushes, I realized what I was doing.” Her hand touched his face. “I wanted to die of embarrassment.”
“You pushed me away and stormed off. When I went looking for you, you had already left. I almost went crazy. I was hard, achingly so and I needed you.” His expression darkened. “You put me through hell. I had to be constantly proving myself to you.”
“Whose fault was that?” she whispered.
“Because of my reputation, you could not believe I could change.”
“No," she admitted. “I called myself all kinds of fool for capitulating.”
His hands drifted to her exposed throat, where her pulse was beating madly. He had felt it that night, when he wrapped his hand around her neck.
“And here we are.”
“Yes.” She parted the lapels of his robe, and he helped her by shrugging it off. Her hands wandered over the golden chest, with the sprinklings of dark gold chest hairs. He reminded her of a magnificent piece of artwork she had seen in one of Jackson’s galleries. “I am glad you were such a persistent pain in the ass.”