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Authors: Angela Johnson
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prosper?”
A stabbing pain in her heart, Kat turned her head aside and bit her lip. Her dreams were small and had not changed since she was a woman of marriageable age. She wanted to marry a man who would love her unconditionally and give her children to love and adore. She had thought Alex was that man, till the day he abandoned her without an explanation and crushed her vulnerable heart. Alex would never understand the extent to which his desertion still hurt her.
Alex reached out with one finger, pressed it against her clenched jaw and drew her face back to his. His gaze held tenderness and regret. Despite her pain, a soft, fluttery sensation curled low in her stomach.
Alex shook his head. “Forgive me. I didn’t express myself very well. What I meant to say is I wish to make you an offer. You may accept it or reject it. But this time the decision shall be yours. If you choose to accept my offer, I promise to abide by your decision no matter the outcome.”
Kat had difficulty understanding what Alex meant. He was giving her a choice? What choice?
“What are you talking about, Alex? What sort of offer are you proposing? And why do you think I would be interested?”
“Because I know you well, Kat. You are unable to resist a challenge. And what I’m proposing is a marriage bargain. At the end of which, you will have the ultimate decision whether we reconcile or not.”
“What are you saying, Alex? That you wish to end our marriage now?”
Kat’s heart skipped several beats as dismay filled her. Nay, not dismay, it was just that he had piqued her interest and she did not want to get too excited in case she misunderstood what he was proposing.
Alex closed the distance between them. “Nay, never.” He caught her hand and pressed it against his chest. His gaze held hers. “Do you feel how fiercely my heart is beating?”
His heart thrummed beneath her fingertips and his blue gaze narrowed to pinpoints of light.
“You are the only woman who makes my heart race uncontrollably. The only woman I want or will ever need.”
I will not believe it.
Kat stepped back and Alex’s arm dropped to his side. “You make no sense, Alex. One moment you are swearing you will not relent until you win me back. The next you say it is my decision if we reconcile or not. What exactly are you proposing?”
Alex braced his left hand on his sword hilt. “Do you remember our wedding night?”
How can I forget?
Alex’s eyes glittered in remembrance. “That night you asked me if all I cared about was duty and honor. I didn’t understand what you wanted from me then, but now I do. I have changed, Kat. I, too, want more than a marriage based on duty. I care about you and I want you in my life. All I ask is that you give me a chance to prove it and win back your trust.”
Kat could not believe what she was hearing. Alex deluded himself if he thought there was anything he could do to earn her trust back. The pain of his betrayal resided deep in her heart like a burning coal. “I’m afraid you are six years too late, Alex,” she said, her voice cold and disdainful. “You made it clear when you left that you did not want me for your wife. Well, you will have to live with that decision, because I certainly don’t want you for my husband now.” Her breast heaving, Kat turned and pushed the hanging branches aside to leave, but his next words stopped her.
“Do you not wish to hear my offer? The marriage bargain I would propose?”
She looked at him over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed in contempt. “There is not one word you can say I would have the slightest interest in hearing, Alex.”
He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. “Annulment.”
Except that word .
Chapter 5
Kat whirled around, her gray eyes narrowed with suspicion. Alex was pleased to catch her speechless. He had barely choked out the word, and his stomach roiled with nausea. But it was too late to turn back now.
“If this is your idea of a jest,
A stabbing pain in her heart, Kat turned her head aside and bit her lip. Her dreams were small and had not changed since she was a woman of marriageable age. She wanted to marry a man who would love her unconditionally and give her children to love and adore. She had thought Alex was that man, till the day he abandoned her without an explanation and crushed her vulnerable heart. Alex would never understand the extent to which his desertion still hurt her.
Alex reached out with one finger, pressed it against her clenched jaw and drew her face back to his. His gaze held tenderness and regret. Despite her pain, a soft, fluttery sensation curled low in her stomach.
Alex shook his head. “Forgive me. I didn’t express myself very well. What I meant to say is I wish to make you an offer. You may accept it or reject it. But this time the decision shall be yours. If you choose to accept my offer, I promise to abide by your decision no matter the outcome.”
Kat had difficulty understanding what Alex meant. He was giving her a choice? What choice?
“What are you talking about, Alex? What sort of offer are you proposing? And why do you think I would be interested?”
“Because I know you well, Kat. You are unable to resist a challenge. And what I’m proposing is a marriage bargain. At the end of which, you will have the ultimate decision whether we reconcile or not.”
“What are you saying, Alex? That you wish to end our marriage now?”
Kat’s heart skipped several beats as dismay filled her. Nay, not dismay, it was just that he had piqued her interest and she did not want to get too excited in case she misunderstood what he was proposing.
Alex closed the distance between them. “Nay, never.” He caught her hand and pressed it against his chest. His gaze held hers. “Do you feel how fiercely my heart is beating?”
His heart thrummed beneath her fingertips and his blue gaze narrowed to pinpoints of light.
“You are the only woman who makes my heart race uncontrollably. The only woman I want or will ever need.”
I will not believe it.
Kat stepped back and Alex’s arm dropped to his side. “You make no sense, Alex. One moment you are swearing you will not relent until you win me back. The next you say it is my decision if we reconcile or not. What exactly are you proposing?”
Alex braced his left hand on his sword hilt. “Do you remember our wedding night?”
How can I forget?
Alex’s eyes glittered in remembrance. “That night you asked me if all I cared about was duty and honor. I didn’t understand what you wanted from me then, but now I do. I have changed, Kat. I, too, want more than a marriage based on duty. I care about you and I want you in my life. All I ask is that you give me a chance to prove it and win back your trust.”
Kat could not believe what she was hearing. Alex deluded himself if he thought there was anything he could do to earn her trust back. The pain of his betrayal resided deep in her heart like a burning coal. “I’m afraid you are six years too late, Alex,” she said, her voice cold and disdainful. “You made it clear when you left that you did not want me for your wife. Well, you will have to live with that decision, because I certainly don’t want you for my husband now.” Her breast heaving, Kat turned and pushed the hanging branches aside to leave, but his next words stopped her.
“Do you not wish to hear my offer? The marriage bargain I would propose?”
She looked at him over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed in contempt. “There is not one word you can say I would have the slightest interest in hearing, Alex.”
He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. “Annulment.”
Except that word .
Chapter 5
Kat whirled around, her gray eyes narrowed with suspicion. Alex was pleased to catch her speechless. He had barely choked out the word, and his stomach roiled with nausea. But it was too late to turn back now.
“If this is your idea of a jest,
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