Read Online Winter Bride (9780345546197) by Iris Johansen - Free Book Online
Authors: Iris Johansen
Ads: Link
acceptanything I wanted of you. I’m. going to be very upset if you don’t stop this nonsense. You don’t want me to be upset with you, do you? It would spoil all your plans.”
“No I … you mustn’t …” She suddenly collapsed against him, her arms encircling and holding him tightly. “I’m so sorry.…”
“Hush.” His tone was rough, but the hands stroking her hair was exquisitely gentle. “You’re human. It’s stupid being sorry you’re human.” She should push him away, but she couldn’t seem to move. She felt as if she were breaking apart inside and all the pieces were flowing into him. “You’re just a kid … so little.” His voice was thick. “Why couldn’t they see how damn little you are?”
Peace. Warmth. Strength.
She stayed quite still, cherishing the moments, taking from him. Minutes passed. Finally, reluctantly, she straightened and scooted a few inches away and immediately felt alone. She didn’t look at him as she said haltingly, “I thank you very much.”
“You’re very welcome.” He looked at her quizzically. “Okay?”
“Of course. It was only the shock. I wasn’t prepared for her.” She swung her feet to the floor and jumped out of bed. “I’d better get dressed and get back to the castle.”
He stiffened. “The hell you are.”
She quickly began to dress.
“You’re not going back there,” he stated flatly.
“I have to go back. I have nowhere else to go.” She sat down and pulled on her boots. “When do you want me to come back?”
“I’m supposed to let you go back and face that six-foot dragon again?”
“She’s no danger.”
“You have a bruise that will last you a week that says otherwise.”
“I told you, she caught me off guard. I’m not afraid of her.”
“Well, I’m afraid for you.”
She turned to stare at him. “You are?”
“Don’t look so surprised. I’m responsible for that she-devil hurting you. It’s not going to happen again.”
“It won’t.” She tried to ignore the warmth flowing through her as she smoothed her hair into some semblance of order. “Shall I come back tomorrow?”
“Lord, you’re stubborn.” His gaze narrowed on her face. “Hasn’t it occurred to you that you could use this to force my decision on San Miguel?”
“No.” She gave him a faint smile. “I told you I wasn’t good at manipulating events to suit myself.” She strode toward the door. “And if I tried, you’d probably toss me in the sea like you threatened to do to Betty.”
“Let me understand this scenario. You’ll just come back here and let me use you until I get tired of it and then go back to the castle and be abused by that Godzilla?” His breath escaped in an exasperated rush. “You’re unbelievable.”
“I’m sure I’ll be—”
“All right, dammit. I’ll take you to San Miguel.”
She stilled, her heart leaping with joy. “You will?” she whispered. “Truly?”
“I don’t lie, Ysabel.” He smiled crookedly. “I’llconsider it a catharsis. I take it you’re still willing to accept me in your bed?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a long way to San Miguel. Since you appear to have become an obsession with me, maybe I’ll get you out of my system by the time we get there.”
“When can we leave?” she asked eagerly. “Right away?”
He nodded curtly. “I want you out of that place.”
After all these years it was going to happen. She closed her eyes, dizzy with relief.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Her lids flew open and a brilliant smile lit her face. “Nothing’s wrong. Nothing in the world is wrong.” She hurried to the door, unlocked it and threw it open. “I’ll be back in an hour. I have to pack and get my passport and …” She stopped as she remembered something. “Oh dear, my passport’s expired.”
“I have a few friends in the State Department who can rush a renewal.” He started to dress. “Wait for me. I’ll go with you.”
She shook her head. “Don’t
“No I … you mustn’t …” She suddenly collapsed against him, her arms encircling and holding him tightly. “I’m so sorry.…”
“Hush.” His tone was rough, but the hands stroking her hair was exquisitely gentle. “You’re human. It’s stupid being sorry you’re human.” She should push him away, but she couldn’t seem to move. She felt as if she were breaking apart inside and all the pieces were flowing into him. “You’re just a kid … so little.” His voice was thick. “Why couldn’t they see how damn little you are?”
Peace. Warmth. Strength.
She stayed quite still, cherishing the moments, taking from him. Minutes passed. Finally, reluctantly, she straightened and scooted a few inches away and immediately felt alone. She didn’t look at him as she said haltingly, “I thank you very much.”
“You’re very welcome.” He looked at her quizzically. “Okay?”
“Of course. It was only the shock. I wasn’t prepared for her.” She swung her feet to the floor and jumped out of bed. “I’d better get dressed and get back to the castle.”
He stiffened. “The hell you are.”
She quickly began to dress.
“You’re not going back there,” he stated flatly.
“I have to go back. I have nowhere else to go.” She sat down and pulled on her boots. “When do you want me to come back?”
“I’m supposed to let you go back and face that six-foot dragon again?”
“She’s no danger.”
“You have a bruise that will last you a week that says otherwise.”
“I told you, she caught me off guard. I’m not afraid of her.”
“Well, I’m afraid for you.”
She turned to stare at him. “You are?”
“Don’t look so surprised. I’m responsible for that she-devil hurting you. It’s not going to happen again.”
“It won’t.” She tried to ignore the warmth flowing through her as she smoothed her hair into some semblance of order. “Shall I come back tomorrow?”
“Lord, you’re stubborn.” His gaze narrowed on her face. “Hasn’t it occurred to you that you could use this to force my decision on San Miguel?”
“No.” She gave him a faint smile. “I told you I wasn’t good at manipulating events to suit myself.” She strode toward the door. “And if I tried, you’d probably toss me in the sea like you threatened to do to Betty.”
“Let me understand this scenario. You’ll just come back here and let me use you until I get tired of it and then go back to the castle and be abused by that Godzilla?” His breath escaped in an exasperated rush. “You’re unbelievable.”
“I’m sure I’ll be—”
“All right, dammit. I’ll take you to San Miguel.”
She stilled, her heart leaping with joy. “You will?” she whispered. “Truly?”
“I don’t lie, Ysabel.” He smiled crookedly. “I’llconsider it a catharsis. I take it you’re still willing to accept me in your bed?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a long way to San Miguel. Since you appear to have become an obsession with me, maybe I’ll get you out of my system by the time we get there.”
“When can we leave?” she asked eagerly. “Right away?”
He nodded curtly. “I want you out of that place.”
After all these years it was going to happen. She closed her eyes, dizzy with relief.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Her lids flew open and a brilliant smile lit her face. “Nothing’s wrong. Nothing in the world is wrong.” She hurried to the door, unlocked it and threw it open. “I’ll be back in an hour. I have to pack and get my passport and …” She stopped as she remembered something. “Oh dear, my passport’s expired.”
“I have a few friends in the State Department who can rush a renewal.” He started to dress. “Wait for me. I’ll go with you.”
She shook her head. “Don’t
Similar Books
