Page 29 of Temptress in Disguise
“You kept your vow tonight.” She referred to the oaths they made before reaching the altar. “When I needed you most, you were there.”
“I promised to protect you.”
“And I said I would be no trouble.”
His gaze turned hot, his grin sinful. “I knew you were trouble the moment I laid eyes on you. You’re my kind of trouble. Trouble I’m well-equipped to handle.”
The air grew so tense it was electrifying.
She glanced at his strong hands. He would want to touch her soon. He would want to consummate their union. Nerves had her asking the obvious question. “Have you considered the sleeping arrangements for tonight? We are married. I can’t help but wonder what you have planned.”
“Rest assured. I’d never bed a woman who doesn’t want me.”
She should have breathed a sigh of relief. One chaste kiss had left her giddy. And yet she’d spent all day imagining more.
“You’re a handsome man, but the intimacy lovers share would only serve as a distraction.” It was foolish, but she’d always hoped to give herself to a man she loved. And every moment should be spent dealing with the monumental tasks ahead.
“Sex can be gratifying without being intimate.”
She bit her lip. “I wouldn’t know.”
“Perhaps you’ll allow me to show you.”
“Perhaps.”
He must have sensed her embarrassment, and so changed the subject. “Aaron said to bid you good night.”
She arched a brow. “We agreed not to lie.”
He smiled. “He says I shouldn’t trust you. He doesn’t want you at Fortune’s Den and doesn’t want you upsetting Mrs Maloney. She has a kind heart and a tendency to become too excited.”
That explained the cross words shared outside the police office. “Trust must be earned. Your brother will come to learn I am not the enemy.”
His expression turned quizzical. “When attacked, most people deliver a punch intending to maim. You take time to assess the situation, to play peacekeeper.”
“Not always. You forget I hit Mr Budworth with a stool.” And she had fought for her life the night the devil stole into her chamber and pinned her to the bed. “But your brother is right to be cautious.”
“Life has taught him to expect the worst.”
They fell silent as she contemplated the harrowing series of events that had led them both to this point. Perhaps bad things happened to force a person onto a different path. A better path. A route that had already been plotted and mapped for the greater good.
The carriage turned into a narrow lane and rattled to a stop outside a quaint bookshop. The hour was late, past midnight, though the comforting glow of candlelight glistened from within.
Aramis sat forward. “Wait for me here. I would rather explain the circumstances of our marriage to Mrs Maloney before she meets you. In my absence, Gibbs will be your protector.”
She nodded. Why would she object? The gesture meant he cared about the lady’s feelings. It proved Aramis Chance wasn’t the savage beast Lydia had described.
Minutes passed before he returned. The boyish grin on his face said Mrs Maloney had given her blessing, given him something he probably didn’t know he needed—acceptance and love.
“Mrs Maloney is keen to meet you.” Aramis offered his hand.
A knot of nerves twisted in her stomach as she anticipated touching him. He kept his gaze locked with hers as he held her hand and assisted her from the carriage. The promise of something wicked flashed in his eyes. Something that stole her breath.
The musty shop smelled of dust, old leather and a hint of stewed apples. An elderly woman stood ready to greet her with a warm smile.
Mrs Maloney stepped forward, her wrinkled hands outstretched. “In all my blessed days, I never expected my boy Aramis to marry.” She gripped Naomi’s hands and searched her face. “But I can see why he was enchanted.”
Unsure what Aramis had told the woman, she said, “Perhaps he’s never met anyone who shared his ambitions.” The ambition to see Melissa Grant transported for fraud.
