Page 68 of Sweet Siren
But he mustn't care forher.
"Liv," he whispered and caressed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "My darling, I loveyou."
She shook herself to some sensitive response. "Killian, no, you don't. This is lust. Thisis—"
"Love." He shifted, still inside her deep and hot, but he brought forth into her view a huge ring of gold with tiny diamonds and one central ruby. "Marry me,Liv."
Her mouth fell open and she worked at words. Crazed, frantic, afraid she would laugh hysterically, she gasped. For him to love her was pure irony. For him to marry her would beludicrous.
She shook her head. And this time, when she moved to slide out from under him, he let hergo.
From the rumpled coverlet and sheets, he sat propped up on one elbow with his gaze boring into hers. "Now tell me what happened up there this afternoon and why that means you won't marryme."
* * *
"Iknow him."
"Clearly."
"He was a friend of my husband's." To go on was to walk into the limbo she'd lived in with David. To tell Killian all, was to open the door to the nightmare she'd lived most of herlife.
Killian set his jaw and slid from the bed. Walking around, he gathered his clothes and jerked them on. When he was in his shirt, his waistcoat hanging open, his trousers secured, he strode to her liquor cart. With a few brisk moves, he poured two glasses full of brandy and handed her one. Then he took a seat in the boudoir chair that faced her. One leg crossed over the other, he focused on her with the intensity for which he'd been prized and ridiculed all theseyears.
He would not move. He wanted answers. And she couldn't blame him, even if she hated that she had to confessthem.
Self-conscious at her nudity, she put down the glass and went to her wardrobe and removed her silk robe. It was too sheer, clinging to her curves and much too risqué for the conversation they were about to have, but she had no time to look for something more demure. Facing him, she tied the sash beneath her breasts, picked up her glass and downed a large swallow. She'd need courage for this. If she had it from a bottle, so beit.
"I cannot marry you because we are notsuited."
He swirled the brandy in his glass. "You've tried that line. We've proved thatwrong."
Very well."I told myself I would never marryagain."
He did not blink oneeyelash.
She whipped out an arm. "I don't like belonging tosomeone."
He took a drink and savored it as his quicksilver eyes narrowed onher.
"I don't like having someone overshadow me. People thinking, assuming things about me that aren't true. Could never betrue."
He wasn't going to speak. He was going to sit there stoic as a prophet until kingdom come and let her raveon.
"Oh, God!He was David'slover."
Killian's lipsparted.
"My husband was a homosexual. He'd known it since he was sent off to school. Horace was one of his lovers. Not the only one, but the one who was the most regular. And Horace was kind to David. He kept reappearing whenever my husband had a financial loss or he suffered estate problems or crop failures. He'd often pay his bills,ourbills, until David and I began to advise on home interior decoration and earn ourkeep."
Killian studied her, compassion softening the thin line of hismouth.
She loathed it. Thesympathy.
Groaning, she turned away to pace and drink and drain herglass.
"I hated that people knew. As if I were less a woman. He less a man. I despised those who sneered at me and him. He was a kind man, gentle, sweet really. He married mebecause—"
That brought her up short. She faced Killian, fury from her past ablaze with hatred and sorrow for what she hadbeen.
