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and frowned. After a minute he turned back to the bathroom. “We’d better get dressed.”
She got up, too, a little shaky and puzzled by his odd behavior. He’d meant to comfort her, she was
certain of it. But the comfort had gotten out of hand. And the way he’d loved her...As she dressed she
wondered if she was doing the right thing, marrying a total stranger. Then he came out of the
bathroom, wearing nothing except his slacks, his blond hair neatly combed, his face slowly curving
into a smile. And she knew that she’d die to wear his ring, babies or no babies. She smiled back.
They were married in a small chapel, with people all around them who spoke little English. The
minister beamed at them when it was over, inviting the new husband to kiss his bride. Dutch bent and
brushed his mouth softly against hers, smiling at his own folly. Well, it was done now. And it wouldn’t
be so bad, he told himself as he studied her radiant young face. She could wait for him at home, and
they’d see each other whenever he was there. It might even be good that way. No routine to bore him.
She could go on with her life, and there would be no ties. He frowned for a minute as he thought of
what had happened this morning, then he shook off the instant fear of consequences. Surely to God,
he hadn’t made her pregnant. He’d just have to be careful from now on. No more lapses. The thought
of a child terrified him. That would make a tie he couldn’t break. Dani saw that frown, and worried
about it. She wondered why he’d really married her, when he seemed the kind of man who was self-
sufficient and didn’t need anyone else.
“You aren’t sorry?” she asked finally when they were walking back to the hotel.
He stopped, lifted his blond head and smiled, a little puzzled. “What?”
“Sorry that you married me,” she continued. She searched his eyes nervously. “You’ve been so quiet. I
know I’m not much to look at, and we don’t know each other at all. I...we can always get a divorce,”
she finished miserably.
“I’m quiet because I have a logistical problem to work out,” he said then. “Not because I’m regretting
that we got married. When you know me better, you’ll learn that I never do things unless I want to. I
can’t be pushed or coerced.” He reached out and curled her fingers into his. “I like being with you,”
he said, meeting her eyes. “Like this, and in bed. We’re both old enough to want someone to be with.”
“Yes,” she confessed. Tears stung her eyes and she lowered her lids before he could read her
thoughts. “I never thought it would happen to me,” she added. “I thought I’d be alone all my life.”
“So did I.” He smoothed his fingers across the back of her hand. She had pretty hands, he mused. “Do
you play anything?” he asked unexpectedly. She laughed. “The piano. Badly.” “I like piano. I play a
little, too.” He slid his fingers in between hers, feeling oddly possessive as he saw the bright little
gold band that encircled her ring finger. “A wedding ring suits you. Feel better now about what we did
last night?” he asked with a slow smile, as if he understood her uneasiness about intimacy without
marriage.
“I’m old-fashioned.” She sighed miserably.
“You don’t have to apologize for it, not to me.” His eyes gleamed suddenly as he looked at her. Short
brown hair, creamy, oval face, wide gray eyes. “I liked being the first.” There was a deep, possessive
note in his voice that surprised her. She smiled slowly. Her fingers squeezed his, and she looked into
his eyes for so long that she flushed.
‘This morning,” he said softly, holding her eyes, “was my first time. I didn’t realize that I was capable
of tenderness. I let go with you in a way I never could before with a woman. I trusted you.”
Her face was bright red, but she didn’t look away. “I...trusted you.” She let her eyes fall to his hard
mouth, remembering with a surge of desire how it felt on her body. “One of my friends got married
two years ago. She said her husband shocked her speechless on her wedding night, and made fun of
her....”
His fingers contracted. “I think it would kill something in you to have a man treat you so,” he
remarked. Her eyes came up, stunned at the way he understood.
He nodded. “Yes. It’s that way with me, too. I don’t like ridicule.”
Her expression said more than she wanted it to, and she knew that he could read the worshipful look
in her eyes. But she didn’t care. He was her whole world. His breath caught at that look. It bothered
him, and he let go of her hand. “Don’t ever try to build a wall around me,” he said unexpectedly,
staring at her. “I’ll stay with you only as long as the doors remain open.”
“I knew that the first time I saw you,” she said quietly. “No ties. No strings. I won’t try to possess you.”
He started walking again. He wondered what she was going to do when she knew the truth about him.
He glanced up, searching her face quietly. She was so damned trusting. She probably thought he was
in the army reserves or something. He almost laughed. Well, she’d just have to get used to it, he told
himself, because he didn’t know how to change.
After they’d changed their status at the hotel desk and switched everything to his room they went
downstairs for lunch. Dani picked at her food, wondering at the change in Eric. Something was on his
mind, but she didn’t know him well enough to ask what it was. She glanced at him with a slow- [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]