Page 34 of Courting Catherine
“Only a part of it—and not this part. All the rest—the necklace, the legend, we’ll figure it out sooner or later. I think we’ll have to because it’s meant. But this, this was like a blessing.”
“C.C.—”
“I love you.” Eyes dark and brilliant, she touched his cheek. “I love you, and nothing in my life has ever felt so right.”
He was speechless. Part of him wanted to step back, smile kindly and tell her she was letting the moment run away with her. Love didn’t happen in a matter of days. If it happened at all, which was rare, it took years.
Another part, buried deep, wanted to hold her close so that the moment would never end.
“Catherine—”
But she was already moving into his arms. They seemed to be waiting for her. As if he had no control over them, they wrapped around her. The warmth, her warmth, seeped into him like a drug.
“I think I knew the first time you kissed me.” She pressed her cheek to his. “I didn’t want it, didn’t ask for it, but it’s never been like that for me before. I don’t think I ever expected it to be. There you were, so suddenly, so completely in my life. Kiss me again, Trent. Kiss me now.”
He was helpless to do otherwise. His lips were already burning for hers. When they met, the fire only sparked hotter. She was molten in his arms, sending white licks of flame shooting through his system. When he couldn’t prevent his demand from increasing, she didn’t hesitate, but strained against him, offering everything.
She slid her hands under his shirt, delighted to feel his quick, involuntary tremor. His muscles bunched under her fingers with the kind of strength she wanted, needed.
The wind sighed outside the windows as she sighed in his arms.
He couldn’t get enough. He found himself wanting to devour her as his lips raced crazily over her face, down her throat where his teeth scraped lightly over her skin. The scent of honeysuckle wheeled in his head. She arched back, her low whimpers of pleasure pounding in his blood.
He had to touch her. He would go mad if he didn’t. Mad if he did. When he parted her robe, he groaned, discovering she was naked for him beneath. Desperate, he filled his hand with her.
Now she knew what it was to have the blood swim. She could all but feel it racing under her skin, beating hot wherever he touched. There was a weakness here, a glorious one, mixed with a kind of manic strength. She wanted to give him both somehow and found the way when his mouth came frantically back to hers.
She trembled even as she answered. She surrendered even as she heated. As her head fell back and her fingers dug hard into his shoulders, he felt something move through him that was more than desire, deeper than passion.
Happiness. Hope. Love. As he recognized the feelings, terror joined them.
Breath heaving, he pulled away.
Her robe had fallen off one shoulder, baring it. Already his mouth had supped there. Her eyes were as brilliant as the emeralds she had imagined. Smiling, she lifted a trembling hand to his cheek.
“Do you want me to stay tonight?”
“Yes—no.” Holding her at arm’s length was the hardest thing he’d ever done. “Catherine...” He did want her to stay, he realized. Not just tonight, and not simply because of that glorious body of hers. The fact that he did made it all the more important to set things right. “I don’t—I haven’t been fair with you, and this has gotten out of hand so quickly.” A long, unsteady breath escaped him. “Lord, you’re beautiful. No,” he said quickly when she smiled and started to step forward. “We need to talk. Just talk.”
“I thought we had.”
If she continued to look at him that way, he’d stop giving a damn about fairness. Or his own survival. “I haven’t made myself clear,” he began slowly. “If I had known—if I had realized how completely innocent you are, I wouldn’t—well, I hope I would have been more careful. Now I can only try to make up for it.”
“I don’t understand.”
“No, that’s the problem.” Needing some distance, he walked away. “I said I was attracted to you, very attracted. And that’s obviously true. But I would never have taken advantage of you if I had known.”
Suddenly cold, she drew the robe around her. “You’re upset because I haven’t been with a man before?”
“Not upset.” Frustrated, he turned back. “‘Upset’ isn’t the word. I can’t seem to find one. There are rules, you see.” But she only continued to stare at him. “Catherine, a woman like you expects—deserves—more than I can give you.”
She lowered her gaze to her hands as she carefully fastened the belt to her robe. “What is that?”
“Commitment. A future.”
“Marriage.”
“Yes.”
