Page 94 of The Viscount's Unwanted Bride
“I won’t,” she reiterated. “But I also want you to promise never to keep such a huge secret from me again. Can you do that?”
He nodded. “I give you my word, I have no other secrets from you. For the sake of full disclosure, I should tell you that I enjoy boxing and use it as an outlet. It’s not a secret, but few people know.”
“You box?” she asked, unsure why she found the idea so intriguing.Was that what the bag she’d found in that mystery room had been for? Boxing?
“Yes. While we’re here, I either use a bag to practice or spar with Nicholas, but in London I occasionally enter matches at a gentlemen's club.”
Heat blossomed low in her core as she imagined Theo in a loose white shirt, his fists wrapped, dripping with sweat as he exchanged blows with another man. His eyes would be dark and dangerous, his movements strong and lethal. She had no doubt he was capable of bringing down an opponent.
Drat, why was that so arousing?
She was injured. She wasn’t supposed to be reacting to him this way. Especially not when she was still mad at him for deceiving her.
“Can I… watch sometime?” she asked hesitantly.
His eyes widened. “You’d actually want to see that?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. If he thought women were too delicate to see such things, he had another think coming.
But he nodded. “You’re welcome to watch me as I practice. It will be more difficult to take you to a match, as women generally aren’t permitted, but if you want to, we’ll find a way.”
“Good.”
Perhaps, afterward, she could help him celebrate his win….
No naughty thoughts.
“There’s nothing else.” He bent and kissed her chastely. “I…. I want everything with you, Kate.”
“I don’t—”
He held up his hand. “I know it might take you some time to forgive me. I can live with that. But I do need to ask something of you.”
She arched her eyebrow, then huffed when even that hurt. “What is it?”
He leaned forward until their faces were only a foot or two apart. “I need you to be more careful. I know I worry too much, and I fuss over you more than you’d like, but I’ve already lost one woman I loved. I can’t do it again.”
Kate sucked in a breath too quickly and hacked a cough as it hit the back of her throat. Her brain screamed, and she squeezed her eyes shut until the pain dissipated. “I beg your pardon?”
He frowned and cocked his head as if unsure what he’d said. When he caught on, his eyes widened. She waited, expecting him to beat a hasty retreat, but instead, his gaze steeled, and his eyebrows lowered determinedly.
“I do love you,” he said, his jaw setting as if he thought she might protest. “I love you very much. I’m sorry I’ve been a frightened idiot, but that’s behind us. I love you, and I’m not afraid to say it. Just… meet me halfway and take care of yourself, will you?”
“I will,” she murmured, her lips curving up. Her heart felt too big for her chest, and she didn’t even care. “I’ll be more careful.”
If he’d been brave enough to give her his heart, she needed to make sure he didn’t regret entrusting her with it.
“Thank you.” He lifted her hand and bussed a kiss over the back of it, intertwining his fingers with hers. “Do you feel up to speaking with Nicholas? He feels dreadful for his part in what happened.”
“Yes.” In all honesty, she didn’t have much energy left, but she wanted to properly make the acquaintance of Theo’s twin before she fell back asleep. Even though he hadn’t said as much, she got the impression that the brothers were close, and if he was important to Theo, then he was important to her.Not to mention that they owed him their marriage, in a manner of speaking.
Instead of leaving her side, Theo called for a maid to bring Nicholas to the room. There was a firm knock before he entered, and he did so slowly, as if he feared what he might find.
Nicholas did, indeed, look like his brother. Their hair was a similar length, and their faces were, of course, the same except for that freckle. However, in contrast to Theo, Nicholas wore a gold brocade waistcoat and a stylish cravat. With the two of them in the same room, it was obvious who was whom.
Nicholas approached warily, his eyebrows knitted together as he noted the way they were sitting and the fact that Theo was holding her hand.
He bowed. “My apologies for the shock I gave you earlier, my lady. I hope you can forgive me.”
