Page 69 of What A Rogue Wants
White hot fury rose inside him, but even in the midst of his anger the idea of harm coming to her sat like a lead ball in the pit of his stomach. Foolish as hell considering he was going to have to deliver her to the tower to await punishment for treason, which would likely be her death. Jesus God. He’d not really considered it until now. Could he do it? He thought instantly of his vow to the king and to her.Damn her. Her actions left him no choice.
“Who’s there?” Her voice was strong and clear and reminded him why he’d fallen for her. Her bravery when she sensed danger made pride swell up in him. Misplaced pride he couldn’t afford to have.
He stepped from the shadows and into the soft glow of light from her taper. “It’s Grey. Not who you were expecting, I suppose.”
He tensed, thinking she might try to run, or gasp, or even play the fool and try to hide the list and convince him she had no idea what he was talking about. Stark relief lit her face. His mind reeled. Was this a game she played or genuine?
Damn it. He curled his hands into fists. It didn’t matter whether she was glad to see him or not. He could not allow himself to be stupid. He stepped toward her to grab her in case she tried to run, but before he touched her, she flung herself into his arms.
Calling on a will he wasn’t sure he possessed, he stood like stone as she ran her hands over his face, neck and chest then clutched his arms. The paper fluttered in the clutch of her fingers.
“Grey,” she cried out before kissing him. He tried not to respond, but her taste and her tongue mingling with his sent lust and want surging through him. The desire to ravish her and forget that she was just as likely to bury a nice sharp dagger in his back as rake her nails in her pleasure down his sensitive skin consumed him. He pulled away from the kiss, but she pressed close to him, laying her head against his chest.
His blood rushed thickly in his ears, and he turned his head away from hers, so that every time he inhaled he would not get a whiff of her delectable scent. His stomach turned. Now he had to do what he had never wanted, had fought against.
“Grey, I’m so sorry I left you like I did.” She pressed her lips to his chest, his heart lurching despite his best efforts to remain unmoved by whatever she might say. The rustle of the king’s paper in her hand was the thing he needed to make him rein in his galloping heart.
He eyed the paper with contempt, but when he met her gaze he smiled, careful not to show how he truly felt. “What do you have there?”
She quickly folded the paper and slipped it into her boot. “A goodbye letter from my father.”
“Hidden in a bottle?” He couldn’t help the sarcasm in his tone.
“He d—didn’t want your brother or another of the k—king’s men to take it if they found it, so he hid it.”
He clenched his jaw. Had she forgotten her stutter gave her lying away? “How very deceptive of him.”
“Deceptive?” She bit her lip. “I suppose you could see it that way, but he felt he had to do what he did. Grey, I’m so happy to see you.”
He raised his eyebrows. “You’ll understand if I find that hard to believe since you fled without waking me, stole my horse—”
“Borrowed,” she interrupted.
“Fine. Borrowed my horse and made sure the other horse ran off.”
She dropped her hands from his arms and stepped away. “It was for your own good. I’m a sinking ship.”
“I’m an expert swimmer, my sweet.”
“Please.” Her voice hitched. “You have to let me go. I—I don’t want you to be hurt by me.”
“Too late for that.” Damnation. He ground his teeth. He’d meant to never let her know she’d hurt him.
“Grey.” His name was a strangled word from her lips. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. Lying with you was selfish. But I wanted a memory of you. A memory to last me. But now I want you to let me go.”
“Why the hurry?” He snapped the question out harsher than he’d intended, but his damned aching heart made him surly.
She let out a shaky sigh. “I’ve somewhere I need to go.”
Like the tower. His nostrils flared as he struggled to control himself. “Then I’ll take you.”
“No.”
He’d had enough of this back and forth banter. Time was ticking away and taking his control of his temper with it. “You don’t want to marry me. All right. I’m a grown man. I can take rejection. But what I can’t take is the thought of you being accosted, raped or worse because you stupidly traveled without a chaperone.”
“I can’t let you come. It’s t—too d—d—dangerous for y—you.” Her face reddened with the effort to choke out her lies. He wanted to shake her silly. She’d be dead before the next dawn if she tried to lie to anyone who had half a brain.
His head pounded. He didn’t want to be her punisher. He wanted to be her protector, but what he wanted didn’t matter one damn bit. “I’m afraid we are at an impasse. I won’t let you go anywhere without me. I will deliver you safely to someone who I deem trustworthy.” The lies left him feeling as if he’d swallowed a mouthful of ashes. “Where is it you need to go?”
