Page 23 of Master of Games
He winced and then smiled. “Oh joy.” But then he lifted the glass and handed it to her. “You won’t bother me. I promise.”
She took the glass from his hand. “Thank you. But I have to confess, I believed you the first time. I wasn’t abstaining for your benefit but for mine.”
“Do tell.”
She sighed, turning the glass in her hand. “I tend to drink to cure boredom, which, when I think on it, is a terrible reason to consume alcohol.”
His brows lifted. “You are the most interesting person I know. How can you be bored?”
“I have closed myself off. I spend a great deal of time alone.”
“Why is that?” he asked. “Why shut yourself away?”
She found herself taking a small sip to delay answering. As she lowered the glass, Caden leaned over the small table, and taking her chin in his hand, softly kissed her lips. “Delicious.”
Heat crept up her cheeks as she turned away. “That might be cheating.”
“On my sobriety? Maybe. But I think I’ll call it my one exception.”
Tabbie looked up at him through her lashes. “There are so many questions I want to ask you about your past.”
He sat back in his chair. “I can imagine.”
“So, do I have your permission…to ask…”
“You can ask me anything.” His good hand came over his heart.
“Can I ask how your father made his displeasure known without disowning you?”
Caden looked up at the ceiling. “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll answer your question if you take off one article of clothing.”
She stared at him, her mouth agape. “You don’t mean it.”
“Perhaps you should have a bit more wine. For fortitude.”
“I am not taking off my clothes.” Touching him, rubbing against him, that was one thing. But actually letting him see her scars…
“The fire is low. And I’ll not ask you to take off your chemise. But we’ll both expose a bit more of our wounds. No?”
She might hate him. She was longing to understand more and he was using the information against her. “I told you about my past without any tit for tat.”
“That’s different.”
“Why?”
“You were a hero in that story.”
“I’m a burn victim turned recluse. That does not make me a hero.” Her teeth clenched together even as he ran a hand down her arm.
“You are the person who threw yourself into danger to save someone you loved.”
She liked that interpretation. Still, to show him the evidence filled her with cold dread. “You’re going to think I’m hideous.”
“I’m not.” And then he drew in a breath. “Let’s begin. When my brother died, at the funeral, he called my brother his one true son, and told everyone that a family legacy had died with him. He was right. I wasn’t his child. But in saying the words…”
Tabbie gasped. Because if everyone thought that Caden was the duke’s child, those words were even more awful. “Oh Caden.”
“He let the whole world think I was a disappointment rather than just declare me a bastard.” His jaw was so hard, he looked as though he could cut glass with the line of it alone.
