Page 49 of One Bridegroom Required!

‘I guess it would be an unfair advantage of me to sit down beside you?’

‘Yes, it would—and it’s a little late in the day for old-fashioned courtesy,’ she scolded, despairing of herself as she added, ‘You can sit right up at the other end as long as you don’t move.’

He did, stretching his long legs out in front of him before turning to look at her. ‘And I guess you want an explanation of my behaviour?’

‘Damn right I do!’

His eyes narrowed. ‘And then perhaps you’ll explain to me why you let me take your virginity in the most inglorious fashion imaginable?’

‘Because I “owed” you?’ she mocked.

He winced. ‘You know that I would never have said that if I’d had any idea that—’

‘That I wasn’t the strumpet you had me down as?’

Luke sighed. ‘Sweetheart, you are an enigmatic woman.’ His mouth softened as he tried to put it into words. ‘There’s just something about you. You have the kind of eyes...the kind of lips...a certain way of looking...’

‘Just what exactly are you trying to say, Luke?’

‘That you look like someone who’s been around the block several times over!’ Seeing her perplexed look, he elaborated. ‘It didn’t occur to me that you weren’t sexually experienced!’

‘Because I’m twenty-six?’

‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s nothing to do with your age. Just the way you looked at me the first time you met me—well...’ he shrugged ’...without wishing to sound arrogant—’

‘Oh, cut the false modesty, Luke, please!’

‘You looked like you just wanted me to drag you off to the nearest bed and ravish you all night long.’

‘It’s a look you recognise well, is it?’ she asked sarcastically.

‘Well, women have come on to me like that before,’ he admitted.

‘And you always take them up on it, I suppose?’

‘Well, no—I don’t! That’s the whole point!’

‘What, never?’ she queried, in disbelief.

‘Not for years, no. Not that instant wham-bam-thank-you-ma’ am thing, anyway.’

‘That must be some small comfort for Caroline. Remember Caroline, Luke? The fiancée whom you conveniently forgot to mention?’

‘I was coming to that.’

‘I can’t imagine that there’s anything you could tell me about Caroline which would make your behaviour forgivable.’

‘Are you going to let me try?’

She shrugged, knowing she was going to say yes and feeling weak because of it—but how cou

ld she get through the rest of her life not knowing the truth? ‘I suppose so.’

He stared at his hands, at the jagged scar down the side of one thumb. He’d nearly lost the digit, and remembered the pain he had felt at the time—but that was nothing compared to the agonising ache inside him now ‘I’ve known Caroline for a long time,’ he began. ‘Years and years. She was a teacher at the nearest school to my ranch and we used to meet at various socials.’

‘How nice for you both! Was it love at first sight?’

‘Not at all. She used to heartily disapprove of my lifestyle and I never thought of her in that way. I used to look on her as a friend.’

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