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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"You're right. I have been rude." She was no longer trying to push her way out of his arms. She
sat quietly, letting him hold her. "I learned early in life not to trust men. Females will say and do
spiteful things behind your back. Sometimes they'll slap you or pull your hair. A man will break
your heart." She couldn't look at him. She just put her head down on his shoulder and wrapped
her fingers around his strong upper arm.
"Who was he?" Dominick asked. "Your husband? Your betrothed?"
"I thought we were going to be married. He lied to me. There was another woman. He's married to
her now. It's a proper marriage, blessed by a priest. There was nothing proper about our
arrangement. I got home from shopping one Saturday afternoon to find he had taken most of the
furniture from our apartment, all the cash in our joint bank account, and he'd gone to the limit on
the credit card I let him use. It took me three years to pay off the debt."
"He stole all your possessions," Dominick said, translating her words into terms he could
comprehend. "Worse, he destroyed your love, making you afraid to trust another man."
"That's a simplified version, but you have the basic facts right." Gina rested in Dominick's arms,
letting relief wash over her, glad that he understood. Except, of course, that Dominick didn't
know where or when the misadventure that broke her heart had occurred. She no longer thought
of it as a love affair; it was simply a mistake she wished she hadn't made.
One of Dominick's big hands began to stroke her hair, smoothing down the short, springy curls.
Gina nestled closer, craving his gentle touch. Then Dominick's fingers under her chin tipped her
face upward, and his mouth came down on hers. She didn't resist; she didn't want to.
The next thing she knew she was lying on the moss, and Dominick's hands were on her breasts,
caressing her. She opened her mouth, letting his tongue surge into her, wanting the taste and
smell and feel of him, wishing she was unclothed, wishing she could stay with him always.
His kisses were incredibly sweet. They warmed her innermost body, stirring her in places no one
had ever reached before. Slowly, ever so slowly, his gentleness opened a narrow crack in the
door to her tightly guarded heart. Sensing his firm self-control, she allowed herself to trust
him--only a little, but still more than she had trusted any man for years. She made no protest until
his hand skimmed the bare flesh of her inner thigh. She knew what he was going to do next.
"Stop, please." She twisted, trying to get away from him. "I can't do this."
He let her go, and she crouched, gathering herself into a ball, trying to protect herself. It took only
a quick glance at Dominick to see how aroused he was, and the sight increased her fear.
"I thought you wanted it, too," he said, his voice surprisingly calm.
Gina looked at him doubtfully, unable to believe he wasn't going to strike out at her in some way.
He met her gaze squarely, observing her expression, and she saw understanding come to him.
"He did this to you, made you afraid of a man's possession." It was a flat statement. "That
cowardly knave."
"I don't want your pity. Just keep your hands off me."
"Never in my life have I forced a woman. If you will allow it, I would like to hold you and comfort
you. I give you my word, I'll do nothing more. I think you need comforting."
"No." She sat up straight. "Keep your distance."
"Will you at least eat something? You must be hungry after riding all morning. I know I am."
"Could I have some wine?" What she really wanted was a large shot of vodka to dull the pain of
roiling emotions she couldn't explain to him--or to herself. She had seen no evidence of distilled
spirits at Feldbruck, so she'd settle for wine.
Dominick filled one of the wooden cups he'd brought along and handed it to Gina. While she
drank he drew his knife and set about slicing bread and cheese. She took the food he offered her,
and he was careful not to allow his fingers to brush hers any more than was necessary. He didn't
want to frighten her all over again.
In a way, the day was a complete failure. While showing Gina around Feldbruck, he had tried to
draw her into talking about her own home, only to learn she knew nothing of farming or country
life. Hedwiga had already informed him that Gina was
ignorant of all aspects of housekeeping. Even if she lived in a city, she should have been
familiar with cooking and cleaning, with laundry and sewing. Even if she'd been raised in a
convent she'd have been taught those simple skills at an early age, for nuns and their pupils did
not exist in prayerful idleness. Nor did Gina display any interest in prayer or other devotional
acts.
When he embraced her, she responded with sweet passion, but only to a certain point. She was
plainly terrified of anything more than kissing and holding and a few exploratory caresses. Either
she was an exceptionally clever spy, as he had first suspected, or she was exactly what she
appeared to be: a lost and untutored girl who had been badly hurt by a selfish, abusive man.
Despite all his attempts to probe both her past and her current purpose, Gina remained what she
had been since he'd found her in his bed--an elusive, intriguing mystery. And Dominick, with his
blood still aflame from their kisses, with the feel of her bare skin still tingling against his hands,
wanted her as he had never before wanted any woman.
Chapter Six
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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