can be so much more?” He searched her gaze, seeing her inner struggle.
Realization hit him then, with the force of a derailed locomotive.
All this time, he had believed the greatest war she waged was against him. And in truth, it had been against herself. She did not just want him in her bed. She also felt something for him. Regardless of how much she liked to pretend she did not, Jack knew Nell, and he knew she would never preserve all those objects within reach unless they meant something to her. Unless he meant something to her.
You have not won yet, Sidmouth, he thought, triumphant at this newfound knowledge. Nellie is my woman, my wife. And her heart has not forgotten me any more than her body has.
“Please.” Her lower lip trembled. “Please, Jack, leave me be. I cannot do this with you. Not here, not like this.”
Fuck.
That.
They were doing this. To hell with breakfast. To hell with forcing her to dress. To hell with the rest of the memories of their courtship spilled over the floor. To hell with anything else and to bloody perdition with anyone who was not Nellie and anyone who dared to interrupt.
“You can.” He stood, tugging on her hand until she stood along with him, her expression uncertain. Torn. “I am not going anywhere, Nellie. Not ever. I will court you anew. I will buy you a new box, write you new letters, pick you new flowers.”
“I do not want to be courted.”
She did, and they both knew it.
“You deserve to be courted. And by a better man than the one who courted you then.” He tugged her body into his. “By a man who has lived without you long enough to know he never wants to live without you again.”
Her body was soft and willing against his, all womanly curves. Her nipples were hard, poking into his chest. The jet discs of her pupils were wide. Her lips parted. And she could deny it all she liked, but he knew all the subtle responses of her body. She wanted him.
“I do not want any of that,” she said, remaining stubborn as ever.
“Prove it to me,” he dared her, knowing the surest way to prod her into action was to test her pride. “Walk away.”
Before she could extricate herself from his embrace, however, he acted swiftly. His mouth crashed down on hers. Hard. He kissed her with all the fury and the hope and the love warring within. He bit the luscious lower lip she so often worried with her teeth. Then he nipped the sweet bow in the upper for good measure.
She moaned into his kiss, her arms going around his neck. He wasted no time in sliding his tongue into her mouth and tasting her. Her response to him was fervent, as always. She could deny him with her words all she wanted, but her body did not lie. Her body was his. Her heart would be too. He vowed it.
He kissed her harder, angling his mouth over hers, putting all his emotions into this connection of their lips and tongues. But her palms crept to his shoulders, and she planted them there, pushing him away.
He jerked his mouth from hers, ending the kiss.
“Go on,” he urged her, feeling as raw as he had ever felt since his return. His heart was nothing but an inflamed, throbbing organ in his chest. He wanted her so badly, loved her so much, but she was forever denying him and pushing him away. “Walk away from me now, Nellie. Do it.”
“Damn you, Jack,” she cried out. “Why do you insist upon torturing me?”
“Because our marriage is worth saving. Our love is worth saving.” He paused, searching her gaze, hoping she would see how sincere he was. “Because I will not let you leave me without putting up one hell of a fight, Nellie. You are my wife. Mine. Whatever you have with Sidmouth cannot compare. I refuse to believe it.”
Instead of answering him, she yanked his head down and kissed him again. He was on fire for her. He had not intended to enter her chamber and kiss her. Hell, he had not even intended to touch her beyond the requirements of playing lady’s maid. But now that he had, he could not stop. Seeing the careful way she had preserved their courtship had moved him.
And now, he had to have her.
All his good intentions fled as he walked them across her chamber, meeting her