and noisy grackles, to Cole’s hard arms wrapping her with a fierce possessiveness. She felt new and different and yet unable to trust her emotions.
“You look like a little girl when you sleep—a little girl who’s every bit as innocent as Noah.”
“Not Yella’s wanton, wicked bad girl?”
“Don’t ever call yourself that again,” he muttered fiercely, pulling her closer. “You’re the mother of my child. You’re going to be my wife.”
“Oh, really? What’s got you so cocky this morning?”
“How quickly we forget,” he said.
“I don’t remember accepting any of your arrogant proposals.”
“Do you remember the great sex?”
“And that gave you all sorts of ideas about our relationship?”
“If the sex didn’t put you in the mood to accept my proposal, maybe I’ll have to give you a repeat performance.”
“That would be lovely, under different circumstances, but I’ve got work.”
“It’s early yet.”
“Noah’s going to wake up any minute. I don’t want to have to explain you.”
Instead of arguing, he got up and strode into the bathroom while she lay back and admired his muscular body. After he turned on the shower, he stuck his dark, sleep-tousled head out the door and shot her a grin. “Water’s warm. Feels good. I could use some company.”
“I really shouldn’t. I’m tender as all get-out.”
“And we took it so slowly…”
“But we did it so many times.”
“We did, didn’t we? No wonder I woke up in such a cocky mood. What if I promise to be gentle?”
When she joined him, she kissed him so fiercely he grabbed her hands and held them over her head. Pushing her back against the slick, wet tile he took her hard and fast as the steaming water blasted her. When it was over, she clung to him breathlessly, thinking herself a worse wanton than her mother.
The man didn’t love her. He probably never would. And still she wanted him.
Stepping out of the shower, he left her to ponder all the reasons he was wrong for her.
While she dressed, he scrambled eggs and made coffee for them in her kitchen.
“I’m impressed. I didn’t know you could cook,” she said when she entered the kitchen.
“It’s called survival. I can do eggs. I can do toast, bacon, burgers, steaks. I’m afraid that’s about it.”
She laughed.
After they finished eating, she cleared the plates. “I can’t believe Noah’s sleeping this late. What did you do to wear him out?”
“Worrying about that witch in his closet wore him out.” He paused. “About your nightmare—”
She whitened. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I know.” His hand closed over her wrist. “But I need you to sit down and tell me all about Vernon.” Something dark in his voice made her suspect he’d already guessed the worst.
The last thing she wanted was to mar the beauty of their first shared morning together by reliving what Vernon had done to her.
“I’ve got to go to work,” she pleaded. “Lots of threads are hanging loose after the fundraiser. I still have checks in my purse, including yours.”
“Sit down, Maddie.”
At his fierce expression, she slowly sank back into her chair.
“What did he do to you? I want the truth, the whole truth, and if you don’t tell me, I’ll find your mother and so help me, I’ll force it out of her. If that doesn’t work I’ll go to Huntsville…”
“No.”
“Then why don’t you make it easy for me?” He paused. “I don’t believe you ever intended to leave me for him. He hurt you, didn’t he? You weren’t ever in love with him. You left because he hurt you? And because I wasn’t there for you when you tried to call me?”
Barely able to breathe because of the fist clamped around her heart, she looked away.
He leaned closer. “Tell me, damn it. Did he do what I think?”
When hot tears of shame leaked out of her eyes, she brushed at them frantically. “I told myself I’d never cry because of him again.”
“Just tell me!”
“My mother didn’t believe me, so why should you?”
“Did that bastard rape you?”
A desperate sob rose in her throat. She wanted to deny it. If only she could reclaim her innocence somehow, but he saw; he knew.
“My mother said it was all my fault.”
“The hell it was.”
“I—I tried to stop him. I really did.”
“I know, sweetheart. I believe you,” he whispered, his voice as agonized as hers. “Go on….”
“But he was so strong. Even though I had a black eye and a cut lip, my mother refused to believe me. She said I seduced him to be mean to her.