The Bromance Book Club - Lyssa Kay Adams Page 0,13
the room to stand beside the bed. “I told you I would do my duty, and I will. I will give you an heir as soon as possible. And then I and the child will away to the country so you can be free of me.”
“I don’t want to be free of you,” he growled.
“My lord, two weeks ago, you accused me in front of the most vicious viper of the ton of arranging for us to be caught in a compromising situation to force you into marriage for your title.”
“And I have since learned the truth.”
“Yet the damage has been done.”
“Then let me fix it.” He rushed forward in words and steps. “Please, Irena.”
Her lips parted. Perhaps it was the use of her name. Or perhaps it was the strain of his voice, heavy from carrying the weight of an apology he would never stop repeating. Not until she believed it.
“I cannot change what I’ve done or the horrible things I said. All I can do is try to prove the depth of my regret for what I have done and the sincerity of my feelings for you. If you will let me.”
There. A flutter of something other than disdain lit up her eyes. It dissipated immediately, but it had been there, and that mattered.
“Irena—”
“It’s too late,” she whispered.
“It’s never too late. Not for love.” He raised her hands to his lips, taking time to kiss each knuckle before meeting her shocked gaze. “And I do, Irena. I love you.”
A brittle smile met his words as she tugged her hands away. “Love isn’t enough, my lord.”
“Benedict,” he said, tracing his finger along the delicate line of her jaw. “And you’re wrong. Love is all that matters. And I will do whatever it takes to prove that to you.”
The arched eyebrow returned. “And how, daresay, do you plan to accomplish such a thing?”
“I am going to court you.”
Irena snorted in a particularly unladylike way. “Don’t be absurd.”
Her laughter made him stand tall, the idea taking root as its brilliance bloomed with certainty. “My love,” he said, “we are going to start over.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“I am so disappointed in you.”
Thea jumped at the sound of Liv’s voice behind her. Her hand slipped on the dustpan, and the entire pile of dust and debris from the wall landed back on the floor. She glared over her shoulder. “Why?”
“I leave you alone with a perfectly good bottle of wine, and you ignore it to clean?”
It was Sunday night, and Liv had offered to put the girls to bed so Thea could apparently stare mindlessly, but Thea didn’t have time for navel-gazing. She had to clean up the mess from the wall before the girls and the dog decided to play in it. Thea dumped the dirt in a trash can as Liv opened a bottle of Riesling chilling in the fridge. She poured two glasses, handed one to Thea, and plopped down on the couch. “Where’s the fun in getting divorced if you can’t use it as an excuse to get drunk?”
“I haven’t found any part of getting divorced to be fun yet,” Thea said, taking the opposite end of the couch.
“Hence, the wine,” Liv said, stretching her legs out until her feet rested on Thea’s lap. The fact that her legs were long enough to do that didn’t help Thea’s mood. How had Liv gotten lucky enough to get their father’s tall, lean build, and Thea got stuck with the stature of a Smurf? Anytime Thea complained about being short, though, Gavin always said she was perfect because he could prop his chin on her head when he held her.
“You look like you’re having second thoughts,” Liv said.
“I’m not.”
Liv tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, as if she didn’t believe Thea’s denial. “You’re making the right decision.”
“I know.” Thea took a small sip to cover the twinge of guilt about all the things she hadn’t told Liv. And wouldn’t. Thea pointed at the pockmarked wall to change the subject. “This might have been a bit impulsive.”
“I know. That’s what I love about it. The feisty version of Thea clawed its way out with a roar.”
Thea raised her eyebrows. “The feisty old Thea?”
“Yeah. Remember her? The one who went through a phase of painting naked and once handcuffed herself to a bulldozer to protect a tree on campus? I’ve missed her.”
Thea stared at the wall and the small progress she’d made. “So have I.”
When was the last time she’d done anything impulsive? Of