Andrea Kane (13 page)

To be replaced by a sharper, more severe pain.

For if he hurt her he would never forgive himself. Never.

Braden inhaled sharply, meeting Charles’s concerned gaze with his own tormented one.

“I have no answer for you, Charles,” he answered truthfully. “I do not allow myself to ponder that question. I can only take each day as it comes.”

Charles nodded sympathetically. “Time will show you the right path … for you and your wife.”

“Perhaps.” Braden glanced toward the house, his eyes automatically going to the windows of Kassie’s bedchamber. They were dark. Kassie was asleep.

With a mixture of relief and acute disappointment Braden walked up the front stairs, then turned, giving Charles a rueful smile. “Thank you for your advice … and your company. It is late. Go to bed.”

Charles studied him with an unreadable expression. “Everything will be made right, Braden,” he stated at last. Without elaborating he walked past Braden and into the house. “Good night.”

“Good night, Charles.” Like a condemned man Braden headed for his bedchamber.

Once there he dismissed his valet, Harding, and undressed in the dark, tossing his clothing carelessly to the floor. Naked, he slid beneath the bedcovers and folded his arms behind his head. With a will of its own his gaze moved to the closed doorway that led to Kassie’s room. He could imagine her in bed with but a thin layer of silk to shield her from his eyes … his hands … his mouth.

Groaning, Braden felt his body react, tightening in unappeased hunger.

Another sleepless night stretched before him.

The nightmare returned.

In her bed and in her dream Kassie sobbed softly, looking for a place to hide. There was none.

The darkness converged upon her, suffocating her with its intensity. The cold seeped into her trembling limbs, causing her hands to grow numb and her teeth to chatter.

She had to get away.

Run. She had to run.

But he was behind her.

No matter how hard she tried she could not elude him. She ran faster and faster, opening her mouth to call out.

No sound emerged. Only the echo of her panting breaths, her racing feet. And the feeling of his presence behind her.

And then he was before her, and there was no escape. She heard the scream, yet it did not come from her, but from elsewhere. He loomed up, dark and forbidding. He was going to kill her.

She was falling now … endlessly hurtling toward her own death.

Oh, God, I don’t want to die. Not now. Please. Help me. Someone
…
help me
…

Braden was out of his bed and across the room before the scream subsided. He flung open the connecting doors and took Kassie’s room in three strides. Reaching her bedside, he found her sitting upright, eyes wide with terror.

“Kassie!” He was beside her, pulling her to him. “What is it? Are you hurt?”

She didn’t answer, merely continued to stare blankly out into space, little pained whimpers emerging from her throat. At his touch she started, then began to struggle, hysterically begging, “No, please … no,” tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Kassie? It’s me … Braden.” Braden’s voice trailed off as he realized that his wife could not hear him. She was asleep. “Kassie … Kassie!” He nudged her gently. His only response was another terrified sob and more frantic attempts to free herself.

Her lack of response to his presence made Braden’s own fear escalate. Firmly he gripped her shoulders and shook her hard.

“Kassie … wake up, love, wake up! It’s all right, I’m here. It’s all right!”

A look of recognition replaced her faraway look of undisguised horror.

“Braden?” she whispered, her voice weak, her face wet with tears.

“Yes, sweetheart, it’s me.” Relieved, Braden drew her head gently to his shoulder. “Sh-h-h, don’t be afraid. It was only a bad dream.” Softly he stroked her disheveled hair, which tumbled around her shoulders like a shining black waterfall. He frowned, feeling her heart’s violent pounding, the icy film of perspiration that covered her clammy skin. “Kassie?”

She clutched wildly at his arms when he started to move away. “Please, Braden, don’t go,” she pleaded. “Don’t leave me. Please.”

He felt the now-familiar fierce protectiveness swell inside him. “I won’t. I’m not going anywhere, love. I’m right here.” He kissed the top of her head tenderly, pressing her more firmly against the hard wall of his bare, hair-roughened chest, whispering calming words.

Gratefully she clung to him, willing the cold dread that always followed her nightmare to fade. She wanted to be absorbed into the haven of Braden’s strong body, to forget everything else existed. If he let go of her, she would die.

As if sensing the urgency of her need, Braden remained silent, asking no questions. He closed his eyes, feeling the drumming of her heart begin to slow, the tremors that shook her delicate frame begin to subside. He continued to stroke her back, the damp silk of her night rail, murmuring over and over that he wouldn’t leave her, that all would be well.

A timeless time elapsed.

At last Kassie took a deep breath and drew back. Much as she would like to, she could not bury herself in his strength forever.

“Thank you,” she said, looking up into his worried face. “I’m fine now.”

He brushed his thumb across her determined little chin. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Yes.” She braced herself for the inevitable questions.

Braden studied her face. “This has happened before, hasn’t it?”

Kassie was startled. She had expected his curiosity, but not his perception. Still, she should have known. This was Braden, after all.

“Yes.” She couldn’t—wouldn’t—lie to him.

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

“Yes. But not now. Please.” She knotted the sheet in tight fists of frustration. “I thought it was finally over. I haven’t had the dream since I came to Sherburgh.” She closed her eyes, her long lashes wet, silken fans upon her face.

Braden felt her pain. He was unsurprised by the events of the evening, for they verified his suspicions that Kassie’s scars ran deeper than even he could guess.

He cupped her face and kissed her forehead gently.

“We’ll talk about it later, when you’re ready,” he murmured.

“Thank you,” she whispered. Her eyes opened, and she stared at his broad, tanned shoulder, now drenched with her tears. He was naked. She knew this even though she could not see all of him clearly in the darkness. Strangely, his nudity did not frighten her, only sent unfamiliar tingles through her body. Slowly, experimentally, she ran her fingers across his powerful biceps to his shoulder.

“I’m sorry; I’ve gotten you all wet.”

The night’s tension having heightened his senses, Braden’s whole body leapt to life as her cool fingers trailed a path up and down the curve of his upper arm, his neck.

He swallowed deeply, reminding himself that she was too innocent to understand the effect she was having on him.

“I was happy to put my shoulder to such good use,” he replied in a hoarse, shattered tone he had meant to be teasing.

“You were wonderful.”

Did she
really
have
no
idea what she was doing to him? He felt her tentatively caress the nape of his neck, lightly graze the strands of hair that lay against it. Unconsciously he moved his head from side to side, seeking more of the sensual contact.

Kassie could feel something building between them, something she had sensed before, whenever they touched. It was a giddy, escalating sensation that began in her stomach and spread rapidly throughout her body, her very core. It was wondrous … and she wanted more.

Drawing back, Kassie looked up into his handsome face with expressive, searching eyes that reflected awe and awareness and a newly awakened sensuality that made Braden shudder with need.

“Better?” He forced back his rampant desire, brushing tendrils of damp hair off of her forehead. He ran his knuckles over her flushed face and high cheekbones.

“Yes.” She shifted restlessly, her fingers still stroking his warm, smooth skin.

“Kassie …” Warning bells sounded in Braden’s mind, but he no longer heeded them. Lowering his head, he brushed her parted lips with his. He paused, savoring her warm breath against his mouth. Valiantly he struggled for control … and lost.

With a helpless groan he pulled her to him, pressing her against his chest, and covered her mouth with his.

He had dreamed of holding her, kissing her, but no dream had ever tasted this sweet.

Her lips were soft and warm and willing, and he felt her wrap her arms around his neck and return his kiss with an eagerness that made live flames erupt inside him. He indulged himself hungrily, desperately, molding her mouth and her body to his. The kiss deepened as naturally as twilight merges into night, and Kassie opened her mouth to Braden’s seeking tongue.

Their first joining was a poignant mixture of tenderness and longing, emotion and desire coupling in an explosion of the senses that left them both gasping. Braden simply could not get his fill of her, drinking in her fragrance until he was immersed in her beauty, delving into the heaven of her mouth again and again, caressing her tongue, then drawing it into his mouth to mate with his own. His hands, unable to remain still, roamed restlessly over her back and shoulders, then along the bare skin of her arms.

Kassie was drowning in a welcome tide of pleasure. She knew not where they were headed, only that she wanted to go there, desperately, with Braden. She wanted to convey this new and wondrous feeling to her husband but had no idea how to do so. She settled for wrapping her arms fiercely about him, leaning into him, and returning his bone-melting kisses, one after the other.

Braden tangled his hands in her hair, feeling his tenuous control slipping away bit by bit. He lifted her off the bed until she was crushed against the hot, naked length of his body.

It was not enough.

Of their own will Braden’s shaking hands slid around to cup her breasts. Wild jolts of sensation jarred him as he reveled in her warmth, her utterly feminine softness.

Kassie moaned aloud, crying out Braden’s name.

The next minute she was alone on the bed.

“Braden?” Her voice was tiny, her eyes questioning her husband’s sudden withdrawal.

Leaning against the bedpost, Braden took deep, calming breaths, trying to get his body under control. He stared down at his wife, and a wave of remorse swept over him. She looked so confused and innocent … so beautiful, so trusting, it made him ache.

What had he been thinking of? He had come in here to comfort her, to soothe her. Instead he had lost all sanity, nearly succumbing to his damned lust.

“Kassie … I’m sorry. I never meant for this to happen.”

“Oh.” Her voice was almost inaudible.

He sat back down upon the bed, draping the blanket across his lap to hide his nakedness, his blatant arousal.

He cupped her chin. “Look at me.”

She raised her eyes.

“I would never hurt you. Ever. What happened tonight …”

“All you did was kiss me, Braden. You hardly have to apologize for that.”

The abruptness of her tone startled him. He could only guess that she was angry. And she had reason to be. But damn it, he was only a man.

“Kassie,” he began again, “I want you to understand—”

“I do understand.” Somehow she managed to keep her voice steady, but her lower lip trembled despite her best intentions.

Braden smiled at the little-girl picture she made. “I wonder if you do,” he said softly. He leaned over and kissed the tip of her nose. “You should get some rest.”

He saw the fear return to her eyes. “Please don’t leave me alone,” she whispered. After what had just occurred between them, he knew how much that request cost her.

Braden glanced down at his naked body and knew that he would never be able to spend the night beside her.

“What if I leave the connecting door ajar?”

Kassie nodded, relief evident on her face. “Thank you. That would be a great comfort.”

“Good.” Braden eased her down against the pillows. “Now go to sleep. I’ll be right next door. If you need me, just call out.”

Kassie gave him a weak smile and closed her eyes. “I will,” she promised.

For a moment he just watched her, lost in thought. Then he stood, leaving the room as rapidly as he could.

Kassie opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. Sleep was the farthest thing from her mind. Her body felt hot and tingly and strangely restless. The nightmare was forgotten. Her fear was forgotten. All she could remember was Braden, and the feeling of being in his arms.

And she wondered why he didn’t want her.

C
HARLES ABSENTLY STROKED THE
gleaming tan flanks of the bay foal, murmuring words of praise for a fine run.

Dobson had been unsurprised by Charles’s early appearance at the stables that morning, for it was not unusual for the trainer to check on the Thoroughbreds at dawn. However, the young groom was quite startled by Charles’s announcement that he himself intended to take Noble Birth for his morning exercise. Sensitive to the older man’s sober mood, Dobson wisely asked no questions but merely nodded his compliance and moved on to the next stall, leaving Charles to his task … and his thoughts.

The new foal showed much promise. Both her parents were Thoroughbreds of extraordinary grace, speed, and endurance. So it followed that Noble Birth should be the same: rare in beauty and unsurpassable in quality.

Charles frowned. Unfortunately, this was not necessarily the case with human beings. Braden’s new wife was a supreme example of the rarest of treasures sprung from the dregs of the earth.

But only partially so.

Charles’s thought conjured up an image of a beautiful, laughing young woman with coal-black hair and Kassie’s gemlike eyes. A woman who had everything to live for … until fate had cruelly crushed the life from her, leaving behind a husband who was no more than a parasite and an innocent, flawless child who would bear the scars of her isolation.

Noble Birth whinnied, protesting mildly at Charles’s uncharacteristically heavy touch.