Page 74 of Barbarous

He chuckled and pulled her close. “I daresay you wanted to kill me.”

“No, only maim you. A little.” She pulled away with some difficulty. “I have no need to contemplate any further. I believe any shame my boys and I might face will be far outweighed by the benefit of having you beside us. I would have no other man.” Her face was so hot by the end of her forward speech, it was a wonder she didn’t faint.

Hugh threw back his head and gave a triumphant howl of laughter before crushing her against his chest.

“I lied when I said I would give you time to consider.” He spoke into the top of her head, his words rumbling like rolling boulders. “And I would thrash any man who so much as looked at you. You see what a domineering scoundrel you are agreeing to take to husband? If you hadn’t agreed, I was going to carry you to my ship and have my way with you until you complied.”

Daphne burrowed into his embrace, inhaling the intoxicating scent of him into her lungs and holding it before reluctantly releasing her breath.

“You could still do that,” she mumbled into the hard warmth of his chest.

“Daphne!” he chortled. “How wicked you are—and how much I approve.” But he disentangled himself and moved away.“We are not yet finished, I think. You have voiced concerns about my . . . amorous nature more than once.” His beautiful lips curved into a smile as he kissed her hand. “You must ask me what you need to know. I would have no secrets between us, at least nothing that would cause you to regret your decision later. Now is your opportunity, my lady. Once you are mine, there will be no going back.”

All the moisture left her mouth as she met his possessive stare. She willed herself to be calm—to ask the many questions that had tormented her almost since his arrival.

“You mentioned leaving.”

His smile faltered and she sensed a struggle inside him. “Yes, I will need to do so from time to time.”

It was not what she’d been hoping to hear. “Would you be gone long?”

He hesitated. “I would try not to be.”

“You would always return?”

“I would always return.”

“Would you go . . . often?”

He stroked her arm. “I hope not.”

The answers were less than she wanted, but she could not ask him to entirely give up his way of life, could she? She would not want to give up hers. It was something they could discuss—at length, later. For now—

“What else?” he murmured.

“You have had many lovers.” Her voice broke on the last word and she gritted her teeth, wishing she could take back the bald statement.

“Yes, that is true.”

Her reaction was primal: a fierce, violent surge of jealousy stronger than anything she’d ever experienced—anything except the love she felt for her sons, and now Hugh. She swallowed. Yes, love. Not infatuation, not lust—well, partly lust—but love. She loved him and knew she should leave this painful subject untouched. But the part of her mind that dealt only in reason needed more.

“How can you know I will be enough for you, Hugh? I am not an exciting woman. I like books, not balls.”

He squeezed her hands hard enough to hurt. “It is because I’ve experienced so much that I know what I want.” There wasn’t a trace of humor on his face. “I have known other women—many other women—but I have never wanted to spend the rest of my life with one, or raise children with one. Not until now.”

Daphne wanted to seize his words out of the air and hold them to her chest, to savor them, over and over. To—

“What about you, Daphne? Could I not ask you the same questions, but in reverse? How can you know that I am what you want? You have had no experience with men or physical love. How can you be certain I will keep you satisfied and happy?”

Daphne was struck by his reasoning. There was as much truth behind his question as there was in hers. There were no guarantees, only faith and trust. And love.

“I am certain. Hugh.”

He heaved a sigh. “I am beyond grateful Hastings and his vicious, appalling cruelty has not put you off men for life.”

So was Daphne.

His lips tightened and his grateful expression slid away. “Had I known what he did to you earlier this evening, you could not have stopped me from killing him, Daphne. Indeed, I am nowhere near to being finished with him.” The cold intensity in his green eye made her shiver and he was immediately solicitous. “You are chilled?”