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.Ian felt Sarah rise on her toes and lean into him.He tilted his head down to her."When does Will go to bed? We did promise to say good night," she whispered, her breath flowing warmly over his ear and down his neck.Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)He could have simply responded, but he caught Brad watching them and chose instead topull her close.Answering into her opposite ear gave the impression he was embracing herand, in fact, gave him the opportunity to do exactly that.An opportunity he found himselfmore than willing to seize."We'll go now," he whispered back.He wasn't sure if he was more pleased with the way she shivered in his embrace or by theexpression of irritation that passed over Brad's face.He looked up and smiled at the group."Sorry to leave such good company, but Sarah andI need to call it a day.We're both tired from our long drive down.""Oh, but it's still early," Nicki protested."I'm sure that, unlike you, my dear, Sarah needs her sleep." Brad squeezed his wife'sshoulder, a victorious half smile on his lips."It's no sleep she's leaving for," Ian murmured just loud enough for Brad's benefit.He grinned as they walked away.It felt good to see the smile wiped right off that smug face.Will had been waiting for them when they'd reached his room, determined not to fallasleep until they arrived, as if he feared they might not come.By the time they'd tuckedhim in and given him good-night kisses, his little eyes had closed and his breathing wasslow and even.Sarah had never seen anyone go to sleep so fast.She took a deep breath as they walked slowly across the plush carpet of lawn, Ian holdingtightly to her hand.Her mind swirled with the tumult of emotions she felt.She should pullaway, but the contact gave her comfort and she wasn't willing to give that up just yet.Ithad been an unsettling evening.Unsettling? It had been horrendous.Seeing Brad, hearinghim again had opened old wounds she'd thought long closed.All the humiliation she'd feltso many years ago flooded back.Only Ian's presence had saved her tonight.He had been there for her through the whole ofit, smoothing her path.Sooner or later she would need to deal with what had happened,answer the questions that would surely come."I'm sorry for all that… scene tonight, Ian.I know it must have been uncomfortable foryou."She attempted to pull her hand away, but he held on to it, using it to pull her closer to him.Tucking her under his arm, he stopped and looked down at her."I dinna feel at all uncomfortable." There it was, that devastating smile again.The one that made her breath catch in her throat."In fact, I rather enjoyed myself.""Enjoyed yourself?" She shuddered."Well, I want you to know that I appreciate your stepping in like that." They were walking again, his arm still around her."I was so shocked to see Brad here, I couldn't think at first I had heard that his wife was somehow connectedwith EHN, but I had no idea he worked for them, let alone was one of their executives.Had I known, I wouldn't have come.""Then it's my good fortune you dinna know.I'm grateful to have you with me, regardlessof what happened back there.That's no yer fault.""Still, you pretty much saved me from making a complete fool of myself."Ian chuckled, tightening his arm in a little hug."It took no great effort on my part.Butyou do realize the consequences of what we've done, do you no?" He looked down at heragain, his hand moving from her shoulder to her neck."Consequences?" Did that come out as a squeak?Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)"Everyone assumes we're a couple now.""Oh.""So I'm afraid we'll have to continue our little pretense.""Oh."He'd done it again.Robbed her of her ability to make conversation that consisted of morethan one syllable.Must have something to do with his thumb moving in that little circleunder her ear as it was now.As it had earlier.Relaxing her.Calming her.The cottage was directly ahead.Hadn't she wanted to ask him something about thecottage this afternoon?Wait a minute."Is this the Caretaker's Cottage?""Aye.That's what it was used for long ago, so they continue to call it by that name.""But there's only one bedroom," she blurted out, turning to look at him."Aye." An enormous grin covered his face."You noticed that, did you?""Should I assume your friends already thought we were a couple?"He shrugged, sliding his hand down to her shoulder."It appears as though they did.I'dplanned to ask Nessa about a change of rooms at the reception, but I got a wee bitdistracted.I'm afraid we'll have to leave things as they are now.""How could they have made a mistake like that? I thought you said you'd told them aboutme."He ducked his head in a sheepish gesture."I did tell them about you, but I guess theyjumped to their own conclusions." His hand slid back to her neck."You see, Sarah, in all the years I've been coming to stay at Glaston House, I've neverbrought a woman with me before."They'd reached the cottage, but instead of going inside, Ian pulled her to sit next to him onthe bench outside the front door."It's a fine evening.Much too fine to go inside yet.What say we stay out for a bit andenjoy the stars."Leaning his head back against the wall of the cottage, he closed his eyes and they satsilently for several minutes.She had begun to wonder if he might have fallen asleep whenhe moved his arm to her shoulders, his fingers lightly caressing her neck."How long were you married to him?"Finally the question she had expected."Officially, about a year.But in reality, it was only a few months.I think we both knew right away we'd made a mistake.""A mistake?""Yes.I was young, and we rushed into marriage without taking the time to really knowone another.It was all such a very long time ago." She closed her eyes and shook herhead, trying to ward off the memories.She'd never spoken of this with anyone.That hadbeen a horrible time for her.Brad had no patience for what he considered her psychotic behavior.No concept of heractually being able to feel his emotions each time she touched him.When she'd tried toexplain, he'd thought her insane.And once he found out how long he'd have to wait tohave access to her trust fund, he was done with her.Even after all these years, with only alittle effort, she could still recall exactly how his contempt and greed had felt the first time she'd touched it.Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)"How old were you when you married?"Her eyes flew open [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Ian felt Sarah rise on her toes and lean into him.He tilted his head down to her."When does Will go to bed? We did promise to say good night," she whispered, her breath flowing warmly over his ear and down his neck.Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)He could have simply responded, but he caught Brad watching them and chose instead topull her close.Answering into her opposite ear gave the impression he was embracing herand, in fact, gave him the opportunity to do exactly that.An opportunity he found himselfmore than willing to seize."We'll go now," he whispered back.He wasn't sure if he was more pleased with the way she shivered in his embrace or by theexpression of irritation that passed over Brad's face.He looked up and smiled at the group."Sorry to leave such good company, but Sarah andI need to call it a day.We're both tired from our long drive down.""Oh, but it's still early," Nicki protested."I'm sure that, unlike you, my dear, Sarah needs her sleep." Brad squeezed his wife'sshoulder, a victorious half smile on his lips."It's no sleep she's leaving for," Ian murmured just loud enough for Brad's benefit.He grinned as they walked away.It felt good to see the smile wiped right off that smug face.Will had been waiting for them when they'd reached his room, determined not to fallasleep until they arrived, as if he feared they might not come.By the time they'd tuckedhim in and given him good-night kisses, his little eyes had closed and his breathing wasslow and even.Sarah had never seen anyone go to sleep so fast.She took a deep breath as they walked slowly across the plush carpet of lawn, Ian holdingtightly to her hand.Her mind swirled with the tumult of emotions she felt.She should pullaway, but the contact gave her comfort and she wasn't willing to give that up just yet.Ithad been an unsettling evening.Unsettling? It had been horrendous.Seeing Brad, hearinghim again had opened old wounds she'd thought long closed.All the humiliation she'd feltso many years ago flooded back.Only Ian's presence had saved her tonight.He had been there for her through the whole ofit, smoothing her path.Sooner or later she would need to deal with what had happened,answer the questions that would surely come."I'm sorry for all that… scene tonight, Ian.I know it must have been uncomfortable foryou."She attempted to pull her hand away, but he held on to it, using it to pull her closer to him.Tucking her under his arm, he stopped and looked down at her."I dinna feel at all uncomfortable." There it was, that devastating smile again.The one that made her breath catch in her throat."In fact, I rather enjoyed myself.""Enjoyed yourself?" She shuddered."Well, I want you to know that I appreciate your stepping in like that." They were walking again, his arm still around her."I was so shocked to see Brad here, I couldn't think at first I had heard that his wife was somehow connectedwith EHN, but I had no idea he worked for them, let alone was one of their executives.Had I known, I wouldn't have come.""Then it's my good fortune you dinna know.I'm grateful to have you with me, regardlessof what happened back there.That's no yer fault.""Still, you pretty much saved me from making a complete fool of myself."Ian chuckled, tightening his arm in a little hug."It took no great effort on my part.Butyou do realize the consequences of what we've done, do you no?" He looked down at heragain, his hand moving from her shoulder to her neck."Consequences?" Did that come out as a squeak?Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)"Everyone assumes we're a couple now.""Oh.""So I'm afraid we'll have to continue our little pretense.""Oh."He'd done it again.Robbed her of her ability to make conversation that consisted of morethan one syllable.Must have something to do with his thumb moving in that little circleunder her ear as it was now.As it had earlier.Relaxing her.Calming her.The cottage was directly ahead.Hadn't she wanted to ask him something about thecottage this afternoon?Wait a minute."Is this the Caretaker's Cottage?""Aye.That's what it was used for long ago, so they continue to call it by that name.""But there's only one bedroom," she blurted out, turning to look at him."Aye." An enormous grin covered his face."You noticed that, did you?""Should I assume your friends already thought we were a couple?"He shrugged, sliding his hand down to her shoulder."It appears as though they did.I'dplanned to ask Nessa about a change of rooms at the reception, but I got a wee bitdistracted.I'm afraid we'll have to leave things as they are now.""How could they have made a mistake like that? I thought you said you'd told them aboutme."He ducked his head in a sheepish gesture."I did tell them about you, but I guess theyjumped to their own conclusions." His hand slid back to her neck."You see, Sarah, in all the years I've been coming to stay at Glaston House, I've neverbrought a woman with me before."They'd reached the cottage, but instead of going inside, Ian pulled her to sit next to him onthe bench outside the front door."It's a fine evening.Much too fine to go inside yet.What say we stay out for a bit andenjoy the stars."Leaning his head back against the wall of the cottage, he closed his eyes and they satsilently for several minutes.She had begun to wonder if he might have fallen asleep whenhe moved his arm to her shoulders, his fingers lightly caressing her neck."How long were you married to him?"Finally the question she had expected."Officially, about a year.But in reality, it was only a few months.I think we both knew right away we'd made a mistake.""A mistake?""Yes.I was young, and we rushed into marriage without taking the time to really knowone another.It was all such a very long time ago." She closed her eyes and shook herhead, trying to ward off the memories.She'd never spoken of this with anyone.That hadbeen a horrible time for her.Brad had no patience for what he considered her psychotic behavior.No concept of heractually being able to feel his emotions each time she touched him.When she'd tried toexplain, he'd thought her insane.And once he found out how long he'd have to wait tohave access to her trust fund, he was done with her.Even after all these years, with only alittle effort, she could still recall exactly how his contempt and greed had felt the first time she'd touched it.Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)"How old were you when you married?"Her eyes flew open [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]