"Sweet, are you already having regrets?"
She couldn't detect a shred of regret in his tone. In truth, he sounded downright amused.
When she didn't answer his question, he tugged on her hair, forcing her to look up at him.
He was thoroughly pleased by what he saw. Her face was flushed from their lovemaking, her mouth swollen from his kisses, and her eyes were still cloudy with passion.
Caine felt as though he'd left his brand on her. A wave of raw possessiveness filled him, and he arrogantly nodded. He decided to ignore her disgruntled expression, guessing it was all bluster for his benefit.
He couldn't resist kissing her again. When he slowly leaned down to claim her mouth, she tried to turn away. Caine simply tightened his hold on her hair to keep her still.
The kiss was meant to melt away her glare. As soon as his mouth covered hers, his tongue sank inside
her sweet, intoxicating heat. The erotic love play coaxed her response. It was a long, intense kiss and
she was clinging to him when he finally lifted his head to look at her again.
"You wanted me as much as I wanted you, Jade," he said. "You made the choice, love, and now you're going to have to live with it."
The man was a cad. Her eyes filled with fresh tears. His attitude was as callous as a hardened blister.
And did he have to smile at her after making such a painful statement?
She vowed he'd never know how much his words hurt her. "Yes, Caine, I did make the choice to give you my virginity, and I will live with the consequences of my actions. Now, if you don't mind, I'm really sleepy and I would like…"
"That isn't what I'm talking about," he interrupted. His voice was as ragged as lightning. "The choice you made was to belong to me, Jade. We're going to get married, sweet."
"What?"
"You heard me," he replied, his voice softer now. "Don't look so appalled, my love. It isn't as bad as all that."
"Caine, I never made any such choice," she stammered out.
He wasn't in the mood to listen to her denial. He wanted her acceptance. By God, he wasn't going to leave her bed until he had it. He rolled her onto her back, then roughly pushed her thighs apart with one of his knees. His hands held hers captive above her head. He deliberately ground his pelvis against her. "Look at me," he commanded. When she obeyed that order, he said, "What we have just shared can't be undone. You're all mine now. Accept it, Jade, and it will go a hell of a lot easier for you."
"Why should I accept?" she asked. "Caine, you don't know what you're asking."
"I'm a very possessive man," he countered. His voice had taken on a hard edge.
"I noticed," she muttered. "It's a sin, that."
"I won't share what belongs to me, Jade. Understand?"
"No, I don't understand," she whispered. The look in his eyes chilled her. "Is it because I was a virgin
and you feel guilty? Is that the reason you want to marry me?"
"No, I don't feel guilty," he answered. "You are going to marry me, though. I'll speak to your brother
just as soon as he returns to…"
"You are the most arrogant, unbending man I've ever had the displeasure to meet."
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "But you like arrogant, unbending men, love. You wouldn't have let me touch you otherwise."
Odd, but she couldn't fault that argument. "Please get off me. I can't breathe."
He immediately rolled to his side. Then he propped his head up with his elbow so he could watch her expressions. Jade pulled the sheet up over the two of them, folded her hands across her breasts, and stared intently at the ceiling.
"Jade?"
"Yes?"
"Did I hurt you?"
She wouldn't look at him. Caine tugged on her hair to emphasize his impatience. "Answer me."
"Yes, you hurt me," she whispered. She could feel herself blush.
"I'm sorry, Jade."
She shivered over the tenderness in his voice, then realized she needed to get control of her emotions.
She felt like weeping and couldn't understand why. "No, you're not sorry," she announced. "Or you would have stopped when I asked you to."
"I couldn't stop."
"You couldn't?" She turned to look at him.
"No, I couldn't."
She was almost undone by the tenderness she could see in his eyes. There was a definite sparkle there, too, indicating his amusement. She didn't know what to make of him now. "Well, it's a good thing you don't feel guilty because you have nothing to feel guilty about."
"And why is that?" he drawled out.
"Why? Because you didn't make me do anything I didn't want to do. This was all my doing."
"Was I even here?" he asked. "I seem to remember being an active participant."
She ignored the laughter in his voice. "Yes, of course you were here. But I allowed you to be… active."
If she hadn't looked so damned sincere, if she hadn't been wringing her hands together, he would have shouted with laughter. Her feelings were at issue, however, and for that reason he controlled himself.
"All right," he agreed. "You were more active than I was. Happy now?"
"Yes," she answered. "Thank you."
"You're most welcome," he returned. "Now tell me why you wanted me to make love to you."
She looked back up at the ceiling before she answered him. Caine was fascinated by the blush that covered her face. His little innocent was embarrassed again. She'd been wild just minutes before when they'd been making love. His shoulders still stung from her nails. Her passionate nature more than matched his own, but it had also been the first time for her, and he assumed she was still shy and confused by what had happened.
"Because I wanted to," she answered. "You see, I've always known I would never marry and I wanted
to… Oh, you aren't going to understand. I wager that soon, after I've gone away, you won't even remember me."
She turned to judge his reaction to that statement, certain she'd made him angry.
He started laughing. "You're being very rude," she announced before returning her gaze back to the ceiling. "I do wish you'd go away."
His fingers trailed a shiver down the side of her neck. "Jade? It was inevitable."
She shook her head. "It wasn't."
He slowly pulled the sheet down until her breasts were uncovered. "It was," he whispered. "God, I wanted you for so long,"
He tugged the sheet lower until her stomach was in view. "You know what, love?"
"What?" she asked. She sounded breathless.
"I want you again."
He leaned down and kissed her before she could argue with him. Jade let him have his way until his mouth became more insistent. Then she nudged him away. She rolled with him, and when they were facing each other, she kept her gaze directed on his chest. "Caine?" Her fingers toyed with the crisp hair while she tried to find the courage to ask him her question.