Good? Why was it good that Allison was down for the night? Did that get her out of the way? Katherine’s hands trembled as she tore lettuce into a bowl.
To a can of mushroom soup, she added onions sauted in butter and two tablespoons of cooking sherry. Apparently Jace appreciated her efforts. After his first sip he cocked an eyebrow and said, “Not bad. You’ve passed your first test as a new wife.”
Her first test? Were more to come? “I hope you like Swiss cheese on rye bread.”
“Love it,” he said with a wink. His hair was still damp from the shower, and he had dressed in jeans and a casual shirt. He hadn’t secured all the buttons, and Katherine noted that the thick mat of hair on his chest was damp and curled.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll wait until morning to unpack. I just dumped everything in the living room for now.”
“N-no, that’s… uh… fine,” she stammered. Did all newlyweds find conversation this difficult?
When he raised a glass to his lips, she warned, “I don’t sweeten my iced tea. If you—”
“I don’t sweeten mine either. See how much we have in common already?” He took a long drink of the beverage and saluted her with the glass before setting it down. He was teasing her, but she was nervous and jumpy. He seemed so big. The small kitchen c
ould barely contain him. His virility frightened her.
They ate in tense silence. As they finished, Katherine apologized for the simplicity of the meal. “I haven’t gone to the grocery store in several days, and I had to make do with what I had.”
“Don’t apologize. It was delicious. I can look forward to the times when you want to impress me with your culinary talents. But don’t think I expect you to cook all the time. I’m pretty handy in the kitchen too.”
He smiled, the blue eyes twinkling. The dimples on the sides of his mouth deepened. Had she ever noticed the sensuous shape of his lips before now? Yes, she admitted, she had many times.
He was absently outlining the wood grain of the table top with his long, tapered finger. His hands were strong, yet gentle. The nails were trim and clean.
Katherine remembered how it had felt to have that hand stroking her breasts in the same way it now moved over the table top, slowly, soothingly, deliberately. That day at the lake, those same hands had raised her shirt and held her against his bare chest. When he kissed her, his fingers had fondled her nipples, tenderly squeezing them between—
Katherine jumped up from her chair, clattering the dishes as she bumped into the table. She couldn’t sit here and look at him one moment longer. What insanity was this? One would think she had married him for romantic reasons. How absurd!
Jace reached across the table and grabbed her wrists with the precision of a striking snake. He stymied her impulse to pull away with a compelling stare. Imperiously he pulled her around the table toward him. He spread wide his knees and drew her between them, clasping her thighs with his own.
Releasing her wrists, he reached up and removed the combs from her hair. “I like your hair better down,” he said softly as he watched it tumble to her shoulders. “It’s an unusual color. Do you lighten it here?” He tugged playfully on a strand framing her face.
“No, it… the sun does that.” Why was her throat so congested? She couldn’t draw a deep breath.
“It’s pretty,” he murmured. His hands were firm on her back as he drew her closer. “You smell good.” She could feel the moisture of his breath through her T-shirt.
“Come here, Katherine,” he said gently and pulled her down onto his lap. He studied her face for a long time. “There’s no reason for you to be acting like a skittish pony. I’m not going to force my husbandly rights on you. We won’t share a bed until we’ve had time to get to know each other.” He flashed her a wicked smile. “Even though I was encouraged last night.”
Last night! Had it only been twenty-four hours since he rescued her from Ronald Welsh’s assault? She flushed hotly remembering how she had welcomed his comfort, his passionate and intimate caresses, his kisses. During their fierce argument this morning, she had prayed he wouldn’t use last night’s behavior as a point of persuasion. He hadn’t; he hadn’t forgotten it either.
As these thoughts flickered through her mind, she looked at him in surprised wonder. Her expression must have conveyed a world of meaning, for he laughed.
“I haven’t forced myself on a woman yet, and I don’t intend to start with my wife. Besides, I haven’t read the newspaper today.”
He shoved her off his lap and gave her fanny a swat before he went into the living room. Katherine tried to bridle her capricious emotion. Irrationally, she was miffed that he could dismiss her so easily. Her body was burning with a desire generated by nothing more than his sheer masculinity. She was actually disappointed that he hadn’t forced his conjugal rights on her!
“I think I’ll go on to bed, Jace.” She smiled tremulously as she came into the living room after cleaning up in the kitchen. “It’s been a rather eventful day.”
“Sure. Rest well.”
“Good night then.”
“Good night.”
An hour later she was still tossing on the narrow bed when Jace opened the door to the bedroom. A fan of light arced across the bed as he stood silhouetted in the doorway.
“Mrs. Manning,” he addressed her.