she was trapped between them.
As soon as the carriage started forward he turned and stared out the window.
'Nathan?'
'Yes?'
'Are you having… aftermath now?'
'No.'
She was disappointed, for she hoped he'd need to vent his frustration the way she had when she'd experienced aftermath. The memory of just how her husband had helped her get over her tension made her face turn pink.
'Don't men have aftermath after they fight?'
'Some do. I shouldn't have hit Henry in front of you,' he said. He still wouldn't look at her.
'Do you mean that if I hadn't been there, you wouldn't have hit him, or that you regret-'
'Hell, yes, I would have hit him,' Nathan muttered. 'I just shouldn't have struck the bastard in front of you.'
'Why?'
'You're my wife,' he explained. 'You shouldn't be a witness to… violence. In future I will refrain from-'
'Nathan,' she interrupted, 'I didn't mind. Truly. There are times when it will happen again. I am opposed to violence,' she added in a rush, 'but I will admit that there are times when a sound punch is just the thing. It can be quite invigorating.'
He shook his head. 'You wouldn't let me kill the pirates, remember?'
'I let you hit them.'
He shrugged. Then he let out a loud sigh. 'You are a lady. You're delicate and feminine, and I will behave like a gentleman when I'm with you. That's the way it's going to be, Sara. Don't argue with me.'
'You've always been a gentleman with me,' she whispered.
'The hell I have,' he countered. 'I'll change, Sara. Now cease this talk. I'm trying to think.'
'Nathan? Were you worried about me?'
'Hell, yes, I was worried.'
He'd bellowed his answer. She held her smile. 'I really would like you to kiss me.'
He didn't even look at her when he responded, 'No.'
'Why not?'
'It has to be right, Sara.'
What in heaven's name did that mean? 'It's always right when you kiss me.'
'I'll ruin everything if I kiss you.'
'You aren't making any sense.'
'Tell me what happened with Henry,' he ordered.
She let out a little sigh. 'I hit him… there.'
A soft smile changed his frown. 'Did you remember how to make a proper fist?'
She decided she wouldn't answer him until he looked at her. A long moment passed before he finally gave in.
He was fighting one hell of a battle to keep his hands off her. He thought he was winning the fight, too, until she smiled at him and whispered, 'I knew you would be proud of me. Most gentlemen would have been appalled, though.'
He roughly pulled her into his lap. His fingers were already twisting into her hair. 'I'm not most,' he said an instant before his mouth came down on hers. His tongue swept inside her mouth to taste, to caress, to tease. He couldn't get enough of her, couldn't get close enough, soon enough.
He kissed the side of her neck while he worked on the buttons at the back of her dress. 'I knew if I touched you, I wouldn't be able to stop.'
He'd lost all control. The carriage stopped, but only Sara realized that fact. She made him button her up again. It took him much longer, for his hands were shaking.
Nathan dragged her by her hand inside the townhouse. Jade smiled at the couple when they went flying up the stairs.
Nathan regained a little of his control by the time they reached their bedroom. He opened the door for her. Sara was already reaching behind her back to get the buttons undone again on her way over to the bed. She stopped when she heard the door slam.
She turned around to find that she was all alone. Nathan had left her. She was too astonished to react for several minutes. Then she let out an outraged scream. She pulled the door open and went running down the hallway.
Jade caught her at the landing. 'Nathan just left. He said to tell you to be ready to leave by eight. He also suggested I lend you a gown, since your trunk is still on board the Seahawk.'
'How could he have told you all that and have left already?'
Jade smiled. 'My brother acted as though he had the devil on his tail,' she said. 'He finished his instructions from the walkway out front. He's going to meet us later, Sara. He must have some business to attend to-at least I think that's what he added when he jumped into Caine's carriage and took off.'
Sara shook her head. 'Your brother is rude, inconsiderate, arrogant, stubborn…'
'And you love him.'
Her shoulders sagged. 'Yes, I love him. I believe he might love me, too,' she added in a mutter. 'He might not truly realize it yet, or he might just be a little afraid. Oh, I don't know anymore. Yes, of course he loves me. How can you believe he doesn't?'
'I'm not arguing with you, Sara. I believe Nathan loves you, too,' she added with a nod. 'It's quite obvious to me, as a matter of fact. He's so… rattled. He's always been a man of few words, but now he doesn't even make sense when he mutters.'
Sara's eyes filled with tears. 'I want him to tell me he loves me,' she whispered.
Jade was full of sympathy. She patted Sara's hand and led her to her bedroom.
'Do you know that I'm everything Nathan could ever want in a wife? No one could love him as much as I do. Please don't consider me inferior. I'm really not. I'm just very different from you, Jade.'
Nathan's sister turned from the wardrobe to stare incredulously at Sara. 'Why would you think I would ever consider you inferior?'
Sara stammered out her explanation of how the men on board the Seahawk had constantly compared her to Jade, and how she'd always lost the contest. 'And then the pirates attacked, and I was able to redeem myself in their eyes.'
'I would imagine so,' Jade agreed.
'I also have courage,' Sara said. 'I'm not boasting, Jade. Nathan did convince me that I'm very courageous.'
'We're both loyal to our husbands, too,' Jade said. She turned back to her wardrobe and continued to sort through, looking for an appropriate gown.
'Nathan only likes me to wear high-necked gowns,' Sara said.
'That's telling, isn't it?'
'I usually try to be accommodating.'
Jade didn't dare let Sara see her expression. The anger in her sister-in-law's voice made her want to laugh. The poor love was getting all worked up again.
'Perhaps, Jade, that is the problem,' Sara announced. 'I've been too accommodating. I'm always telling Nathan how much I love him. And do you know what his answer always is?' She didn't give Jade time to guess. 'He grunts. Honest to God, that's what he does. Well, no more, thank you.'
'No more grunting?' Jade asked.
'No more accommodating. Find me the lowest-cut gown in your closet.'
Jade did laugh then. 'That should push Nathan right over the edge.'
'I do hope so,' Sara answered.
Five minutes later Sara held an ivory-colored gown in her arms.
'I only wore the dress once, and not out of the house, so no one's seen it. Caine wouldn't let me keep it
