Caine's voice cut through the passionate haze surrounding Colin and Alesandra. He slowly pulled back. She took a little longer to recover her wits. Colin had to help her take her hands away from the back of his neck. He tightened the belt on her robe, too. She didn't take over the task, but watched as he adjusted her robe to hide every inch of her neck.
'You should get dressed now,' he suggested in a whisper, smiling over the look of bemusement on her face. She still hadn't recovered from his touch, and that fact pleased the hell out of him.
'Didn't you hear me?' he asked when she didn't move.
She knew she had to get hold of herself. She took a step back, away from the cause of her befuddled condition. 'Yes, I should get dressed,' she agreed with a nod. She immediately contradicted herself by shaking her head. 'I can't get dressed. They…'
'I'll be happy to help you,' Jade volunteered. Colin's sister-in-law was frowning with worry and sympathy, 'It won't take any time at all,' she promised.
Alesandra turned and forced a smile. She was surprised to find both Caine and Jade standing only a few feet away. She hadn't heard either one of them come into the room.
Colin's kiss had blocked out the world, she decided, and, Lord, had they seen the way she'd been clinging to him? She blushed just thinking about that possibility.
She was suddenly so rattled she couldn't seem to think. There was something she wanted to say, but she couldn't remember what it was. She threaded her fingers through her hair in an absentminded gesture. The robe parted just a little with her movement. Colin immediately stepped forward to tug it back into place. He was acting like a possessive husband now. She might have thought that was an endearing action if he hadn't started frowning at her.
'You shouldn't be entertaining in your robe,' he told her. 'Didn't the nuns teach you anything?'
He wasn't jesting. She slapped his hand away from her throat and backed up another space. 'Did you catch the man crawling down the steps?' she asked Caine. 'Yes.'
'Good,' she whispered. 'They came in with the flowers,' she added with a nod. 'I should have realized… when they carried the vases upstairs, but I…'
Everyone waited for her to finish her explanation. After a minute or two they realized she wasn't going to say anything more.
'What happened to the other one?' Caine asked.
'Colin threw him out the window.'
'Raymond caught him,' Colin said.
Caine almost laughed until his brother tilted his head toward Alesandra. He immediately nodded agreement over the ridiculous lie. 'That's good to know.'
'Could there be more waiting in one of the other rooms?' Alesandra asked.
Colin answered her. 'No.'
'Your guards have made a thorough check of the house.' Caine made that comment in an attempt to ease her fear. 'There aren't any others.'
Jade drew her husband's attention when she let out a little gasp. He turned to her and saw the tears in her eyes. 'What is it, sweetheart?' he asked in a whisper.
Jade pointed to the floor in front of the wardrobe. Caine turned, saw the wedding gown, and let out a low expletive.
Alesandra wasn't paying any attention to anyone but Colin. She'd only just decided that there was something different about him, but she couldn't seem to put her finger on what that might be.
'We're getting married in ten minutes, Alesandra. If you're still wearing that robe, you'll be wed in it. Caine, change jackets with me. I tore mine.'
'I don't think it's a good idea to get married today,' Alesandra whispered.
'Ten minutes,' Colin repeated.
The set of his jaw told her he wasn't going to listen to reason. She still gave it one last try. 'No,' she announced, her expression mutinous.
He leaned down until he was just inches from her face. 'Yes.'
She let out a sigh. Then she nodded. Colin was so pleased she had finally decided to cooperate, he gave her a hard kiss. Then he turned and walked toward the doorway.
'They destroyed her wedding dress, Colin.'
Jade gave him that news. Alesandra burst into tears. Everyone believed she was upset about the dress, of course, but that wasn't the real reason she was so distraught. She had just noticed what was different about Colin.
'You cut your hair.'
The fury in her voice stunned Colin. He turned around, saw the tears streaming down her face, and immediately wanted to comfort her. As soon as he started toward her, she started backing away. He stopped so she would stand still. He didn't want her to accidentally step on a piece of glass. He didn't want her to panic, either, and she appeared ready to do just that.
Alesandra had gone through a hell of an ordeal and that, added to the usual wedding day jitters he assumed most brides experienced, was making her act unreasonable now.
Colin knew he would never get her downstairs and married until he helped her calm down first. He decided that if she wanted to talk about his hair now instead of focusing on the real issue upsetting her, he would let her.
'Yes,' he. said, his voice as soothing as he could manage. 'I cut my hair. Does that displease you?'
She nodded. 'Oh, yes, it does displease me,' she said, her voice shaking with her anger. 'As a matter of fact, it makes me furious.'
She could tell from his expression he didn't understand why she was so angry with him. He obviously didn't remember what he'd told her when she'd asked him why he wore his hair so long.
Freedom. Yes, that's what he'd told her. She remembered every word of his explanation. The shoulder-length hair reminded him that he was a free man.
Alesandra turned her attention to his feet. 'Why aren't you wearing shackles, Colin?'
'What are you talking about?' Colin hadn't been able to keep his exasperation out of his voice.
'She's upset about the dress,' Caine decided.
'Do stay out of this,' Alesandra ordered.
Caine raised an eyebrow over that command. Alesandra was acting very like a princess now, and she was treating Caine like one of her subjects. He didn't dare smile, fearing his amusement would push her temper right over the edge. She looked furious, and miserable.
'Oh, Lord, look what you've made me do,' she told Colin. She folded her arms in front of her and glared at him before turning to his brother. 'Pray forgive me for snapping at you. I don't usually let anyone notice when I'm upset, but that man makes me forget Mother Superior's golden rules. I wouldn't be in such a state if he hadn't cut his hair.'
'That man?' Caine repeated with a grin.
'What golden rules?' Jade asked, curious over that remark.
'Isn't the wedding dress the reason you're so upset?'
'Dignity and decorum,' Alesandra explained to Jade before turning back to Colin. 'No, it isn't really the dress,' she announced. She took a deep breath and ordered herself to calm down. Colin couldn't help being such an insensitive clout, she supposed, and he was giving up his freedom. 'Oh, never mind. Yes, of course I'm upset about the dress. Your mother's going to be most upset. She paid a fortune for that lace. It will break her heart if she finds out it was destroyed.'
'Then you're worried about my mother's feelings?' Colin asked, trying to get to the heart of the issue.
'Didn't I just say I was? Colin, how can you smile at a time like this? I don't have anything to wear.'
'Surely…'
She wouldn't let him finish. 'Promise me you won't tell your mother,' Alesandra demanded. 'I want your word, Colin. It would ruin her wedding if she finds out.'
'It's your wedding, Alesandra, not hers.'
She didn't want to listen to reason. 'Promise me.'
