Her eyes shone. ‘The one and only love of the Savage men,’ she said softly, unable to believe that she was this to Damien.
‘Yes,’ he ground out fiercely, his grip on her shoulders quite painful. ‘I knew from the first that that’s what you were to me. But I couldn’t tell you that, the type of person I thought you to be would have taken advantage of that love. I was already suffering the pains of living hell, I don’t think I could have stood any more. But I desperately wanted you with me. I even offered to give you a screen test in the hope that I could direct you. Then I got to thinking of all those other men ogling you and I knew it wouldn’t work out.’
So that was the reason he had changed his mind. ‘James was rather puzzled by the fact that you seemed relieved when I said no, especially as you seemed so certain I could be a success,’ she told him.
‘You still could be. But I couldn’t stand it,’ he said grimly.
She soothed away the frown from between his luminous green eyes. ‘I wouldn’t ever ask you to. Damien …’ she hesitated. ‘You said you believed I might take advantage of the love you have for me, don’t you think I might do the same now?’
He shrugged. ‘It’s a risk I have to take. If you’re ever going to grow to love me you have to at least know that I already love you. As a start I suggest we have a trial separation.’
‘Damien!’ she gasped. ‘What are you saying?’
‘I’m making the ultimate sacrifice.’ He gave a rueful smile. ‘I could keep you here, make you infatuated with our lovemaking, but it wouldn’t be what I want. I want your love, all of it. We’ve done things the wrong way round, married before I had a chance to try and win your love. I admit that was mainly my fault, I couldn’t be with you more than five minutes without wanting you. But now that I know there’s been no one else I think I might manage to last a little longer than that.’
‘And if you can’t?’
‘I have to,’ he groaned. ‘You’ll never know the pain and disillusionment I went through when I thought you were encouraging men like Matt Strange and James. If I know that I’m the only one you’re seeing I might be able to get by for a few weeks.’
‘I never encouraged Matt Strange, you know. I detest him utterly, I always have.’
‘So do I—now. It’s been hell working on this movie with him. The friction between us has been electric.’
‘So James told me.’
Damien’s mouth tightened. ‘If I ever catch Matt near you again I’ll break his damned neck. I ought to have done it anyway, the way he was pawing you. The trouble was, I thought you were secretly enjoying it. You know, a case of “the lady doth protest too much"!’
‘I was protesting because his touch made my skin crawl!’
‘At least I can say that I don’t do that. Once I realised I loved you I tried to forget you again. I was so sure that no woman would ever hook me, make me nothing but a helpless fool. I’ve been nothing but a fool since the day I met you, a damned stupid idiot. So will you try? Will you let me take you out, get to know me, try to love me?’
‘And if I can’t, what happens then?’
‘I die a very slow painful death.’
Kate looked at his face for some sign of teasing, but could find none. He was in deadly earnest. ‘And do you think you’ll be able to leave me at my door every night?’ she persisted.
A look of torment crossed his face. ‘I have to do that too. If you’ll give me the chance I’m not going to ruin it by my selfish lust. I want you like hell, but I want your love more.’
‘Oh, Damien,’ she choked, ‘you already have it. I would never have married you for any other reason than that I love you.’
His face was deathly white under his tan, his eyes like huge green orbs. ‘Do you mean that?’ His look was uncertain.
‘I mean it. I love you so very much. If you can trust me with your love then I can certainly trust you with mine. That’s what loving someone is all about—trust.’
‘Oh, honey!’ It was a sigh from deep within him. ‘You love me? You really love me?’
She put her arms up about his neck, pulling him closer and closer. ‘Maybe you’ll believe me if I show you how much.’
‘Kate …’ he groaned as her lips met his, feeling himself drawn down and knowing himself lost in her loveliness.
Kate lay against his chest, happy in the aftermath of their lovemaking. She giggled. ‘You’ve been such a brute to me in the past,’ she teased.
‘Only because I love you so damned much,’ Damien growled against her ear.
‘If that’s how you show your love I would hate to see you annoyed with me!’
His arms tightened about her and he kissed her temple with lingering passion. ‘It was your closeness to James that triggered it off. His mother’s attitude towards you only seemed to convince me that you were everything I thought you were. I suppose her feelings are understandable in the circumstances.’
Kate nodded. ‘What did you believe me to be?’
‘A gold-digger after a wedding ring,’ he told her bluntly.
She sat up. ‘But you married me anyway.’
He pulled her back down on to his chest. ‘Of course I did. I can’t live without you, Kate. I kept walking away from you only to
