the growing desire.
He wanted her. And while he was man enough to admit that he wanted her to feel the same, William also recognised the anger flaring beneath his desire.
They were wed. As much as Sarah would detest his logic, she was his. He tore his lips from hers and hoarsely berated, ‘You have no right, no cause for this, Sarah.’
She stared up at him, her eyes luminous and large against her flushed face. ‘What? I have no cause for what?’
‘No right to withhold yourself from me.’ Even as he said it, William knew his allegation sounded like an insignificant complaint. But he couldn’t help how it sounded. No more than he could help how he felt.
She blinked twice before asking, ‘This is because I will not share your bed?’
‘No.’ That was a lie. ‘Yes.’ And that was not quite the full truth. ‘Partially. You withhold yourself in all ways. Do you think I do not notice your coldness, or your complete lack of attention? You speak to me only when you have to do so.’
Sarah could hardly believe what she was hearing. But his firm hold on her braid, the suppressed rage simmering beneath the pain in his tone, and the intensity in his hard stare made her aware of the deadly seriousness of his accusation.
Ignoring him with hopes he’d leave her alone in disgust had worked against her. William was not disgusted. He was angry—and his rage was beyond simple anger.
Why had she not seen this coming? How had she been so blind?
Sarah closed her eyes against the all-too-familiar tightening in her chest. She’d not seen this coming because she’d been too absorbed in her own misery.
While staring into the fire last night, she’d decided to protect herself by not letting this man get too close. Then again this morning aboard ship his actions had only confirmed her decision. It was the only way she could think of to save herself the pain of guilt when her task was completed.
Unfortunately, it seemed that her tactic to ignore and avoid him had gone horribly wrong. She’d seen his sidelong looks and had felt his increasingly intense stares. She should have known that William was not the type of man to fade quietly into the background. She should have stopped this before it’d gone too far.
Her ploy had been selfish and childish. And where had it got her? She looked up at him and nearly gasped at the blatant hunger on his face.
Sarah swallowed hard before she whispered, ‘William, I—’
Again he cut her words off with his lips. And all she could do was hang on to his shoulders for support, otherwise she feared falling to the ground.
A part of her briefly wondered what manner of spell he wove around her so easily. How could just a kiss steal her will, her strength and leave her near swooning?
And how was it possible that, while she feared his brand of sorcery, she hungered for more of the same?
Sarah knew without a doubt that if William so desired he could easily lay her down upon the ground and make her his wife in more than name. She also knew that she would not lift a hand, or speak a word, to stop him.
‘Why have you acted so?’
To her surprise his breath rasped hot against her ear. She hadn’t even been aware that his lips had left hers.
Not sure how to answer him, she said, ‘I don’t know, William. I don’t know.’
When he dragged his teeth lightly along the side of her neck, before following the trail with his lips, Sarah felt the ripple of shivers clear to her toes. She tilted her head as if offering him more of her flesh to torment.
‘Ah, Sarah, I will have no more of your half-truths and lies.’
How did he know? What did he mean he would have no more of them? What did he intend to do? The questions flitted about her mind. But before she could make sense of them, he again kissed her.
This time there was no mistaking his intent. He seemed determined to steal her ability to think, or to form any rational thought, from her mind.
Sarah leaned closer against him and wound her arms about his neck. He stroked her side, then cupped her breast, his touch barely grazing the sensitive tip. She moaned softly as her senses fled.
When he held her so tightly, caressed her so deftly, and kissed her so thoroughly, what need had she for rational thoughts?
‘Ah, Sarah.’ He breathed her name against her ear. The heated warmth only fuelled her desire to a fevered pitch. ‘What game do you play with me?’
Unable to form a coherent sentence, she shook her head and leaned into his still-teasing touch.
‘Are you still spying for the Queen?’
Before she could answer, he traced the seam of her parted lips with his tongue. William smiled briefly against her mouth when she shivered. He repeated the movement, then asked, ‘Are you, Sarah?’
‘Yes. I—’At her own breathless whisper, she froze, leaving her sentence unfinished. The desire flowing through her limbs vanished, leaving behind an icy-cold chill.
William released her and stepped away.
Unwilling to look at what she knew would be smuglaced anger on his face, she turned away. He hadn’t wanted her. He hadn’t cared that she’d been ignoring him. He’d only wanted answers, so he’d tricked her.
And she’d fallen for his tactics like some gullible, foolish girl.
Sarah wrapped her arms round her stomach, trying to hold the twisting and churning at bay. Had she followed the Queen’s sage advice and held him at arm’s length, this would not have taken place.
She had only herself to blame.
‘Explain yourself.’ His voice cut through her self-pity as easily as a sword would slice through warm beeswax.
‘Explain myself?’ Without turning around, she shrugged. ‘What can I tell you? That I will most likely die of old age still in the Queen’s service? That there is no escape for me?’
‘Your escape was at hand when you left the court as a married woman. You no longer had to serve Queen Eleanor. So, why? Just tell me why, Sarah.’
‘I—’
‘At least have the decency to look at me.’
Sarah tugged at her lower lip. She didn’t want to look at him. Didn’t want to see the disgust in his eyes—even though his disgust was what she’d been trying so hard to find. But more than that, she had no desire for him to witness her shame.
He pulled her around to face him, giving her no choice in the matter. ‘I said look at me.’
Even as he released her, she kept her eyes tightly closed against the harsh tone of his voice. Her mind chided her relentlessly, It is your own fault.
After taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. What she saw nearly took her breath away as
