Chapter 5 #2
"Then marry me before we both combust." He kept her hand there, the sweet torture making him sweat. "We cannot continue like this. God, why the hell are you still resisting?"
"Let go of me."
"No. Dammit Catherine, what the hell is it going to take for you to say yes?"
Closing her eyes as if to block out his face, she leaned back on the cushions. He was right. Never in her life had she ever felt this way before. But she was afraid of doing the wrong thing. Of getting into something that was going to cause her to lose herself.
Opening her eyes, she stared at him and realized what she had been trying to deny.
She had fallen in love with him. Dear God, she had fallen in love with a man who was completely unsuitable.
And she was going to marry him. God help her, she had no choice in the matter.
Something inside her, something insidious and crafty, was challenging her to save him.
He had jokingly said it to her, but it had taken root.
She knew the type of person he was, she had read the papers, knew that he had been sexually active since he was barely a teenager. She also knew the history of infidelity in his family. But she wanted to change him. The challenge was there and she was going to take it. Because she loved him.
She wanted to be his wife, wanted to have his children and somehow make a difference in his life. She could do it. She was different from the women he had been with, and she was the only one he had ever asked to marry him. That was something in itself.
As soon as she straightened, he knew what the answer would be and felt hope and incredible joy bursting inside him.
"Will you marry me?" he asked huskily.
"Yes."
"Thank Christ!" Hauling her onto his lap, he kissed her hungrily.
With a broken sigh, Catherine opened her mouth to receive his kiss, her body trembling.
Bearing her back on the cushions, he covered her body with his, the kiss becoming wild and uncontrolled.
It was as if the answer had broken down the last piece of barrier between them and left it all bare and wide open.
His hands raced over her arms before reaching between them to cup her breasts. His erection surged to immediate life.
He kissed her deeply, over and over again, until they were both gasping. Her hands raced over the tightly bunched muscles of his shoulders and back, fingers digging into his skin.
Shifting to the side without breaking contact, he shakily pulled his zipper down to release the discomfort his desire was causing. Taking her hand in his, he pressed her fingers around his rigid heat and had her jolting.
"No," he whispered thickly against her mouth when she tried to move her hand.
"Touch me," he invited hungrily. "I need to feel you.
Dear Christ!" he groaned against her lips.
"Feel me, darling-" he moved her fingers all the way down to the tip where the moisture had gathered.
"Feel how much I'm dying to sink myself inside you. Let me-"
He rolled on top of her. When she realized what he was about to do, she sprang back and shoved at his chest.
"What-"
"No." The breath was backed up all the way inside her lungs, her body trembling violently. She felt scorched as if she had been branded.
"I apologize," he told her stiffly. Rising, he eased himself back into his trousers and carefully zipped them up. Finding his sweater, he dragged it on and walked slowly to the window as he strove to get back the control that had disintegrated.
He was wild for her and had never lost control like this before. It bothered him.
"We will get married this weekend," he said tonelessly without turning around. "I can acquire a special license, and we go to the courthouse-"
"No."
His shoulders stiffened at the finality in her cultured voice.
Turning to face her, he tried to ignore the disheveled hair and the fetching picture she made with her swollen lips and overbright eyes.
"You said you would marry me-"
"Yes." Wrapping her hands around her arms, she forced herself not to react to the look in his eyes. "In a church. I might not have any biological family, but the ones at the school I teach and the people at church are my family. I also need to meet yours."
He was afraid she would say that. He had this wild idea of dragging her off to Europe. They had houses in Spain, Italy, London and Scotland. They could live in any of those places and never have to encounter his family. He was terrified of her meeting them and becoming revolted and turned off.
"You won't like them," he told her bluntly.
"I like everyone," she pointed out with a smile.
"Not these people." Shoving away from the window, he walked over to the table where he had put the bottle of scotch he had brought with him.
The only thing she had stored in her wine fridge were several bottles of cheap wine that were not to his taste, so he had brought a bottle of his favorite scotch, since he was now spending so much time at her place.
Pouring some in a glass, he stared at the golden liquid that reminded him of the color of her eyes.
"We court scandal," he continued in that same flat voice as he turned to face her.
"I don't want you anywhere near them. My parents are amoral creatures.
Everything you read about them, their affairs with other people, the state of their marriage, it's all true.
I learned from them," he added bitterly.
"They were never parents to me and Irene, my sister, and now she's suffering as a result of what they put us through." His eyes were tormented as he stared at her.
"I want to urge you to let us elope. Go somewhere, anywhere but here.
We have houses all over the world, and if you still want to teach, you could pick a place and we could settle there.
They have no scruples, but the first thing they're going to comment on is your lack of breeding.
" His mouth twisted slightly. "Your work as a teacher will mean nothing to them, because as far as they're concerned, that's beneath the family and not acceptable. "
Squelching the spurt of apprehension and anxiety that had sprung up inside her, she walked towards him.
Taking the drink from him, she put it aside and took his hand in hers.
"You have long fingers and a strong clasp.
" She lifted her head and smiled at the frown on his forehead.
Hearing him talk about his family just now had broken her heart and made her more determined to fix what was broken inside him.
She owed it to both of them. And if she had to wade through some family drama to do so, then so be it.
"I want to meet your family. I've been through some incredibly difficult times in my life, and nothing beats me down for long. I can deal with your parents."
"You've never met anyone like them," he said grimly, secretly proud of her lack of fear.
"I'm not sure about that." She tilted her head and shot him an amused smile. "You should hear some stories about some of the parents I have to deal with. Wealthy people have a way of behaving as if they're above common courtesy and good manners. I'm stronger than I look."
His eyes kindled in amusement and pride. "I have no doubt that's true." He lifted his free hand to cup her cheek. "So tiny and yet so effective."
"Damn straight."
His shout of laughter at her unexpected response had Galahad surging to his feet and racing towards them.
"You're priceless," he whispered, scooping her up and carrying her to the sofa.
They remained that way for several minutes, her snuggled in his arms with the dog sprawled on the floor next to Dean's feet. The wild, abandoned passion that had sprung up between them was now dormant, for the moment. He was just content to hold her in his arms and inhale her scent.
She had said yes, which was the most important thing in the world to him.
The other aspects of their lives would be worked out accordingly.
He had no idea what life with her would be like, but he was willing and eager to find out.
One thing he was sure of was that he would never allow his parents to have any influence on her at all.
His mother, when she realized he was determined to go ahead with the marriage, would try to take Catherine "under her wings." He was going to do everything in his power to discourage that.
He was also going to make sure that communications between them were few.
And his father. His mouth tightened as it hit him just what he was asking her to be a part of.
His father would no doubt see her as a challenge and would try his pathetic attempt at flirting.
The man would consider it his right. Dean would damn well make it plain that would not be appreciated or tolerated.
As if aware of his mercurial thoughts, Catherine stirred and lifted her head to look at him.
"You're worried."
"Why would you say that?" he asked lightly.
"I'm starting to know you."
"Does that mean I'm becoming predictable?" he countered.
"It means, I'm starting to know you." She lifted a hand to touch his cheek. "You're going to have to have some confidence in me."
He covered her hand with his. "I have every confidence in you," he said softly. "But none in them." His expression darkened. "He's going to try and come onto you. He won't be able to help himself; he's wired that way."
It appalled her to hear that, but she only smiled. "Then I'll get a chance to put him in his place." Leaning forward, she kissed him softly and would have moved away, if he hadn't deepened the kiss.
Lifting his mouth from hers, he kissed the tip of her nose. "I won't let them hurt you. I promise."