Wildfire Kiss (Sir Edward 1)

He held his arm out to her. “Corry … love of my life … Corry … first you must hear what it is.”

“It is nothing,” she answered.

“I am a fiend!” he responded.

“Then tell me do, and we shall see if you are so,” she said softly and kissed his lips.

He held her neck, put his head to hers, and whispered, “Yes, I shall tell you all …”

***

Babs closed her eyes. A bombardment of bile started up in her throat. He was a fiend. He meant to blackmail her into something … but what?

Why was he doing this? She didn’t want to open her eyes, but the dark began to swirl, and she felt him put an arm about her. She finally opened her eyes and nearly swooned. She wouldn’t, couldn’t be brought low by this awful, awful man!

He looked concerned as he steadied her. “Do not fear, darling. I don’t mean to hurt you—if I don’t have to.”

“What … what made you suspect the book was written by me?”

“I have been watching you … wanting you. Do you think I would not know you simply because you took the alias of a man?” he answered simply. “There were times when I read the lines and nearly saw you standing there saying the words.” He sighed. “That with the fact that I am fully aware you had a few articles published in the ladies magazine … it wasn’t all that difficult to come to the conclusion that you are the mysterious Felix.”

She steadied herself. “Right then, have at me. What is it you want?”

“No … ask me instead, so there can be no misunderstanding, ask me what I want for my silence.”

She eyed him doubtfully and said, “I would think that you would remain the gentleman I had always believed you to be … and that would keep you silent, as you are honor-bound to do.”

He laughed without mirth. “Oh, no, honor in this instance means naught to me. You, my delightful Lady Babs, I want you.”

She sucked in air. “Me? You want me? I may have scribbled out a novel, my buck, but I am not some wench you can call to your bed with such a threat.”

He laughed again and attempted to flick her nose. She pulled roughly away. “Don’t dare try to touch me. You are a brute and a scoundrel.”

“No, my darling, you mistake … I want you in my bed, yes, but as my bride.”

Her bottom lip dropped. She was angry, but she had to find a way out of this. She had to stall him. “Sir Edward, never say you want a woman you must blackmail into marrying you?”

“You are young and do not know your own mind. You will learn to love me … and enjoy our union,” he said confidently. He eyed her and said, “I cannot be manipulated with words. I cannot be shamed into forgoing what I want. I want you, and I mean to have you. Once you are my wife, you will learn to please me and in so doing will be pleased yourself. You shall see!”

“You villain … please you … I will loathe you for forcing me into a loveless marriage,” she seethed as she lost control of her temper.

He grabbed her and shook her. “Take care. I have the means to destroy your father. I will say you wrote and published this book with his full knowledge because he was in debt … I will ruin him and your Aunt Jane!”

She gasped. Could he be so wicked? If she had to be ruined in the eyes of the world she traveled in, so be it, but her father … her aunt. She couldn’t bear the thought of shaming them in this way. She tried one more tactic. “How can you want me? My heart is elsewhere engaged.”

“You have a schoolgirl crush on the duke. I am not a fool. You will get over him.”

“I will not,” she answered softly.

“I will tell him as well. I will make him my first stop … we will see if he wants you then!” he snapped angrily.

“No! No … please … he doesn’t know how I feel, and he doesn’t want me!” she wailed.

“Doesn’t he? More fool he,” said Sir Edward. “I cannot imagine a man not wanting you.” He reached for her, but she took a hurried step away from him. “Darling, I love you and mean to treat you always with care and attention, as befits my bride …”

“I don’t want to be your bride. You should want someone who wants you back.” She tried pleading logic. “I am … unwilling—you cannot want an unwilling bride.”

“So long as that bride is you,” he answered on a hard note.