“How could you allow me to go so far?” he charged, his tone accusing, and yet she could see his anger was directed as much at himself as her, for he went on without waiting for her reply. “I’ve compromised you beyond all pardonable limits.”
“No one will ever know,” Skye protested.
“I will know. You are an unattached female guest in my home and Isabella’s niece.” Roughly he ran a hand through his sleep-tousled raven hair and muttered a low oath. “Bella will have my head when she finds out.”
“So would my brother. Quinn will likely want to shoot you. But they don’t have to find out.”
Skye couldn’t help a wry wince at the thought of her brother’s reaction. Quinn might be something of a rake himself, but he would have an apoplectic fit if he thought his baby sister had given her body to a near stranger, nobleman or not. Quinn’s protectiveness was why she hadn’t informed him of her plan to come to Hawkhurst Castle in the first place.
“I certainly won’t tell either of them,” she added for good measure, “and neither should you.”
Sinking back against the headboard, Hawkhurst absently drew the covers over his lower body to shield his nudity. “I cannot just ignore what happened.” He swore again. “I don’t usually go around raping virgins.”
Embarrassed laughter escaped her throat. “I would imagine not.”
His gaze turned deadly. “You find this amusing?”
“No, not at all. But it was hardly rape. I seem to remember begging you at one point.”
“That doesn’t justify my actions. I should be shot.”
She had practically seduced him, and he was taking the blame? Skye couldn’t let him feel guilty for what was primarily her fault. “You are not to blame, my lord. You were only comforting me as I asked.”
“That is no excuse.”
“I tell you, I wanted it to happen.”
His gaze pinned her again. “Did you purposely lure me to your bed by feigning your nightmares?”
“No, of course not.”
“I didn’t think so. Your cries were too real to be pretense.”
“They were very real. And I could have stopped you if I’d chosen to.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because I was overcome by passion.”
That was undeniably true. She hadn’t consciously set out to seduce him. She’d simply been so overwhelmed with desire that she had willingly surrendered her maidenhead.
Skye took a deep breath, deciding to try and reason with him. “Lord Hawkhurst, the damage is done. You needn’t flagellate yourself over it.”
His silence spoke volumes, since he looked as frustrated as the devil.
“You are making too much of what really is a minor matter,” Skye insisted.
“A minor matter?” He looked ready to explode at her observation. “Don’t pretend you have no comprehension of the position this puts us in,” he ground out.
Her brow furrowed. “What position?”
Gazing up at the ceiling, he made a visible effort at control. “We will have to marry. It is the only honorable course.”
Skye stared back at him blankly. “Marry?”
“I take responsibility for my mistakes.”
“I don’t want to be your mistake.”