“Where are we going?” Damn that smoky sound in her voice, she thought. She didn’t want to sound sexy right now.
“To watch television.” She could hear the amusement in his voice.
“You’re laughing at me,” she whispered as he pushed her ahead of him, careful to keep his hand at her back in case she needed to be steadied.
“You’re nearly buzzing on two glasses of wine,” he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “I can assume this means there were no wild parties at school. You still aren’t used to alcohol.”
Marly frowned. He sounded tolerant. She hated it when he sounded tolerant and patient, as though she were still a teenager.
“I don’t like parties, you know that.” She shrugged as he led her into the family room and pulled her down on the couch beside him.
“I know you don’t, baby.” He pulled her against him as he flipped the television on and began scanning through the channels.
Marly took another drink of the wine, closing her eyes as she felt the alcohol slowly easing her terrible tension. When she opened them again, glancing at the television, she was surprised to see the latest action movie she had heard advertised. Thank God, he hadn’t chosen to watch one of the racier channels she knew the satellite carried.
“Stop being scared of me, Marly.” He lifted the empty glass from her hand and set it on the table beside the couch.
“I’m not scared.” She was terrified.
“Are you feeling better after the bath?” He changed the subject abruptly.
“Yes, thank you.” Her fingers laced together nervously.
“I didn’t mean to be so hard on you, Marly.” His hand smoothed her hair, his attention seemingly on the movie before them. “I lost control.”
Marly shrugged, not certain what to say.
She felt him sigh deeply, and knew when he turned his head he was watching her closely. He held her against his side, his large body sheltering, his arm wrapped around her shoulders so his fingers could play with the curls at the side of her head.
“Marly, look at me.” She shivered at the dark, rough quality of his voice.
She tipped her head back, staring up at him quietly.
“You said you heard about me and what I like sexually?” he asked her softly.
Marly nodded, thankful for the calming effects of the wine.
“Then you know I wouldn’t hurt you, don’t you?” he asked her gently, his other hand framing her face warmly as he watched her.
“Yes.” She licked her lips, a bit of her earlier nerves stealing over her. “You didn’t hurt me, Cade.”
“If you heard what I liked, then you know what it does to me when you fight me. When I know the pleasure is killing you and you deny me. Don’t do that, Marly. For both our sakes, because I don’t like scaring you.” He was watching her intently, staring down at her as he breathed roughly. “I can control myself until you do that.”
“It’s too much.” She trembled against him. “I can’t do it again, Cade. I can’t.”
She needed him to understand. She hated being frightened. She had never been frightened since Cade had removed the threat of Joe striking her again. He and Sam and Brock had done everything to make certain her life contained no fears. And now she was terrified.
“Trust me, Marly.” He kissed her forehead gently. “Trust me to guide you through it.”
She shook her head, then stilled as his eyes darkened. He smiled slowly, sexily.
“I can feel how much you want me, Marly,” he assured her. “I can see it in those hard little nipples poking through your dress, and I bet your panties are wet, even now.”
Marly shook at the sound of his voice.
“This movie is supposed to be good,” she stuttered out in a desperate attempt to draw his attention away from her. “I’ve been wanting to watch it, Cade.”
His gaze narrowed. Finally he sighed, moving his hand from her face and turning his attention back to the movie.