Karen Michelle Nutt (8 page)

She twirled around in the rain with her face turned skyward. “What in damnation?” She’d be soaked head to toe. Blast it all. It was in the middle of the night and she wasn’t properly dressed! The woman had lost her senses. He let the curtain fall and marched to the front door.

Unaware she had company, she laughed as she danced barefoot in the moonlight. He’d never seen her so free. His gaze traveled the length of her and his breath caught in his throat. Her drenched nightdress revealed every lush curve of her body. “Dear God, she is mad.” He must have spoken the words aloud for her gaze locked onto him and her smile slid from her face as if the rain had washed it away.

Her hand flew to her throat. “Keldon.”

“Aye.” He stared at her waiting for an explanation.

She brushed a wet strand away from her face without uttering a word. Lightning cracked the sky and she looked up, her brow furrowing.

“Annabelle, what in God’s name are ye doin’?”

“Isn’t obvious?” She twirled around again. “Weeeeee!”

“Annabelle!” Keldon’s voice boomed like thunder.

She turned to look at him. “Oh go away, fuddy-duddy.” She did a pirouette and bowed as if she was on stage performing for him.

“Ach, lass, get out of the rain before ye catch yer death.”

“What do you care?” This time she glided by the length of the porch and back.

He pursed his lips together. He shouldn’t care. His life had been predictable before her accident. She did what she wanted, and he had his life. He should turn around and leave her to her insanity. However, she wasn’t herself and his conscience wouldn’t allow him to abandon her. If she remained out here, she would most likely come down with pneumonia and… “Annabelle!”

“What now?” She sounded annoyed with him.

“Stop this nonsense and come out of the rain,” he demanded, deciding he needed to take a firm hold over the situation, but obviously his contemptuous tone only served to irk her.

Her chin angled up and she narrowed her eyes as she put her hands on her slim hips. “Make me.”

“Make ye,” he sputtered. “Make ye!” She had the gall to taunt him. He flew off the stairs.

Her eyes widened and she bolted, but he caught her by her waist before she could make her escape. He threw her drenched body over his shoulders without a care he’d be soaked, too.

“Put me down.” She beat her fist against his back.

“I’m warnin’ ye. Ye better stop yer thrashin’.”

“Or what?” She screamed back as she pounded him one more time.

“Or this.” He took his free hand and swatted her backside.

“Ouch!” She doubled her efforts, squirming and thrashing.

“Annabelle, I’m goin’ to drop—” He slipped and couldn’t regain his balance with her struggling to be free. He twisted, taking her full weight as he went down.

She’d knocked the wind out of him and he couldn’t speak. Inches from him, he stared at her stunned expression. Then her features changed and her gaze caressed him with something almost akin to affection, but that couldn’t be. This was Annabelle, the woman loathed him and he her. Only his body was having a difficult time remembering the arrangement.

She lifted her hand and stroked his face, her eyes searching his. Awareness of how her body felt pressed against him filled his every pore. Her gaze lingered on his lips and the tip of her tongue traced hers. He closed his eyes on a moan.

“Keldon, are you all right?”

No, he wasn’t all right. She tormented him more now than when she had her memory. He buried his fingers in the wet tangles of her hair. She couldn’t look at him with want and expect him to restrain. She was his wife and he’d take what was his. He opened his eyes, ready to plunder, but her innocent gaze threw him off guard.

“Keldon?”

Her eyes pleaded, but for what?

He was many things, but he wasn’t such a blackheart to make her pay for sins she didn’t remember. He pushed her to the side. On his feet, he offered his hand to her. She stared at the offer then up at him as the rain continued to soak them. He expected her to refuse, but she clasped his hand and he pulled her to her feet.

They reached the porch and to some semblance of cover from the rain. She sulked, her lips pouting as she rubbed her tender bottom. “You hurt me.”

The dark wings of his eyebrows lifted. That was all she was going to say, no tantrum, no slapping, no screaming. Now he was thoroughly convinced she’d lost her mind. “What did ye think yer fists beatin’ my back was doin’?”

“I hurt you?” Her eyes grew large.

Of course, she hadn’t hurt him.

“I’m sorry.” She placed her hand on his chest.

He lifted a brow. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d touched him with kindness.

Her long drawn out sigh, attracted his attention. “I know you don’t understand, but I needed this. It seemed so important. A memory or something like one was on the verge of coming to me… I remember jumping in puddles, my mom and dad laughing and joining in.”

“Annabelle.”

Something in his tone must have made her pause. She stopped her babbling and looked at him.

“Ye dinnae recover a memory. Yer mother died givin’ birth to ye, and frankly, ye wouldnae have danced in the rain. Ye are ever fussy of yer appearance.”

She stepped back and her hand fell away from him. He already missed the warmth.

“I never knew my mother?” She shook her head. “You have to be wrong. I sense it. My mother loved me.” Her eyebrows furrowed and her gaze dropped to her hands as if they might hold the answers that plagued her. Different emotion flickered across her face, making her appear vulnerable.

Keldon took a step toward her, only to stop dead in his tracks. His gaze had drifted from her face to her flimsy nightdress, clinging to her slim body. He swallowed the thick lump forming in the back of his throat. Seconds before his common sense skittered into the shadows, he tore his gaze away from her breasts. He concentrated on her face, regarding her sullen expression with curiosity. For the life of him, he couldn’t detect any dishonesty.

She clasped her arms, trembling.

He sighed. “Come inside, Annabelle.”

She looked up at him with defiance.

He knew she was ready to argue with him again. “Please.” It was the magic word.

She nodded, letting him guide her over the threshold and into the warmth of the house. She followed him into the study where she stood, watching him throw a few pieces of wood into the fireplace. Once the flames took life, he turned his attention back to her.

She shivered again.

“Let me remove yer clothes.”

Her gaze riveted to his, a vaguely sensuous light passed between them. God, he wanted her.

“I mean…” His word trailed off to silence. He didn’t know what he meant anymore. His hands seemed to have a will of their own as they encircled her waist and drew her near. He untied the ribbon holding her garment in place. Over the fabric, he drew his fingertips up the side of her breast. Heat spiked hitting him low in the gut as an arrow of liquid heat spiraled straight to his groin. He couldn’t remember the last time he desired her so.

“Keldon?”

Her voice jolted him. What was he doing? He stepped back his hands shaking. His gaze fixed on her. She looked like Annabelle, but…

He forced himself to remember her cold heart. His eyes narrowed as distrust darkened the mood. Annabelle’s cold words from the past resurfaced.

“
You disgust me with your brutal touch.”

“
Annabelle, ye are my wife.”

She laughed. “Only in name, love. I find my pleasures elsewhere.”

“Keldon, what’s wrong?”

She brought him back to the present, but the old Annabelle’s words laid buried deep inside him, festering.

She reached for him and he could almost believe she’d changed, that this time, she’d welcome him into her arms. Her large blue eyes were vivid and questioning, as her gaze lingered on his lips.

Had she wanted him to continue, or was she simply toying with him, wanting him to beg for her, so she could push him away.

What did it matter? He had no intentions of finding out. “Stand by the fire,” he ordered. “I’ll go and find ye some dry clothes.”

He turned and fled from the room.

He made his way through the house with the candleholder gripped in his hand. He must distance himself from Annabelle and fast. If the situation weren’t so desperate, he’d have laughed. He was married to the woman for God's sake and he had every right to do as he pleased with her. She practically invited him to touch her, standing there with wet clothes clinging to her body, revealing every wondrous curve. He was only human, and it had been a lifetime since he touched her. So what was stopping him from taking what was rightfully his to sample?

He knew damn well, what was wrong. That woman he just left down stairs with her wanting glances and almost childish naiveté wasn’t his wife. That is, she didn’t behave according to her character. Not that he wanted her to be the cold embittered woman again, but at least he would know how to handle her. “What are ye up to, dear Annabelle? What game do ye play?”

“That is what I was wonderin’? What is all that noise ye two are carryin’ on aboot?” Leighton had stepped into the hall in his nightclothes and holding a candle of his own.

“It is nothin’ I cannae handle,” Keldon answered hoping Leighton would go back to bed. Unfortunately, the man seemed determined to question him.

“It sounded as though ye were outside.” Leighton chuckled, but he sobered as his gaze traveled over Keldon. Obviously taking in his damp hair and clothes. “Ye were outside.”

“Aye. That is where I found her.”

Leighton’s brows shot up. “It’s pourin’ rain.”

“Ye doonae need to be tellin’ me, but the fool lassie seemed no’ to care.”

“What is she up to?” Leighton rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“I havenae a clue. The oddest thing is I detect nay trickery from her.”

“She wasnae meetin’ someone?”

“I watched her from the window. There was nay one to be seen.”

“If she wasnae meetin’ anyone, what was she doin’?”

“Dancin’ in the rain,” Keldon answered. Just the thought of how she looked, as she spun around, letting the water wet every inch of her made his groin ache with want.

“Bah!” Leighton snorted, drawing Keldon’s attention. “She’s a clever one. I’ll grant her that. She’s tryin’ to throw us off balance.”

Keldon frowned. “What by pretendin’ she’s lost her mind?”

“What a better plan than that. This way she can spy on us because we’d think her harmless.”

“I doonae know aboot that. She…” He wasn’t sure what he could say to explain his feelings. “We’ll be extra careful until we know for sure what she is aboot.”

“Aye.” Leighton nodded in agreement.

“She’s expectin’ me to bring her some dry clothes. I must go before she becomes suspicious.”

“I’ll bid ye goodnight or what is left of it. Ye best be gettin’ yerself warm. Ye look a wee bit wet yerself.”

Keldon nodded and entered Annabelle’s room. Leighton’s suggestion for warmth was the last thing he wanted. His blood scorched through his veins and he needed to contain his emotions before he went downstairs to face her again. He had no idea what had gotten into him. He despised her, but if this were true, then why the dull ache of desire? He turned toward the door.

She waited for him downstairs. All he had to do is take her.

“Ach!” He looked away and yanked a drawer open. He came across another nightdress. His hand caressed the softness of the fabric. For a fleeting moment he thought of how her skin felt beneath his hands. “Stop it!” He scolded himself and slammed the dresser drawer shut.

When he made it back downstairs and entered the study, he fumbled to keep the candleholder in his grip. Arianna had discarded her wet garments, draping a small knit blanket around her, her long legs exposed to his view. His mind was a crazy mixture of hope, desire… panic. He swallowed the lump formed in his throat and tried to look anywhere but at her smooth visible skin.

“Here, put this on.” He thrust the clothing at her.

“I hope you don’t mind that I used the blanket to dry off with.”

He didn’t meet her gaze.

“I was beginning to get chilled waiting for you.”

“Why would I mind then?” he said, though he did mind. He walked over to his desk. He needed a distraction, but his pretense wasn’t working. Dear God, she’s naked under the blanket. How did she expect him to remain aloof, when she purposely exposed herself? He had a mind to teach her lesson and take her. She couldn’t play with his emotions like this.