by Cheryl Bolen
At no moment in his life had he ever been filled with more happiness. His very loins ached with the realization that she wanted him to make love to her. He moved to her, never taking his eyes from her. “I wish to make love to you,” he said as he came to stand before her and peer down at her loveliness, “but first we must talk.”
He sat beside her and drew her hand into his, her left hand with its simple golden band. That she chose to wear so plain a symbol of their unity filled him with pride. “I think perhaps you were upset when I so hurriedly left London?”
It tore at his heart to see her eyes begin to water. “Even more upset when I learned you did not go to Essex.”
“You were right to be angry. Husbands and wives should not have secrets from one another. I was concealing something from you, my darling.” He paused to brush away a tear that spilled from her eye. “Not another woman. Never that.”
She looked up at him with reddened eyes. “Then what?”
“I had vowed to never reveal the nature of William’s work for our Foreign Office. That’s why I was forced to lie to you. When I so suddenly left London, it was because William’s life was in peril.”
“The French?”
“Yes.”
“Surely you know I would never reveal a confidence. Especially if it would jeopardize your brother.”
He fingered her golden wedding band. “I do now. I realize I’ve made a huge blunder with our marriage.”
“Me too.”
Her words gave him hope. He withdrew a small velvet box from his pocket.
“I don’t want any more jewels, Nicholas Birmingham.”
“But this one’s special.” He opened the box. There on a bed of satin was a diamond pendant shaped like a heart. He handed it to her. “Happy Christmas. I want you to take my heart. Even if you still love Warwick, I’m begging that you give me a chance to earn your love.”
Her eyes widened. “Warwick? You can’t possibly believe I love him.”
Nick frowned as his pulse accelerated. He would have to confront her. Even if it was Christmas Eve. Even if it was their first wedding anniversary. “I saw you together one afternoon in Whitehall. When I asked you about it that night, you lied.”
She collapsed against him, sobbing. “For-for-forgive me, my love, for lying,” she whimpered between sobs. “I’d merely gone to Warwick to learn Randy’s direction.” She drew in a deep breath. “I lied because I did not wish for you to know of my estrangement from my brother.”
His hands traced sultry circles on her back. “Because I was the cause of it?”
She nodded.
“Sit back up, my love. I want you to wear my heart.” He fastened the pendant’s chain around the smooth column of her neck, then drew in a deep breath. “You truly don’t love Warwick?”
“Truly.” Her soft blue eyes caressed him. “I stopped loving him before we married.”
“I regret that I never told you how much I love you. Will you give me the chance to win your love?”
A sweet smile softened her somber face. “You can’t possibly win it.”
His heartbeat stampeded.
“You already own it.” She gazed lovingly into his eyes. “I’ve been in love with you for a very long time, Nicholas Birmingham.”
“A very long time?”
“I think perhaps since that night at the theatre. Before I asked you to marry me. It took me all of a month after that to realize I’d completely lost my heart to you.”
He tugged her to his chest, wrapping both arms around her. “I have a confession to make myself.”
She stroked the dark stubble of his cheek. “What?”
“I knew I loved you that day in my office.”
“The day I proposed?” she asked with a laugh.
“That very day. Once I kissed you, my passionate love, I knew for sure.”
No Christmas had even been more magical. A grin pinched into her cheeks. “Then I suggest you prove it, Mr. Birmingham.”
And he eased her back into the mattress.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A graduate of the University of Texas—and, yes, she loves those Longhorns—Cheryl Bolen enjoyed careers as an award-winning journalist and as a public school English teacher before she turned to writing historical romances. Her first book, A Duke Deceived, was published in 1998 and for it she was named Notable New Author. One Golden Ring is her eighth book, and she has also published one novella with Zebra.
Now having exchanged pantyhose for sweats, she’s thrilled to write full time. Her other thrills come from her professor hubby, their two sons who claim to be grown, and keeping the needle on her bathroom scale from going up.
ZEBRA BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
850 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Copyright © 2005 by Cheryl Bolen
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
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ISBN: 978-1-4201-3261-8
