Read Vengeance 02 - Trust In Me for Free Online

feeling himself. We’ll know more come morn.”
    His gaze dropped to her hand.
    An image of him nibbling the bread she held made her stomach do a slow roll. Surely it was just the glow from the coals in the hearth that made his gaze appear heated.
    Elizabeth tore off a small piece of bread, conscious of his gaze. Her cheeks warmed under his scrutiny, and she could only hope the dim light hid her extreme discomfort.
    Would it be rude if she made her escape and left him alone in the kitchen? She wasn’t certain of the proper etiquette in this situation.
    “Why are you here?” he asked, his head tilted to the side, his gentle tone at odds with his strange question.
    Confused, she suggested, “I had no bread in my chamber?”
    “Nay.” He chuckled. “I mean why are you, a beautiful lady, still at home with your father? You should be married with a family and keep of your own.”
    Elizabeth swallowed hard. The bread that had been so welcome earlier caught in her throat. She pushed aside the question of whether he truly thought her beautiful and let anger straighten her spine. “You sit in judgment of me? You know nothing of my circumstances.”
    “I meant no offense, my lady. Surely, you must have to chase away the suitors from your door each day.”
    The subject he raised brought forth a longing she’d buried some time ago. “I’d always thought I would be. Married, that is.”
    She looked up to find him watching her, as if he were truly interested in her answer. Somehow it made her want to tell him everything.
    But nay, he was a stranger, albeit handsome and kind, but a prying one. “Circumstances are...difficult.”
    “The loss of your brother?” The sympathy offered in his tone, in his expression, struck her anew. His broad shoulders cast a shadow against the wall, making him look even stronger, more capable. Someone to lean on, to share her burdens with.
    She sighed as a lump formed in her throat, then bit her lip to keep from speaking. The changes her life had taken of late or the responsibilities she carried would be of no concern to him. She simply nodded. “What of you, Lord Trisbane? Did you leave a wife and children behind at your keep?”
    He frowned, then looked away. “Nay. Marriage is not in my future.” A grimace crossed his face so quickly that she wondered if she’d imagined it.
    “Nor in mine.” In truth, she didn’t see how she’d ever be free to marry. She couldn’t leave her father. No longer could she dream of love. That was for young girls, and at twenty she was far from that.
    Much to her surprise, he stepped forward and gently pulled her blanket closer around her shoulders. “’Tis cold in here. You shouldn’t catch a chill.”
    Her heart stuttered, and her stomach flew to her throat. How could she possibly be so attracted to this man when she’d just met him? She closed her eyes and drew in a breath to steady herself – only to breathe in him. A warm, musky smell that held a hint of the forest. Her eyes flew open, for she realized his hands still held her blanket. His fingers were unbelievably warm pressed against her thin chemise.
    “Elizabeth?” He stepped closer, his vivid blue eyes holding her in place as he lowered his head.
    Her lips parted, but no sound escaped. She couldn’t have looked away if she’d tried.
    He pulled her nearer still, the heat of his body enveloping her. His fingers glided along her jaw, sending a shimmer of sensation flowing through her.
    Oh, dear heavens.
    Her hands fluttered, uncertain, and the bread dropped to the floor, forgotten.
    “I...” his voice trailed off, his breath mingling with hers.
    “Aye?” she said, her gaze locked on his. She leaned toward him, her entire being yearning for his touch.
    His gaze drifted down to her lips once again. With a gentle finger, he traced the corner of her mouth. For the space of a heartbeat, she thought he might, hoped he might...
    *
    Kiss her...
    Christ, but he longed to.
    Her wide brown eyes