For a good ten seconds he just stared at her. For the life of him, he couldn’t understand how that was a bad thing. But then again, he’d never professed to understand the female mind. He thought he should simply reaffirm the statement, that she was beautiful, and what the hell was the problem, but a little voice inside warned him that this was one of those moments, and no matter what he said, it would be the wrong thing, so he decided to tread very, very carefully, and he just murmured her name, which he had a feeling might be the only word guaranteed not to get him into trouble.
“I’m not beautiful,” she whispered, her eyes meeting his. She looked shattered and broken, but before he could contradict her, she asked, “Who were you picturing?”
He blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
“Who do you think of when you make love to me?”
Anthony felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. The breath whooshed from his body. “Kate,” he said slowly. “Kate, you’re mad, you’re—”
“I know a man doesn’t have to feel desire for a woman to find pleasure with her,” she cried out.
“You think I don’t desire you?” he choked out. God in heaven, he was ready to explode right now within her and he hadn’t even moved for the last thirty seconds.
Her lower lip trembled between her teeth, and a muscle spasmed in her neck. “Do you—do you think of Edwina?”
Anthony froze. “How could I possibly confuse the two of you?”
Kate felt her face crumple, felt hot tears stinging at her eyes. She didn’t want to cry in front of him, oh, God, especially not now, but it hurt, it hurt so much, and—
His hand grasped her cheeks with stunning speed, forcing her to look up at him.
“Listen to me,” he said, his voice even and intense, “and listen well, because I’m only going to say this once. I desire you. I burn for you. I can’t sleep at night for wanting you. Even when I didn’t like you, I lusted for you. It’s the most maddening, beguiling, damnable thing, but there it is. And if I hear one more word of nonsense from your lips, I’m going to have to tie you to the bloody bed and have my way with you a hundred different ways, until you finally get it through your silly skull that you are the most beautiful and desirable woman in England, and if everyone else doesn’t see that, then they’re all bloody fools.”
Kate wouldn’t have thought it possible for her mouth to fall open while she was lying down, but somehow it did.
One of his brows arched into what had to be the most arrogant expression ever to grace a face. “Is that understood?”
She just stared at him, not quite able to form a response.
He leaned down until his nose was a mere inch from hers. “Is that understood?”
She nodded.