Maxi pressed her lips against his firm flesh, and sighed. ‘I love you.’
Finding her hand, he brought it to his lips, kissing her palm in a wordless promise. ‘I passed the test, did I? Does that mean you’ll be staying?’
‘If you’ll have me,’ she joked, and was delighted to feel his chest tremble with laughter.
‘I thought I just had, and very satisfactorily too,’ Kerr quipped, wincing as her fingers tangled in the hair on his chest. ‘Yes, I want you to stay. God knows, I love you more than life itself.’
She knew that, for how else could he have given her so much without thought for himself? ‘I was such a fool.’
‘We’ve both been fools for a very long time,’ Kerr confessed, curling a strand of her hair around his finger. ‘I thought I hated you when you ran off with Ellis. I swore that if we ever met again I’d make you pay for the way you treated me. It seemed to me that every man could have you but me. I was going to put that right, and then I was going to be the one to leave you.’
His confession no longer had the power to hurt her. ‘We neither of us knew who the other was. Even had I recognised you, I don’t think I would have behaved any differently. I had to do what I did, but I was glad you didn’t know. I hadn’t thought that you would have fallen in love with me the way I had with you. I thought I was the only one suffering,’ she attempted to explain, and felt Kerr’s hand curve about her head.
‘You suffered more than I did. Perhaps it was justice that I should realise not long after we met again not only that I didn’t hate you, but that I still loved you. Anger was the only defence I had against you, but even so you continually got under my skin. Your behaviour confused me, along with all the things you wouldn’t say. Knowing the truth, I just wish I could have helped you instead of condemning.’
Maxi raised her head, eyes filled with love. ‘I tried very hard not to love you. I knew it would hurt me, because I thought nothing could come of it,’ she admitted with a smile. ‘You proved me wrong most beautifully.’
Easily he brought her head up to his and for a moment all thought vanished as his kiss stirred the embers of passion. Eventually he forced himself to release her.
‘You don’t know half the power you have. God help me when you do!’ he groaned, and she laughed aloud.
‘I’d never use it against you, unless it was to our mutual pleasure,’ she teased, and then sighed. ‘Did I thank you properly for rescuing me on the Cobb?’
‘I should have moved quicker. You’re going to be a mass of bruises tomorrow,’ he countered ruefully, and Maxi quickly pressed a hand over his lips.
‘It is tomorrow, and I don’t care. It brought us together where we belong, and for that we should never be sorry, Kerr. I love you.’
He sighed. ‘I know, darling. It’s all clear now, even that damn stunt when you tried giving yourself to me last night! I was so damn mad when I realised what you were doing, but you’ll never know just how hard it was for me to stop. I don’t find cold showers in the middle of the night good for my health. I could have strangled you.’
She gazed at him from under her lashes. ‘And now?’
In the blink of an eye he rolled over, pinning her beneath him. ‘Now, Maxi Ambro, now you pay. For all the sleepless nights you’ve given me over the last seven years!’
A delicious chuckle escaped her. ‘But if I pay you in the way I think you want paying, then that will only lead to more sleepless nights!’
Kerr gave a theatrical groan that didn’t match the flame in his eyes. ‘I know, but hell, what a way to go!’
ISBN: 978-1-4592-8418-0
An Old Enchantment
Copyright © 1993 by Amanda Browning
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An Old Enchantment (Harlequin Treasury 1990's) Page 18