Page 28 of Taken By the Highland Villain
Valerie shook her head, and he saw resolve mingling with the regret in her eyes. “My husband was naught but a pirate—he didnae have much family beyond the crew, and left nay onebehind save me when he was killed in the voyage after we were wed. My faither was much the same, except he left me and my sisters. The only family we have is kin-by-marriage, my sister Brigid’s husband, and I dinnae want to trouble him.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to ask why she’d troublehiminstead, but Jude understood the reason well enough from her earlier words. She’d come to him to help him, and temporarily escape her fate. She asked nothing more from him.
Though I can think of plenty more I’d like to give her… But that’s nae something I should be thinkin’, and I ken it well enough.
Jude sighed. “I understand, Valerie Blackwood, and I’m willing to give ye shelter for as long as ye like. Even so, I cannae have ye wanderin’ around in my bedchamber.”
Valerie blinked at him. “Because ye hate the idea of changin’ the curtains that much?”
Jude shook his head, then leaned closer so that he could whisper the next words in her ear. “Nae really. It is because I like the idea of ye in my bed so much that it hurts.”
Valerie had no idea what possessed Jude to speak the words he had, especially in that low, throaty whisper that was a temptation all its own. She did know, however, that her cheekswere hotter than they’d ever been in her entire life, and that she was blushing red enough to rival a summer rose.
It was only then that she noticed the bulge tenting his kilt. Her cheeks blazed even hotter, to the point that she thought they might set her hair and clothes aflame.
“Och, I didnae even consider… My apologies…”
She started to turn away, only to be stopped by his soft chuckle. “For a widow, ye blush about the strangest things. Did yer husband never pay ye such compliments?”
“My husband was a man of few words, and ye already ken we werenae married for so long,” Valerie hissed, her embarrassment forgotten in a surge of irritation.
Jude smirked at her and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his muscular chest with a smile that made him look half a dozen years younger.
“Even so, a married woman ought to be more aware of the things that are said and done between a man and a woman.”
Valerie scowled and stalked forward to slap him. “Impertinent man!”
Jude caught her hand with an easy movement, then drew her closer, his hand gentle while at the same time unyielding.“Impertinent lass. Ye’re the one who wandered into my bedchamber.”
“And I apologized.” Valerie glared at him. “It was ye who decided to make more of it than ye needed to.”
“I was only makin’ an observation.” Jude leaned closer. “One I dinnae understand yer anger over.”
His warm breath fanned her face, bearing the scent of mead and something else equally intoxicating. He was so close that she could have risen on her tiptoes and kissed him the way he’d kissed her earlier in the study.
For a moment, she was tempted, so much that it caused an ache in her chest and low in her gut. Then, she remembered her situation.
She pulled back, and Jude let her go as she stepped away from him. “The truth? I blush because I dinnae ken what a married woman ought to ken—nae as much of it as ye’d expect. My husband set sail and perished afore he could even become my husband in truth as well as in name.”
The surprise on Jude’s face made the revelation worth it, even though she could feel her cheeks burning once more.
“Ye mean…?”
“He never claimed me as his bride, nae properly.”
The admission and the look of mingled surprise and desire on his face were too much for her to handle.
Without another word, Valerie turned and fled from the bedchamber, and from the first man she’d ever met who had the power to fluster her so much.
CHAPTER 13
Jude sankinto the bath with a sigh of relief. He’d been too distracted to seek out a bath earlier in the day. Still, the hour suited him well enough. The bathing chamber was deserted, leaving him with his thoughts.
In the quiet of the bathing chamber, he leaned back and allowed himself to think about Valerie Blackwood. He’d kept himself busy to avoid thinking too much about her for the remainder of the day, but now he was free to let his mind wander.
Valerie Blackwood… widowed, but never claimed by her husband.
He hadn’t expected that. He certainly hadn’t expected the wave of pleasure that flowed through him at the idea that she’d never known another man’s touch or love.