His Blackmailed Bride. Sandra Marton

      ‘You mustn’t say things like that. He…’

      ‘I’m only telling you what we both know,’ he said. His hands slipped from her shoulders. The party lights danced on the ruby ring he wore, and she watched as he slipped it from his fingers. ‘Give me your hand.’ Her eyes scanned his face and then, slowly, she did as he’d asked. He took her hand in his and placed the ring on her palm. ‘A man who would give you a diamond doesn’t really want you, Juliet,’ he said softly.

      Paige stared at the ring he’d given her. The ruby glowed against her skin like a burning coal, its antique setting intricate and exquisite. She looked from it to him and shook her head.

      ‘I… I don’t understand.’

      ‘You’re like the blood ruby in that ring,’ he said softly, cupping her face in his hands and raising it to his. ‘Rare, precious, burning with passionate life.’ Her eyes closed as his mouth took hers. When he raised his head again, his eyes were dark. ‘Keep the ring. Look into it tonight, into the flame that blazes in its heart, and think of me and of how it will be when we’re together.’ His hand closed over hers, and she felt the heat of the ruby sear her palm. ‘Cherish the flame in your dreams, Juliet, and tomorrow, when I see you again…’

      ‘Tomorrow,’ she repeated, as if he were speaking an unknown language.

      ‘The wedding. You’ll be there, won’t you?’

      ‘I… yes, yes, I’ll be there.’

      ‘We’ll spend the day together,’ he said, and he smiled at her. ‘We’ll do all the things people do when they first meet. We’ll talk and we’ll joke…’ The smile faded, and he put his arms around her. ‘And then I’ll take you in my arms and I’ll kiss you, like this.’ His lips moved slowly, teasingly, over hers. ‘And then I’ll ask you to come with me. And…’

       Tomorrow!

      ‘Please,’ Paige said desperately, ‘you’ve got to listen. I…’

      ‘If you tell me “no”, I’ll go away and you’ll never see me again.’ His arms tightened as he gathered her closer. ‘But you won’t,’ he said, his voice a whisper that slid along her skin. ‘You won’t, Juliet. You’ll look into my eyes and say you want me to make love to you.’

      ‘You don’t understand. Tomorrow…’

      There was the sound of a door slamming closed, and then a whistle pierced the night.

      ‘Hey, are you guys out here?’

      Dear God! It was Alan. Paige’s heart began to race. ‘You’ve got to get out of here,’ she hissed. ‘Please!’

      ‘Paige? Where are you, sweetheart?’

      ‘Don’t you hear me? Dammit—that’s Alan. That’s my fiancé…’

      The man’s eyes darkened, narrowed, until they were pinpoints of cobalt fire. His hands grasped her shoulders, his fingers biting into her until she gasped with pain.

      ‘I tried to tell you,’ she whispered. ‘I…’

      The look on his face silenced her. ‘I ought to kill you,’ he said softly. ‘Jesus, I’d like to put my hands around your throat and…’

      There was a clatter of footsteps on the gazebo stairs, and an arm slid around her waist.

      ‘There you are, sweetheart,’ Alan said, smiling at her. Paige’s eyes widened as he threw his other arm loosely around the stranger’s neck. ‘Terrific!’ he said happily. ‘I see you two have already met. Well, Quinn, what do you think of her? What does my big brother have to say about my blushing bride?’