“Why won’t you just take my word for it? Why won’t you believe me in this and walk away?”
The old Lise would have. The old Lise would have dragged her pride around her and walked out of his life. But the new Lise now knew what it was to think with your heart, not your mind. The new Lise knew in her heart that whatever was tormenting her husband could be overcome with their mutual love.
“No, Vico. I won’t. You’ll have to tell me.”
His chest heaved, pressing on her breasts. She kept her eyes on his. Her arms around him. Her hands smoothing along his back in an attempt to comfort him.
Finally, his eyes closed, long, dark lashes fanning on his pale cheeks.
“I’m not worthy of you, Princesse. You or my son.”
Pure shock ran through her at his strangled confession. This man believed…believed he wasn’t good enough for her?
“You heard my mother that day, didn’t you?” She should have confronted him and stopped this train of thought immediately.
“She’s right.” He kept his eyes closed, as if he couldn’t face her.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I’m merely facing the truth.” His eyes popped open and he glared at her as if he hated, not loved. “I knew this long before I met your mother. I knew it the moment we met. I’ve known for years I’m not capable of keeping anyone I love safe.”
“Safe?” She frowned. “You take care of your entire family. I assume if they ever needed anything, you’d take care of it, right?”
He shook his head. “That’s not—”
“You take care of me all the time.” Her frown deepened. “You took care of me in Paris, when I was in the hospital, and in Italy.”
“It was my fault you were in the hospital.” He leaned in, yelling the words into her face.
“No, it wasn’t.” She kept her place, not backing down. “I told you that.”
His breath landed on her cheek, hot and harsh.
“I think you take on too much responsibility.” She fisted her hand and nudged him in the back. “In fact, I’m sure of it.”
“And I’m sure that if I stay near you and our son, someday, somehow, I’ll screw everything up.” He tried to pull away, but Lise was having none of it.
There was something deeper going on here than she’d initially thought. How could this man—a loving family man, a man who’d conquered the business world, a man who loved life with a passion—how could he think this abomination?
“I have never respected a man more than I do you,” she stated, with complete and utter belief.
He closed his eyes once more. In resignation, not acceptance.
“I’ve never seen a man more loving to his family than you.”
His mouth twisted in rejection.
“I have never, ever known a man who’s more honorable than you.”
His bitter laugh filled the room as he finally opened his eyes and looked at her. The tawny colors flamed in fierce disbelief. Big, warm hands grabbed her shoulders and shook her.
Thunder rumbled as the slash of rain splattered on the window.
“Honorable?” He said the word as if it were a curse. “Was it honorable to take you back to my place? Put you in my bed?”
“We’ve also been through this before.” She met his savage gaze with a steady one of her own. “I had as much to do with that night as you did.”
“Not true,” he snarled. “If I hadn’t initiated it, if I hadn’t impulsively taken you, it would have never happened.”
“True.” She ran her hand down his shaking back. “But then we wouldn’t have fallen in love with each other and we wouldn’t have a child on the way.”
“You don’t unders—”
“So I’m glad you were impulsive.” He shook his head, rejecting her words and she had to reach a hand up to grab his chin, yanking his gaze back to her own. “Glad. Did you hear me? I’m glad that night happened.”
His harsh breath filled the room, clashing with the crack of lightning and boom of thunder.
“I’m happy I’m in love with you,” she continued, trying to reach inside his pain and heal him. “I’m happy I’m pregnant. What you started that night turned into something wonderful.”
“You don’t understand.” His big hands grasped her hips, pushing her away.
She stepped back into his personal space, reaching up to pull him down. Perhaps she could reach him physically. The kiss started and stopped when he pulled away.
“No,” he muttered.
“All right.” She whispered her lips across his sweating neck, slipping her hands across his shaking shoulders. “Then tell me. Make me understand.”