“I knew he’d be safest with those close to me, and the only way to get him here, to my home, was to pay a couple a handsome sum with the promise of more once they arrived at the destination.”
“How did you know he arrived safely?”
“I received confirmation.”
“From whom?” he asked as he scrubbed his legs.
“My sister Teresa.”
Cullen stood with a start, water and soap dripping off him. “Your sister has my son?”
She threw him a towel and walked over to the bed to climb beneath the thick coverlet and sit watching him. They would share this bed tonight and many nights to come, and she had to make certain that was all they did—share the bed.
He caught the towel and roughly rubbed his wide chest and thick arms dry as he approached the bed and in turn braced each foot on the edge to dry his legs. She knew he purposely stood there naked in front of her, rubbing every inch of muscled flesh dry, to tempt her, and damned if he didn’t. However, she intended to ignore him and the tingling sensation between her legs.
“I knew my sister Teresa would see your son safe.”
He tossed the wet towel aside and grabbed another one from a stack on the chest near the bed to quickly rub his hair dry.
“She often looks after strays you send her?” he asked, and climbed over her into bed, though he could have easily slipped beneath the covers from the other side.
Sara ignored his teasing action and her thumping heart and rested her head on the soft pillow before turning to face him. “I’ve never sent her any strays.”
“Then why accept the care of my son?” he asked.
“Teresa thinks Alexander is my son.”
Chapter 22
Cullen stared at her, speechless. He knew she spoke the truth; she always did, when called for; until then, she wisely kept her counsel. The more he discovered the lengths at which she’d gone to keep his son safe, the more grateful he was to her.
“You let your sister think you gave birth to a babe at the convent?”
Her response also answered his next question. “Only my sister, no one else, for I knew she would treat him as her own and keep him safe without question. Everyone believes the child a stray no one wanted. Teresa has a generous heart, so no one would question her decision.”
“That was a great risk you took,” he said, reaching out to try and tame an unruly curl at her temple, but the stubborn lock refused to obey so he tucked it behind her ear, where naturally it sprung lose as soon as he moved his hand away.
Her hair was much like her, stubborn and unpredictable, popping up in a direction that was least expected.
“A necessary risk,” she said frankly. “What if something would have happened to me? What then of your son? With my sister believing Alexander was mine, she would raise him as her own. I could place him only where I was certain he’d be protected regardless of what happened to me.”
“You did right by my son.”
“And you’ve done right by me. We struck a good and honest bargain and honored it. It’s done.”
He thought to differ with her but knew it was senseless. She had made up her mind and would have it no other way. He, however, had given his word to her, and he would see to honoring the full bargain. Besides, in the short time they had known each other he’d grown comfortable with her, and he found himself attracted to her. He needn’t worry about love or commitment. She understood how he felt about loving anyone other than Alaina, and yet…
He chased the persistent thought away, though it bounced back again, teasing at the fringes of his mind, annoying him until he couldn’t help but pay attention to it. There was a stirring in his soul for Sara, and no matter how much he tried to ignore it; it refused to go away. He had convinced himself it was merely a sexual stirring, but that had proved false, especially when her father ordered her out of the hall. He had taken umbrage to the man dictating to Sara. He was her husband now, and no one told his wife what to do, not even her father.
“What did my father have to say to you?” she asked on a yawn.
“You’re tired. We can talk tomorrow.”
“Then he had nothing of importance to say or else you would tell me,” she said, burrowing under the blanket to turn on her side toward him.
Cullen leaned over and gently kissed her cheek, pleased with the easy trust they shared. “Nothing important.”
“I knew you would impress him. I picked a good husband.” Her eyes drifted closed.
“Your father’s exact words,” he confirmed.
He watched her drift off to sleep thinking how natural it seemed being in bed beside her. Neither of them had hesitated in sharing the bed, but then the week’s journey had forged a close bond between them that neither expected.