Jaded Romance

Jade woke to the sweet aroma of hot chocolate and buttered toast. Her eyes fluttered slowly and focused on the young woman looking out the glass doors that opened out to the small balcony. The woman turned from the window as a slight rumble came from Jade's stomach. "Jade I know you probably aren't very interested in eating ... and I completely understand after what happened this morning... but you really need to eat. You've slept the whole day away, I've been sick with worry... and I finally..."

Camille stopped mid-sentence at the sight of her sister-in-law pale's complexion. Jade suddenly felt sick to her stomach as she quickly remembered every second of the morning's events. She looked up at Camille in horror. "Please tell me that I was just dreaming and what I think happened this morning was really just some horrible nightmare?" Jade's heart sank deep into her stomach when Camille's only answer was a weak half smile.

"Oh, dear Lord! It really did happen." Jade sank back into the bed, wishing she could sink into the mattress itself. She remembered the look on Alex's face when she told him she wanted to marry him. He almost laughed, but he only smiled instead. "Why are you asking me, when you have a dozen or more suitors begging for your hand in marriage?" He had asked. "Well with Jason pressuring me to choose a suitor I -." Alex cut Jade off mid-sentence. "This is all because of your brother isn't it?" Alex stepped closer and continued as his 6'2" frame towered over Jade who was only a mere 5'6". "You would marry me just to get him to leave you alone. Frankly, I'm surprised that of all people, you would sink that low."

She had been quick to defend herself. "Why that's absurd! I've known you my entire life and for all you know sometimes in these past twenty years I could have come to deeply care for you." Her green eyes had flared with so much anger it would have been scandalous if she had been in public. "How dare you say such things? If my brother were the only reason I had for choosing a suitor I would have accepted a proposal from one of the dozen of buffoons you call suitors instead of asking someone who would possibly say no. For you information I happen to believe that we would suit very well!" Alex was frozen to the spot. He wasn't sure what to think about the words he had just heard come from the little vixen's pert mouth. He wondered if she truly cared for him as she claimed. If so he was curious to learn just how deeply she cared.

Alex had closed the gap between them and moved to stand behind her. Her temper had slowly melted away to a feeling of uncertainty as his breath caressed her neck. "So you want to marry me because you...care...for me?" Alex placed his hands gently upon her shoulders and pulled her against his hard, broad chest and whispered softly into her ear. "But I wonder if you care enough to fulfill your wifely duties."

Jade stiffened. Her skin tingled along her back where she could feel the heat that was radiating from his body. She suddenly felt very afraid as he turned her around in his arms. She had begun to pull away when her gaze met his, finding herself lost in a pool of deep grey, unable to move or speak. He slid a hand behind her neck and placed his other hand at the small of her back. She gasped as he pulled her closer to him. He brought his lips to her again and whispered seductively. "Do you care enough to warm my bed at night?" She lifted her hands and pushed against his chest in panic. He only pulled her tighter against him and whispered one last time. "For if we were joined in wedlock that, Little Bit, would be your most important duty as a wife."

Jade opened her mouth to scream when Alex quickly angled his lips seductively over hers, blocking the scream from escaping past her lips. Warmth that she had only felt once before in her life slowly began seeping beneath her skin. His tongue pressed against her lips and began a mind tingling exploration of sweet seduction. He lifted her up onto her toes to deepen the enchanting kiss. She relaxed under his expertise as her hands slowly glided their way up his chest and interlocked around his neck.

Alex was brought back to his senses as the silky moan that escaped from the back of Jade's throat vibrated against his lips. He pulled away from her and stepped back. Not expecting the sudden loss of support Jade stumbled and would have fallen if not for the pair of strong arms that encircled her waist. Once again she found herself against a rock hard chest looking into intense grey eyes. Alex muttered an oath under his breath at the innocence on her face. He hadn't meant to kiss her. He turned his back not able to stand the sight of her swollen and bruised lips.

Swearing again, Alex turned and faced her again. "Go home, Jade! You shouldn't be here. Camille had the right idea. A lady has no business in a bachelor's home or asking one for marriage!" Jade felt a chill run down her spine in response to his cold tone. She fled from the parlor and ran to the carriage where Camille was waiting. She told Camille everything that had happened on the short ride back home to Rockbridge Manor. She had gone straight to her room when they had returned and cried herself to sleep.

"I can never show my face to him again. Now that I know what he thinks of me; it would just be too embarrassing." She looked up at Camille. "What am I going to do?" She asked. Camille shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, Jade. I tried to warn you that it was a bad idea to ask him to marry you. I still feel that this is partly my fault." She glanced out the window before continuing. "I know Alex is pretty much family but I never should have left you alone with him, regardless. I should have stayed with you, but I was just so worried about Jason's reaction that I just wanted no part in it. You know how your brother can get when he is angry. The man is so stubborn in his ways that he doesn't listen to reason."

Jade smiled weakly. "It's not your fault Camille. That stubborn streak is a family trait." Camille nodded in agreement, but she still felt that she was partly at fault for what happened. "You being stubborn had nothing to do with me leaving you with a man without a chaperone. It never once crossed my mind that Alex would try anything. What I don't get is why he kissed you like that and then yelled at you for it. It just makes no sense to me."

"Well he made it very clear that he has no interest in me, especially when it comes to marriage."

Camille took a longer glance out the window. "Really?"

"What do you keep looking at, Camille?" Jade asked once she realized Camille was continuously looking out the window. "And why do you question what he thinks? I told you what he said."

"Yes, Yes. What I don't get is if he isn't interested in marrying you...well then what has he been talking with Jason about on the front lawn for nearly two hours now?"

Jade leapt out of bed and ran to the patio door. She saw her brother and Alex under one of the large oak trees in what looked like a very deep conversation. "What do you suppose they are talking about?" Camille stared even harder as if she were trying to read their lips.

"You don't want to know what I think they are talking about."