Lies. Such lies about the intimacy they had once shared. But she wasn’t ready to make herself vulnerable again. Not when he was likely to set her aside.

“Then it will be easy to get an annulment.” Whitmore lifted her palm across his lips, and she fought the protests rising.

A razor of hurt slashed at her heart. She’d given herself to him, and he’d forgotten about the most wonderful night of her life.

“Unless you want to share a bed with me?“ His dark voice grew compelling, almost seductive.

Emily closed her eyes to gather her composure. She hated the way her body had come alive beneath his hands, the way she wanted his embrace. His mouth, hot and urgent, had haunted her ever since their wedding night. And she was deathly afraid that she would succumb to his seduction. Afterwards, he would only walk away.

“No, I don’t want to share your bed,” she answered. “If you have need of a woman, you can find someone else. A—a mistress.”

“Why would I need a mistress when I have a wife?”

He didn’t truly believe she would simply give herself to him when he didn’t even remember her? The very idea was impossible. “I won’t be a wife to you in that way.” She lifted her chin and stared hard at him. “You’ll have to force me first.”

His grey eyes hardened like the barrel of a gun. “I would never force a woman.” There was fury in his gaze, and Emily struggled to remain rooted where she was.

Stephen reached out and, with a single finger, brushed the edge of her jaw. Heat flooded through her, and he waited, staring at her as he cupped her cheek.

Pull away, she warned herself. He hadn’t trapped her, and all she had to do was move.

And yet, she was a prisoner of her own memories. She closed her eyes, turning away from him. But that wicked hand slid against her throat, his thumb brushing her pulse point. Lower still, until his knuckle grazed the tip of her breast. Instantly, her nipple hardened beneath the cool fabric.

Memories of loving him came flooding back. Her hands fell upon his shoulders, and she couldn’t stop her own weakness of reaching for him. He used his finger to toy with the cockled nub and a hot aching grew, deep inside her womanhood. She remembered the feeling of his hard length within her, the way she’d arched against him while he’d made love to her. Her breath shuddered as he rubbed excruciating circles of heat.

Then abruptly he drew away. Emily could hardly breathe, her body completely aroused by just a single touch.

“Goodnight.” Stephen turned and walked away, leaving her behind.

She wanted to cry out in frustration, but she knew he’ done this deliberately. He had intended to stimulate her senses, to make her beg him for more.