Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers, #1)

by Lisa Kleypas

“What you did yesterday was unforgivable,” he finally muttered. She gave him a startled glance. “What?” “Lying there in that hell-pit, I made what I thought would be the last request of my life. And you refused.” “As things turned out, it wasn’t your last request,” Annabelle replied warily. “You survived, and so did I, and now everything is fine—” “It is not fine,” Simon snapped, his face darkening with rising fury. “For the rest of my life I will remember how it felt to know that you were going to die along with me, while I couldn’t do a damned thing to stop you.” He averted his face as his breath turned harsh with unwanted emotion. Annabelle reached for him, then checked herself, her hands suspended in the air between them. “How could you ask me to leave you there, hurt and alone? I couldn’t.” “You should have done as I told you!” Annabelle didn’t flinch, understanding the fear that seethed beneath his anger. “You wouldn’t have left had it been me on the foundry floor—” “I knew you were going to say that,” he said in savage disgust. “Of course I wouldn’t have left you. I’m the man. A man is supposed to protect his wife.” “And a wife is supposed to be a helpmate,” Annabelle countered. “You were not helping me,” Simon bit out. “You were putting me through agony. Dammit, Annabelle, why didn’t you obey me?” She took a deep breath before replying. “Because I love you.” Simon continued to look away from her, while the soft words sent a visible shock through him. His large hand...