Chapter 427

Kate’s eyes widened even further. "For what last night?" for making love to me?

He could feel her surprise—as if an apology was the last thing she had expected—and his jaw clenched. "I was rough with you," he grumbled. Apologies were not easy, but this one had to be made. "I have spent the past week anticipating our wedding night, and my impatience made me careless." By the time I discovered it was your first time, it was too late to restrain my hunger for you. If you had told me— He broke off, clearly struggling to contain his impatience. "If I had known, I would have acted differently—been gentler," he expounded at her confused frown.

"If you had known I was a virgin, you wouldn’t have made love to me at all," Kate murmured. "You would have had our marriage annulled and asked the courts to award you custody of Hazem, wouldn't you?" she added uncertainly.

Ahsan’s gaze meshed with hers, and the tension between them changed subtly as awareness wove its sensual spell. "Hazem was not the