Page 47 of The Bastard Heir
His wife. Something tightened deep in his gut as a vivid memory of her spread out on her bed flashed behind his eyes. He could have her now, because she was his. His stomach dipped at the thought of the night ahead. Should he have offered her a room of her own? Mierda. Turning the knob of the faucet, he splashed cold water on his face. He had no right to expect anything to happen, and he didn’t. He should’ve asked her if she wanted her own room. Grabbing a towel from the stand, he dried his face and turned to go back to her. He’d tell her she could stay and he’d go find another room.
Grabbing his clothes from the hook, he slung them over his arm and opened the door. She sat on the velvet upholstered bench under the window, staring down at the ring he’d given her. He paused to admire her, his gaze lingering on the delicate slope of her neck, but she looked up and caught him. The soft light of dusk painted her in a warm glow. She still wore the simple but beautiful cream dress she’d said had come from Emmy.
“I didn’t expect anything like this.” She smiled, holding up her hand so he could see the ring. “It’s too much.”
It was a delicate gold band with a ruby surrounded by small diamonds. “My grandfather gave that to my grandmother on their wedding day nearly fifty years ago, and then it became my mother’s. Now it’s yours.” He’d carried it around since his mother died, with the expectation that one day he’d find a woman to give it to. But with everything that had happened with his grandfather, he’d begun to doubt that day would come.
“Oh.” She turned her hand around so she could look at it again. “I didn’t expect to get anything so precious from you. I hope you don’t feel obligated—”
“It’s not obligation, mi corazón. I want you to have it.” He walked toward her, dropping his coat and waistcoat on the foot of the bed as he passed by. Coming to a stop before her, he dropped down on his haunches and took her hand. The ring looked perfect on her finger, and he couldn’t help the pride that welled up within him when he saw it. “It’s beautiful on you.”
“I’ll treasure it.” She gave him a shy smile and closed her fingers around his. “But…I want you to know that…” Her gaze skittered off to the side and she took a breath. “If you want it back some day, I’ll understand.”
Her words hit him like a knife in the chest, reminding him anew that this was just an arrangement. They’d spoken the vows, but they hadn’t meant for them to be real. He rose to his feet, but she didn’t release his hand. His leather satchel with a change of clothes sat next to her trunk, mocking him. “I wasn’t thinking clearly when we checked in downstairs, but the room is yours. I can go and see if they have another room.”
“No, Castillo, that’s not what I meant.” She tightened her grip on his hand. “Forgive me, I don’t know the rules. I only meant that if…” She laughed, releasing the tension that held her back rigid. “I don’t know what I mean. I’m nervous.”
Something about her anxiety relaxed him. Brushing a strand of golden hair from her cheek, he smiled back at her. “You don’t want your own room?” But he knew the answer without her even saying it. She sobered and her eyes darkened as her gaze dropped to his mouth.
His entire body tightened in response, heat prickled down his spine.
“No, I don’t want my own room.” She licked her lips and her gaze flicked to the bed and back. “I’d hoped that since we’re married now you’d want to….”
Chapter Nineteen
Desire flared to life inside Castillo, fierce and raw and undeniable. His blood thickened and rushed downward, tightening his trousers. Still, he stopped himself from touching her because he had to ask, “Are you certain?”
“Yes.” Her eyes were so vivid and earnest they pierced his soul. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my entire life.”
His heart slammed against his ribcage as he leaned forward and finally took her mouth the way he’d wanted to ever since she’d said “I do.” Cupping her face in his hands, he tasted her sweetness, drawing a tiny moan from her lips when he pulled away to look at her. She was so beautiful, so sweet, so strong and perfect he could hardly believe she was his. He ignored the little voice in his head reminding him that she wasn’t really his, that he hurt everyone close to him, and kissed her again. Now that he knew he could take her, that nothing was stopping him from being inside her, he couldn’t stop kissing her.
His mouth drank from hers as his fingers went for the tiny buttons on the back of her dress. She flattened herself against hisfront, her palm moving down to find him hard and throbbing in his trousers. A groan escaped him before he could call it back. She squeezed him, moving her fingers along his length from root to tip. He remembered the last time she’d touched him and the innocently wicked things she’d said to him as she’d explored.
One night wouldn’t be enough. He dragged his mouth from hers only so he could turn her around and attack the damn row of buttons. With each one he unfastened, he placed a kiss on the bare skin he revealed until her undergarments obstructed him. Finally, he pulled the bodice down her shoulders and she shrugged her arms out of it, pushing it over her hips. His fingers shook as he unlaced her corset. He’d never wanted a woman this much before, and it had nothing to do with the fact that she was innocent or that he hadn’t had her yet. It was because this was his Carolina.
He was breathing like he’d just run a mile, but he forced himself to go slowly and pulled the laces with gentle strength, not the brute force he wanted to use. When he’d finished, she pulled it off and he grabbed her shift, pulling it over her head. She turned, her arms going up to cover her breasts, but he pulled her against his chest and her arms went around him instead. He could feel her hard nipples pressing into him through his shirt. His hands roved down the silken skin of her back and cupped her buttocks through the thin cotton of her drawers, squeezing her and pulling her toward him. His erection throbbed and he couldn’t resist grinding against her to ease the ache.
She gasped against his mouth, breaking the kiss, and he picked her up in his arms and walked over to the bed. Grabbing the edge of the counterpane, he pulled it back before dropping her onto the downy sheets. Toeing off his shoes, he shrugged out of his suspenders and unbuttoned his shirt. Her eyes were ravenous as she watched him, and he loved that she wanted to see him. His left arm still hurt, and she must’ve known, because she roseto her knees and helped him slip his shirt off his shoulders and tugged it free of his hands to toss it aside.
He couldn’t resist another kiss, dragging his tongue along her plump bottom lip. She surprised him by nipping at him and smiling when he pulled back. God, he loved her. She was such a contradiction, and she’d keep him guessing for the rest of his life, if they got that much time. His fingers went to the tie on her drawers, yanking it free before pushing the fabric down her hips, desperate to see her. A blush stained her cheeks pink, but she sat back and allowed him to pull them off her, and then she made quick work of her stockings.
Castillo unfastened his pants but paused before pushing them down. Making his way to his satchel, he rummaged for the tin he’d brought. He hadn’t been certain that anything would happen tonight, but he’d hoped—he’d hoped—and he’d wanted to be prepared. Coming back to stand beside the bed, he dropped the tin on the nightstand beside her spectacles.
She saw it and her eyes widened in surprise. “You brought prophylactics?”
He nodded, a little unsure if her surprise was because she hadn’t expected him to bring them or because she didn’t want to use them. “I hope that’s okay. I know neither of us wants this to result in a child.”
She grinned and rose to her knees. “Thank you for thinking of that. I have some in my medical bag, too.”
Then he couldn’t think anymore because her palms were running over his chest and down over his flat stomach to the open fastening of his pants. He sucked in a breath when she reached in and gripped him. Her hand was so small and tight around him that his eyes nearly rolled back in his head from the pleasure. “Carolina,” he whispered.
“I think it’s time to open the tin.” Her voice was husky and soft as she stroked him.
“Are you certain? Are you ready?”
She nodded, and he yanked the lid off and grabbed one. She pushed his trousers down over his buttocks and her eyes widened as she saw him fully erect. Her fingertips trailed down his length almost reverently, making him shudder in pleasure. “I’ll go slowly,” he assured her.
She smiled at him, and though it was a shy smile, she moved back to lie against the pillows. “Hurry.”
