Page 83 of Married to the Icy Duke
She cleared her throat.
“You didn’t go back to your own room after, then?”
He stopped punching, but did not turn around.
“I suppose I felt responsible for you. I was afraid you’d wake in the night or in the morning and be confused as to where you were. I’m sorry to have woken you up with my exercise, by the way. I didn’t think about it. I’m used to sparring or practicing in the morning, you see.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. It was the morning light that woke me up, not you hitting the punching bag.”
He glanced over his shoulder at her again, and this time their eyes met, just for an instant, before he turned away and resumed his exercise.
“You had better go,” he said bluntly, so bluntly that Charlotte blinked.
This was too much. Drawing the sheet about her, she climbed off the bed and walked across the room, so that she stood level with Isaac. He still managed to keep his gaze on the punching bag, not on her.
“Go? Why?”
“Why do you want to stay?” he shot back.
Charlotte tensed her jaw. “What have I done wrong?”
He stopped punching at that. He wore no boxing gloves, only strips of cloth wound around his hands, carefully wrapped around each of his fingers and over his hands.
“Wrong? You have done nothing wrong,” he responded bluntly. “But if you stay much longer, I won’t be able to properly honor that promise I made to you. As it is, we’ve all but consummated the marriage. My self-control only extends so far.”
There was a brief silence after his. Charlotte blinked, sure that she must have misunderstood.
“You … You desire me?” she managed at last.
Isaac turned slowly, eyes wide, almost incredulous.
“Can you doubt it?” he managed at last, a hint of laughter in his voice. “My dear duchess, you have pushed the very limits of my self-control since almost the first time I met you.”
She stared back at him, heart thumping.
This is good news. I didn’t want love, I made that clear, but my own feelings won’t be denied. If he feels the same, then … then I have done it. I’ve made a match with real affection.
“I see,” she managed at last, her mouth dry. “But I must ask. Every time we have been … intimate, I haven’t reciprocated. Perhaps the fault is mine, but—and forgive me, I’m not very experienced in these matters—but shouldn’t you get something from our intimacy?”
It was an opening, Charlotte decided. He could talk to her frankly about it. She had no idea how to pleasure a man, but it could not betoodifficult. If he was willing to tell her what needed to be done, she was more than willing to try.
If only he’dask.
Instead of turning to her and gathering her up in his arms, Isaac continued punching at the bag, chuckling under his breath.
“Yes, youarevery inexperienced. Don’t fret about it. I’m a grown man in control of himself.”
“I don’t understand,” Charlotte responded, before she knew what she was doing.
He sighed. “You have known me for a little while now, Charlotte. You know that I am a man who likes to be in control, above all, of myself. Why would I risk losing it? So, go now before I make another mistake.”
Charlotte swallowed hard, feeling dizzy once more. Surely there wassomethingshe could say to make him understand that there really was something between them, something that couldbecomesomething.
What it might become, she wasn’t sure, but why couldn't they find out together?
The words wouldn’t come. Perhaps later.
“Very well,” Charlotte said aloud, trying in vain to catch his eye. “Well, last night you told me that I was truly a duchess. Shall I celebrate that with a party?”
