Page 46 of The Jilted Duchess
“Well, I never set much store by doin’ the expected.”
And apparently, neither did she. She turned her back toward the books, stepped so close to him that he had no time to prepare, stood on her toes, and kissed him.
He couldn’t have guessed at this if she’d come wearing a sign announcing her intentions. It was just too shocking. But he wasn’t one to let a good thing pass him by, either. He wrapped his arms around her body, held her close, and returned the kiss passionately, thinking how very long it had been since he had shared a kiss with anyone at all, and how previous kisses had always felt trivial by comparison to this one.
Maybe it was the fact that they had waited so long to indulge in it. Maybe that was why it felt like such a miracle to him.
She pulled away, gasping, staring up into his eyes. “I’m sorry,” she managed. “I don’t know what I was thinking—I don’t know why I did that.”
“Daenae apologize to me.” He was conscious of the fact that his voice sounded huskier than it normally did. He sounded as if he was getting over an illness, but he knew that what ailed him had nothing to do with illness at all. It was something else—something deeper.
He closed the distance between them once more and captured her lips with his own. It would have been his way to kiss her aggressively, to take what he wanted and ask questions later. And he had never met a lass who was unwilling when the moment arrived. But this was different. This was Alexandra—prim and proper, gentle until she was riled, and his wife. He could not risk driving her away. Not when she was finally in his arms.
He parted her lips tenderly and deepened the kiss, and the little moan that escaped her turned him into putty. Hire a tutor? He would have doneanythingshe asked of him. There was nothing in the world he would deny this woman.
Her body bowed into his, soft and pliant. He cursed the fact that she was wearing so many garments, wishing he could have her out of them, knowing that he wouldn’t take this beyond the point of kissing. Not right now. Not until she had given her agreement.
And surely she would agree. Surely she would want more now. After all, it had been she who had asked him about their wedding night and when it was going to take place. And she had been the one to initiate this kiss as well.
He felt as if sparks were going off in his chest when they finally pulled apart.
“Ye should join me tonight,” he murmured, raising a hand to stroke the smooth skin of her cheek.
“Join you. At dinner? I will.” She offered him a small smile. “I’m sorry I’ve been avoiding it.”
“That isnae what I meant. Ye should join me in me chambers. At bedtime.”
He felt her body stiffen in his arms. “You mean—you’re talking about—you’re ready for an heir.”
An heir was the least of it, truth be told. He did want that, but more to the point, he wantedher.He wanted more kisses and fewer garments. He wanted to become intimately acquainted with the fiery lass who was his wife.
“Aye, that’s what I mean,” he said, because it was easier to simply agree than to try to put all the nuance of his thoughts into words. “I wish ye to join me.”
But she stepped backward, away from him, her eyes going wide.
“I can’t,” she said.
“What do ye mean?”
“I—I don’t want a child,” she said, not meeting his eyes. “I don’t want to do that.”
It was, in truth, the last thing he had expected to hear. He hadn’t realized until that moment just how certain he’d been that she was going to agree to what he was asking. Not just agree—she would be eager. That was what he had thought.
She was looking anywhere but at him now. And it occurred to Hector what he was seeing.
She was frightened.
Just like every other young lady in London, who thought him no better than a beast because of his Scottish upbringing or the fact that he’d been born a bastard.
He’d believed it was different with her. But it wasn’t. It never had been.
He should never have asked her to come to his bed. He should haveknownhe would be rejected.
“Very well,” he bit out, turning away from her.
“Hector—”
He held up a hand. “There’s nay more to say on it,” he said. “Ye’ve made yer decision. I’ll not pester ye. I’ll leave ye in peace,since that’s what ye wish—and nay need to join me for dinner either.”
