Page 24 of The Lyon Whisperer
It seemed Chase could access her private chambers at any time.
Mrs. Whitley’sadjoining doorcomment suddenly made perfect sense.
Chapter Six
Amelia stood inthe center of her bedchamber, gaping at him like she’d never seen a man before. It was the first time since he’d encountered her that she looked the least bit disconcerted.
He’d seen her contrite, audacious, wary, brazen, lighthearted, vexed, cool, and always, always stunning. But never disconcerted.
As he had done many times before for young, inexperienced soldiers preparing to join the fight, he set about putting her at ease.
He sent her a placid smile and crossed the threshold taking slow, measured steps.
“Lord Culver…Chase,” she said, her violet eyes wide as saucers. “I hadn’t realized our bedchambers would be so near one another.”
He halted an arm’s length from her and cocked his head. “Hadn’t you? I assumed you knew how these things worked. Shall I explain?”
She swallowed hard, but his condescension did the trick, snapping her out of her doe-in-the-line-of-fire stupor. Her delicate chin rose a fraction. “You refer to the common practice of a husband and wife having adjoining bedchambers.”
He inclined his head in acknowledgment.
She surprised him with a soft, self-deprecating laugh. “I am aware. For some reason, I had not consideredwemight have adjoining rooms.”
Funny.That fact had been on the forefront of his mind for the last week. He refrained from saying so.
She gave him a frank look.
He rather liked that quality about her. Her lack of coyness. He detested coyness in a woman.
“Perhaps if the door did not look as if it were part of the paneled wall, and if my side of it had a lever, the thought may have occurred to me sooner. Tell me, sir, is it usual for a husband to have the only means of accessing both chambers?”
“Many older homes have only one-way doors.”
She licked her lush, pink lips. He tried not to notice. He’dbeentrying not to notice.
“Do you intend to allow yourself into my chambers unannounced, then?”
He considered her question, moving to gaze out the open window of her bedchamber toward the manicured flower gardens below. “As a practice, no. However, I make no promise never to do so.” He turned to gauge her reaction.
Her face revealed nothing. Interesting.
“I see. But…you will abide by the promise you made me?”
Her constant questioning of his integrity was starting to irritate him. “I will. I can also promise to always open my door to you, should you knock.”
She licked her lips again and his loins stirred. He gritted his teeth. He’d dealt with a simmering arousal all bloody morning. Not for the first time he wished she hadn’t made that request to delay the marital bed.
Had she simply allowed the normal course of things, not only would his hunger be blessedly assuaged this very day, but she would know the merit in allowing her husband his rights.
He read an unmistakable well-spring of passion in her flashing eyes and bold stare. She had fire in her, had it in droves. She would take to his lovemaking like a cat took to cream.
But.
She had asked for a delay of indeterminate length, and he had promised to abide by her wishes.
“Thank you,” she said coolly.
He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced around the feminine bedchamber. “Is there anything you lack, or wish for me to change?”
