Page 26 of Forbidden Lord
“Good thing I said yes, then. What about you? I don’t have Patrice’s natural thinness. I’m short and slightly curvy in comparison.”
He traced her back. “Sheena, you’re better than I deserve. I’m happy that you were my bride.”
Tingles grew inside her, but she laughed like she hadn’t a care in the world and kissed his cheek. “Good. So now that we’ve had tea served, let’s have those chocolates.”
He caressed her lower lip with the pad of his finger and a spark grew inside her that she’d never thought possible. Her body was alive and waiting for his touch when he asked, “Before dinner?”
If they closed the door, no one had to know what they did. She sighed, willing to forget the mints as she said, “I’m willing to live a little as they look delicious.”
Matteo kissed her. She could get used to this. She’d married a man who stirred her every desire, kept things simple and happy, and was quite possibly, her true love.
Chapter 10
As the moon began to rise in the night sky, Matteo decided to quickly tour the ballroom into his home. Sheena had spent hours here, which was why he’d taken a stroll. He was curious about her final choices, so he wiped his feet on the carpet at the front door and noticed the cherry trees that lined the foyer, like they had at his wedding.
Sheena must have ordered the staff to recreate the white flowers and cherry blossoms that smelled sweet.
Clearly he needed to change out of his jeans so he rushed through the house as the staff hung portraits on the wall of people he’d never seen before. The one closest to him was the ring leader in a bright circus.
The party tonight would be different than his previous parties, and that was probably for the best.
He made his way to the bedroom and saw Sheena tossing her sixth outfit on the floor, as if she couldn’t quite decide what look she wanted. The white gown with green she’d worn earlier was now tossed on the bed, clearly discarded. He jumped over a tossed white tulle skirt and slipped his shoes off before he damaged anything. Sheena stepped out of the closet wearing a peacock around her neck. “Your friends RSVP’d.”
Sheena was prettier without all that makeup on her face, but he kept his mouth shut on that. She might take it wrong as she prided herself on artistry. “Perfect. I’m looking forward to seeing Astorre.”
She tossed the peacock necklace on the bed like she hated it and wanted something else. “No, he’s still missing and off with the American woman.”
He’d intended to take a quick shower and get ready to help her, but he glanced down and his body was hard again, wanting his wife as she wore her bra and panties picking out more clothes in her closet. “Who is coming to our party tonight that I’ll enjoy?”
She gave him a quirky half-smile and said, “Stefano, Chelsea.”
He followed her as she meandered further into the closet that now housed dresses for the countess and crowded his suits to half. He picked out a white shirt and black pants for later. “What about the castle?”
Sheena nodded as she sorted through dresses she’d never worn. “Yes, the entire royal family will be in attendance. The married couples were easy, but then there are four dukes, twelve earls, twenty-four viscounts, and fifty barons, all single, which meant I needed to round up women to invite in addition to the couples. I hadn’t intended this many to accept.”
Matteo knew Sheena had probably preselected people loaded with decorum. This was the first time in his lifetime that any of the royal family had showed up at his home. From his years of throwing events for the “sinners” he understood that people came uninvited, too. He brought his clothes selection toward the door as Sheena picked out a white gown that she could have worn to the wedding. “You’ve planned for the party crashers?”
“Of course.” She stepped into the dress as she said, “Bridal is probably a good look for tonight.”
Half of what he’d passed on the floor was white, which meant she’d thought that before, so he didn’t comment on the dress. “Then we’re good. The house can sleep them all if we need to.”
Her face paled as she zipped up her gown. “We don’t want that—what a nightmare for Ms. Pierce. How come your house is as large as a palace?”
Matteo headed toward the bathroom. “This was never technically a palace.”
“I get that—but why is it so big?” She twirled to check the dress in the mirror from all angles.
He placed his clothes on the counter and stripped off his sweaty t-shirt from skating around the grounds as fast as he could. He stripped down to his blue boxer briefs. “In the fourteenth century, it was rumored that the queen was having an affair with the Count of Golchin.”
She stopped twirling and faced him. “So affairs are part of your family history?”
Her eyes widened as she waited for his opinion, so he gave her a thumbs-up as he said, “The count enlarged the estate so the two could be sequestered, out of the public eye, and close enough that they were a day’s ride from each other.”
She practically sparkled, happy with the white strapless dress that showed off her curves. “So they were in love?”
He turned on the water as he needed a fast shower. The moon would be fully seen soon. “I have no idea. It’s all rumor and ancient town gossip used to explain bad behavior.”
He stepped into the shower and lathered his hair with shampoo. Footsteps sounded outside the closet in the bathroom as she said, “Our guests will arrive soon, my darling.”
