Page 18 of Impassioned
“You know me well. I can think of much better things to do on a Sunday, such as sleep.” He yawned. “But you’ve forgone church to seek me out, so this must be an important errand indeed. I can’t remember the last time you paid me a surprise visit.” He cocked his head. “Have you ever?”
“Just sit down.” Constantine sat in a chair and balanced near the edge with a nervous tension that would send him from the room at the slightest provocation.
Arching a brow, Lucien lounged in another chair. “How can I help?”
Constantine flinched. Hewashere for help, and Lucien had saved him the pain of asking for it outright. Somewhat. Having to come to his brother still burned. Constantine could barely push the words out. “I need—” His tongue dried up, and he clenched his jaw.
“You seem distressed.” Lucien sat forward, losing the air of nonchalance. “Tell me how I can help, Con. I’d like to if I can,” he added gently.
“I don’t know why I came here. You aren’t married. You wouldn’t understand.”
“You’re having marital problems?”
“Er, yes.”
“You’re correct. I am not married, nor do I plan to ever be. Which makes me think you came to me because it’s not necessarily due to your marriage—”
Constantine interrupted him. “But it is. It’s everything to do with my marriage, and the duty that’s required. I need an heir, dammit.”
“Dammit?” Lucien cleared his throat. “Is there some problem with begetting an heir? I would think that would be the most enticing thing about a marriage.”
“Of course you would say that.”
Lucien laughed. Genuinely. Which was even more irritating. “What does that mean?”
“As if you aren’t aware of your reputation.”
“I have a reputation for enjoying sex? Why yes, I’m a breathing person. Don’t most breathing persons enjoy sex?” The humor abruptly fell from his face. “Con? Do you…not enjoy sex?”
Constantine shot out of his chair. “Of course I do. Just not with my wife.” Lucien opened his mouth to speak, but Constantine cut him off. “I shouldn’t have come here. You have no notion of how things are between a husband and wife.”
Lucien held up his hand in a calming motion. “That may be true, but I’m damn sure they have sex, and plenty of them enjoy it. Ifyoulike sex—and apparently you do—you should like sex with Lady Aldington.”
“What ifshedoesn’t like it?” Except after hearing her last night, Constantine wasn’t even sure if that was true. It seemedhewas the problem. With him, she was cold and aloof. Without him, she sounded quite…happy. He collapsed back into the chair and put his head in his hands.
“Con? Are you all right?”
“Fine.” He stared at the carpet between his legs. The reds, golds, and browns blurred together, and he closed his eyes.
“I would like to help,” Lucien offered softly. “If I can. Since you’re here, you must think that’s at least possible.”
Constantine dropped his hands and lifted his head. “I have limited experience compared to you. I would like to find a way to…pleasure my wife without scaring the hell out of her.” If he could. If she even wanted that from him. A child didn’t require pleasure.
“Ah. Well. I’d ask if you considered spending time with a professional, but I know you did. I also know it didn’t actually happen. Perhaps you should allow Barbara to…tutor you a bit.”
“I know what to do,” he snapped. He just didn’t know how to do it with a woman—his wife—who shrank from him in the bedroom. Was it even possible to seduce a woman who didn’t want you, who never had?
“I mean this with the greatest respect and kindness, but do you really?”
Constantine swore viciously.
“Christ, Con, I didn’t know you could curse like that. Well done!” Lucien grinned at him. Upon receiving another glare, Lucien held up his hand once more. “My apologies. I’m just trying to bring some levity into this…situation. I really do think spending an evening or three with someone like Barbara could benefit you.”
“When presented with the opportunity, I found it difficult to be unfaithful.” Which was sad or comical—or both—since his wife didn’t want him. Any other gentleman would have taken a mistress by now. “I think I was perhaps relieved when she and I came upon Overton and his ward.”
Lucien’s brow knitted, and he leaned back in his chair. “Then why did you seek Barbara out?”
Constantine shrugged. “It seemed like I should. Idolike sex, and I don’t have very much of it.” He suddenly realized he was lonely. The revelation was distracting, as if he should have known and now wondered what in the hell was wrong with him.
