Page 57 of The Marquess and the Maiden

Chapter Fifteen

She had paced her bedchamber for the last half hour. Perhaps it had even been longer than that. All she knew was that her nerves were beyond frazzled. She’d never been this anxious.

He was coming to her room to consummate their marriage. He had to. This was what he’d said he wanted. Yet as she stared at the door adjoining their chambers, it did not open.

She went back and stood before the mirror again. In addition to the wedding gown he’d purchased for her, he’d evidently bought something for her to wear tonight. Though it completely covered her body from neck to toes, the gossamer fabric was as delicate as fairy wings and nearly as translucent.

This was ridiculous. He did not make all the decisions. Starting their marriage this way would give him the wrong idea. She donned her dressing gown and took a sobering breath before she opened the door between their bedchambers.

At first she thought the room might be empty, but then she heard him…grunting. She stepped farther into the room and came around the corner at the foot of the massive four-poster bed. There, hanging in the doorway, was Oliver.

He wore only his breeches, and the bold display of his body was breathtaking. As he methodically pulled his body up and then down, the muscles in his arms and shoulders shifted and bulged. She could not tear her gaze away.

Her brought his legs up to his waist, then dropped them again.

“I’m nearly done,” he said.

She hadn’t even realized he’d seen her yet, she’d been so absorbed watching the sinuous play.

“I’d never realized that men had those.” She pointed at his stomach.

He glanced down as best he could from his dangling position. He finished his count, then dropped from the hanging bar and landed on his left leg.

“Can you hand me that?” He pointed to the towel hanging on the basin table.

She grabbed it and walked it over to him. Her eyes ate every inch of him. Perhaps if he allowed her to simply look upon him until she had her fill, she might not miss the affection of a loving husband.

He wiped his face and neck and torso, ridding his body of the sheen of perspiration. She had the ridiculous urge to follow the trail of that towel with her tongue. Her cheeks heated.

She looked up at his face and found him watching her, one brow cocked, a quirk of a grin on his lips.

“I must admit, wife, that I very much like the way you are looking at me right now,” he said.

She swallowed. “I, uh…” She reached out and traced her hands over the ridges that lined his abdomen to make eight defined flesh-covered rectangles. His stomach tensed beneath her touch, but he did not move, allowing her to explore the hard muscles. “You’re beautiful.”

He chuckled. “I’m glad you think so.”

“I was nervous.”

“Pardon?”

“Waiting for you to come to me. You were planning to consummate the marriage tonight, were you not?” The words rushed out of her in a quick ball that seemed to simply roll off her tongue as she opened her mouth.

He ran a hand up her arm; even with the dressing gown between her skin and his, she shivered at his touch.

“Sweet Harriet, I have waited far too long to let this evening pass without consummating our union. I merely was attending to some things first. I apologize for causing you nerves.”

“Let us get it over with then.” She quickly untied the dressing gown and let if fall to the floor, leaving her in the impractical shift that essentially covered nothing. She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see any disappointment on his face.

He swore. “You’re not going to make this easy on me.”

“Make what easy?” she asked.

“Taking my time. Trust me when I tell you you’re going to want this to go slowly.” He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips. It was gentle and full of promise, but he did not delve into her mouth as he’d done before.

“What is that bar for?” she asked, pointing at the metal pole that hung horizontally in the doorframe leading to his dressing room.

“Oh, primarily I use it to tie up servants when they misbehave. But on occasion, such as tonight, I exercise with it,” he said.

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