“We should eat.” There was a finality to those words that made her swallow. She was gathering herself to return to her seat, when he raised some soup to her lips and whispered, “Stay here, please.”
She beamed at that. Colin fed them both, and it was easy for her to reach for the food since everything was laid out on the table. For a man who had removed intimacy from his life, he was most attentive and tender.
“I found a room that I wish to make my study,” she said as they shared an orange cake with cream.
“Which one is it?”
“It is quite close to your workroom.” She grinned, while he rolled his eyes heavenward.
“That is unsurprising.”
“May I have it?”
“You have already made your choice, Anna.” He shrugged. “I cannot stop you.”
“I will not disturb you.”
“So you always say.” He spooned some cream and touched it to her lips, then pulled the spoon away as she opened her mouth and kissed her, laughing at her surprise. Anna had never been gladder about anything she had ever done than she was about her decision to move to sit close to him. At least, at this moment. Perhaps if she examined other things, she would find something superior to this, likely in the future.
After they had finished dessert, they stood and he drew her close, kissing her again for what felt like a long while. Then he pulled away, and she saw something like regret shadowing his gaze. “What is it?” she asked.
“I have work to do. I am afraid I have to leave you now.”
“Must you?”
“Yes.” His gaze slid down her body. “I fight daily the most tempting thing in the world,” he sighed. “We must persevere until you are completely healed.”
Anna wanted to argue the matter with him but she decided against it. They were both stubborn, and there would not likely be a victor in this debate. She let him lead her out of the room, and in the hall, he bid her a goodnight and left.
Anna decided to retire to her bedchamber. After all, the cat should be there sleeping. She ascended the stairs slowly, then let her fingers trail along the wall on her right as she walked to her chambers, the mysteries of the manor returning to her thoughts.
They quickly vanished when she walked into her sitting room and found Mason sitting on the floor of the sitting area, holding a feather that was attached to a string, while the kitten lay on its back playing. Her spirits were immediately lifted.
“I thought this would make a fine toy for him, Your Grace,” Mason said.
“Just so.” As soon as Anna sat in a chair, the kitten came to play with the embroidered hem of her dress.
She found distraction for a half hour until he fell asleep again. Then she rose and walked into her dressing room to change. Mason joined her a short while later with a cup of tea.
“It is the brew Dr. Quentin recommended,” she said and moved to help Anna brush her hair.
“Thank you, Mason.” She took a small sip and found the brew rather calming.
She got into bed and opened the book she had been reading, thinking the tea would make her sleep quickly. Three chapters later, Anna was still awake, and she could continue reading for longer. A sound came from Colin’s bedchamber just then, and she closed the book.
He would not come to her, she knew, and so Anna climbed down from the bed and walked to the door that joined their chambers. She listened for a moment to make certain that Bishop was not with him. When no sound of a conversation came, she opened the door and walked in.
Colin turned around from where he was standing by the window, his intense stare only matched by his surprise. “Anna,” he sighed, “what do I do with you?”
She grinned as she walked toward him. Stopping about two feet away, she tugged at the bows on the straps of her nightrail and it slid down her body. Pushing the hair that covered her breasts away, she revealed all of herself to him. Of course, the confounding bandage was still in place. Colin inhaled sharply, and she saw him strain through his breeches almost immediately. She covered the rest of the space between them, and taking his hands, she placed them around her waist, then her arms slid up to circle his neck. “You can do this,” she whispered, planting her lips on his.
He kissed her with a hunger he had never shown before, and his hands roamed her body, stroking and kneading, while he continued to swell against her. She tugged at the knot on his cravat, but she felt him slowing their kiss. She could not allow him to stop now, and she drew back. “Colin, no,” she warned. “You cannot do this to me again.”
“I do not want to hurt you,” he rasped.
“You will not. You are kind and gentle.” She touched her forehead to his. “You can never hurt me. Please make me yours.”
“You already are.” He kissed her with fire, repeating, “You already are mine.” Her heart soared when she heard that, and she pushed his black coat from his shoulders, then her fingers moved faster to unbutton his waistcoat. “You cannot be patient, can you?” he teased her, helping her pull his shirt from the waist of his breeches.
