She was outfor blood.
Benjamin could see the lust in his new bride’s eyes and he would be lying if he claimed it wasn’t a look that caused his cock to twitch in his trousers. Combined with her comely face and her shapely curves, he was starting to appreciate this match more than he wanted to admit. While he was eager to take Mrs. Dove-Lyon down a few notches from the pedestal upon which she’d obviously set herself in society, he had to grudgingly admit that, in this instance, she had known what she was doing. He couldn’t have picked a better mate to pair himself with. Not only was she increasing, giving him a second chance for the child he’d lost, but he had always found it incredibly appealing to engage in sexual activity with his wife when Daria had been pregnant. There was something almost taboo about the act that he’d found quite intriguing.
He winced. Maybe he trulywasthe deprived son of the bastard he always claimed his father had been.
“Is something wrong?”
He blinked, realizing she must have noticed his action and thought it had something to do with their current conversation. He certainlydidn’t want to admit what he’d been pondering, so he said evenly, “Not at all. I was just going to say this won’t be an easy task to undertake.”
“I didn’t expect it would be.” Her blue eyes lit up unexpectantly. “Tell me more about yourself.”
He wasn’t sure he liked the line of this conversation. With a frown, he replied, “What do you want to know?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know.” Her focus swept his form and his cock’s interest was piqued further. “You have a physique I was not expecting. Do you enjoy riding?”
He snorted.I’d like to ride you…“Not particularly. But it’s nice to know that you had such a high opinion of me before we met.” When she rolled her eyes, he added, “To sate your curiosity, I used to be much heavier. I’d say at least five stone, but with the death of my mother, followed by my wife and son shortly thereafter, I had a difficult time accepting their loss.”
Her face softened slightly. “I imagine that would be hard.”
“I don’t deserve your pity,” he returned in a hard tone. “I have done things that I’m not proud of. I suppose making me suffer such traumatic events was fate’s way of reminding me of my faults.”
“That’s a bit harsh,” she countered. “Everyone makes mistakes.”
“Would you haveyourstepsister committed to an asylum because you wanted to control her father’s money so you could finance a gambling and drinking habit?”
Her mouth fell open slightly, but she recovered and crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t think I would.”
His lips twisted in a smirk. “My point exactly.”
There was a brief pause. “Is she still committed?”
“No. She lives a contented life with her husband far away from me. At least she was spared. But it appears I am still suffering from the consequences of my actions.”
“That doesn’t mean you deserved such terrible heartache,” shewhispered. He glanced at her and saw that there was no ridicule in her tone, nor was her face full of condemnation. She was speaking in sincerity. “But perhaps if the fates had anything to do with it, then it was to guide you to be a better person.” She hesitated. “Are you?”
He squared his shoulders. “I’m attempting to be.” His gaze caught hers. “I’m here with you, aren’t I?”
Time suspended as they tried to decipher one another. They had found a common ground, but there was still so much that was different, yet to be explored, that Benjamin knew it would take patience, and effort, to explore it all.
He settled his head back against the squabs and said, “You should try to get some rest. We still have a bit of a way to travel before we reach my estate.”
“I can hardly wait,” she drawled, and he found the corners of his mouth turning upward against all odds. This might be an enjoyable marriage, after all.
There was noway that Catherine could possibly sleep. Her mind was spinning with what she’d gained thus far from the man sitting on the opposing side of the carriage.
Her husband.
She still couldn’t quite believe that she’d gone through with it. She had imagined her body collapsing from the strain of wedding a complete stranger, one who had been hand-selected for her by someone she had only met one time. It still made her angry every time she thought of the Black Widow and she vowed she would find a way to retaliate against the injustice of her circumstances.
And yet…
She tilted her head and tried to imagine the baron with some extra weight on him. She wouldn’t be against it, although she admired the way he looked now. He was trim, with a strong physique, but not overly so, like the men who worked on board a ship. She found that they were entirely too large for her tastes.
With his dark eyes and hair, he wasn’t the sort to stand out in a crowd or demand attention. He didn’t tower over any of his peers, his height as average as any other gentleman in society.
But in spite of all of his unassuming qualities, she decided that there was something that marked him different from others. Perhaps it was his demeanor, the fact that he didn’t care to be accepted. Or maybe the smirk on his face that bespoke of those misdeeds he’d mentioned, the dark personality of his past still lurking beneath the surface.
Whatever it was, Catherine was finding the baron to be a bit more appealing than he had been at first glance, although there had been a spark of…somethingwhen she’d first turned and beheld him in the middle of her parents’ parlor that morning. She couldn’t say if that moment had been interest or something else. It was entirely too soon to tell if they would get along at all, but thus far, they had made a good start.
