Distinctlywary.
He’d asked her if he’d betrayed her. She’d denied it. But…why did he keep imagining himself in compromising situations with Lady Catherine, if there was no basis in reality for the visions?
He slid his legs over the side of the mattress and rose. “I’ve had my fill.” He swiped up the tray and set it on the chest beside the dwindling candle.
“Now you’re finished, you can douse the flame,” she said, her voice slightly husky.
He glanced at her.
She was staring at him.
But then, he was naked—and half erect.
“I don’t think so. Not yet.” He wanted some light for what he intended to do with her. He strolled back to the bed, eased under the covers and scooted toward her side.
“You were saying? About your dream?” she said, going breathless when he brushed her hair off of one shoulder, then traced his fingertips over her jaw.
“Georgina, you’re certain I didn’t do something, let’s say, less than honorable to merit your request for annulment?” He scooped his palmaround her nape, and massaged her tight muscles there.
She shook her head, her eyelids growing heavy.
He wished he could be sure she spoke the truth. He could not credit her lying to him about such a matter, but, something wasn’t adding up. Still, there was no point pressing her further. He’d asked, she’d answered.
“In that case, perhaps you would be good enough to explain the other thing.”
“The other thing?”
He nodded. “Come a little closer, if you please. You seem quite tense.”
She licked her lips, and his shaft went fully hard. Those lips had the most interesting effect on him.
“Come. I won’t bite.”Hard.
She shimmied toward him, bringing with her a waft of the sweet scent that clung to her skin and hair that also seemed to stimulate his senses. Hell, everything about her stimulated him.
When he could reach her with both hands, he grasped her by the waist and pulled her across his lap.
“Explain, if you will, how my wife of nearly two years was a virgin until earlier this evening.”
Chapter Nineteen
Georgina had ratherhoped to avoid discussing the pesky matter of her virginity until tomorrow. Or, better still, never. No such luck. At least, she didn’t have to fabricate yet another lie. She’d done that ages ago.
She drew her hands to his chest and fingered his collar bones, eyes on her task. “We…er…did not consummate our marriage, and then you were gone.”
“I’m aware, darling. What I want to know is how in God’s name you talked me into waiting?”
“I didn’t. You did.” She peeked up at him. “It was your idea for us to wait, Teddy.” She held her breath.
“Mine?” His tone said he was having a very hard time believing such a thing, but one of his large hands began traveling over her back with languid strokes.
“You said you wanted to wait in case…in case I should become with child. As no one knew of our marriage, my conceiving would have raised a few brows.
“You also said you didn’t want to take the chance of our babe being raised fatherless—should anything happen to you on thecontinent.”
“I see.” Several seconds passed. “It sounds as if I was bloody magnificent.”
His answer was so quintessentially Teddy, a helpless laugh escaped her. Then she sobered. “Youaremagnificent. And I don’t think I’ve told you, but I’m so very proud of you.”
