Roman let go... when what he really wanted to do was hold on.
“I think I will lie down,” Leonie said. “And I must polish my teeth. May I have a moment of privacy?”
“Of course.” Roman stepped outside the bedroom. Thankfully, the hallway was empty.
After a decent interval, he knocked on the door.
There was no answer.
Alarmed, he opened it and then relaxed.
She had climbed back into bed, wedding dress and all, and was asleep.
However, this was a different sleep from her passing out.
She seemed calmer, more at peace, like a child who has had a very hard day and was now weary beyond all cares.
Wanting to make her more comfortable, Roman debated calling for her maid to remove her dress but rejected the idea. He did not wish to involve the servants in what went on in this room. Too many rumors were spread by a careless word.
And so, he did it himself.
It was not an easy task. For a week and a half, and in truth longer, he had imagined this moment of undressing her. Now, he was setting aside his desire for her to be comfortable and to feel safe. He’d meant his silent vow at their wedding to be her protector.
That didn’t stop him from admiring his wife. She was perfect in every way... including being human. She was also the stuff of every man’s dreams. She did not wake while he removed her gown, unlacing and sliding it off her shoulders and down her legs. When she was free of it, and wearing only a camisole and petticoats, she curled up on her side with a soft sigh.
Roman didn’t dare try to untie her stockings. Every man had his limits and he had reached his.
Instead, with one last glance of regretful desire, he pulled the sheet over her. He then folded the gown and placed it on the bench in front of her dressing table.
A burst of loud, raucous laughter from the party downstairs punctuated the moment. He’d not go down and join them. They would think him a strange bridegroom indeed to leave his bride upstairs in bed.
Instead, he pulled off his shirt and walked around the bed to stretch out on the opposite side.
Leonie didn’t stir as his weight leaned the bed in his direction. He made himself as comfortable as he could when the woman ofhisdreams was right beside him.
Reverently, he dared to reach out and smooth his fingers along one of her curls spread out on the pillow. “You asked why I had chased after you the night you ran away with Paccard?”
She didn’t answer, and he wouldn’t have spoken if she’d been awake.
He rolled on his side toward her, keeping a respectful distance. The lamplight gave her skin a golden glow. He admired the perfect shape of her nose, the curve and peaks of her lips. Even her eyelashes were sacred to him.
“I went because I couldn’t believe after the conversation we’d had in the garden the night before that you would run away with Paccard the very next evening. Do you remember what you said? That you, too, felt a connection to me? I was certain he had pressured you. I was jealous, Leonie. The tribunal had that right. I was jealous.” He lightly pulled on the strand of her hair he’d been holding. “I loved you, Leonie, and I wanted to believe you loved me in return.”
He carefully placed her hair on her shoulder. “Now, I don’t know if that will ever be possible.”
Chapter 10
Leonie woke the next morning feeling as if she had slept for a week. She lay a few moments in bed, orienting herself. Something was different.
She was married. She couldn’t recall a detail of the event; however, she had shamed herself at it. She held up her left hand to be certain it all hadn’t been a dream. The beautiful star in the sapphire winked at her. Such a lovely, simple ring and completely in her tastes—
Where was he?
Roman had been here.
She sat up, and was startled to see that she was in her undergarments. Her wedding dress was folded over a chair. She did not remember taking it off.
Outrage started to gather steam until she recalled the conversations she’d had with Roman.She’d told him all. Everything.
