She put down the glass and went to the window. “Oh look! The Thames. How magnificent it looks from here.”
“I have seen the river. I want to see you. Come here, sweetheart,” Nathaniel said from behind her, his hands on hershoulders.
He sat on the upholstered chair and drew her down onto his lap. As she leaned against him she could feel the rapid beat of his heart. Was it a sign that he was as moved as her, that he desiredher?
“I hope I can make you happy.”
“You do make me happy,” she said, surprised. She’d been so concerned about pleasing him; she hadn’t thought he might have similarconcerns.
“Cornwall will be different to anything you’ve known.”
She smiled. “I certainly hope so. Mother can no longer order me about. It’s a heady thought.”
His laugh rumbled in his chest. Looking up, she saw that his eyes had cleared of some indefinableworry.
She stroked his chin, feeling the beginnings of stubble. “Soft,” she said, “and prickly at the same time.”
“I am cursed with a heavy beard.”
He smiled and his arms tightened around her as he began to talk of his home, Wolfram, the ancient abbey and the tiny fishing village that bore its name, the deer-filled woods and sea, the soul and the heart of the Cornish coast. It touched her deeply when his voice grew gruff withemotion.
Laura waited for him to mention Amanda. She was filled with curiosity about his first wife. Did her loss still hurt him deeply? But of course, he did not. She would have to be patient. With that thought, she vowed to banish his sadness with the force of herlove.
“It’s growing late, and we have an early start in the morning.” He rose with her in his arms and set her on herfeet.
His touch upset her balance, and she placed her hand against his chest as he began to remove the pins from her hair, gathering them up in his big hands. He placed them neatly on the bureau. He was an orderly man, she realized as her fiery tresses swung heavily to herwaist.
He gathered the locks in his hands. “Beautiful. Streaks of gold amid burnished copper.”
“Mother complains I go out in the garden too often without a hat.” Laura held her breath when he turned his attention to herclothes.
Nathaniel’s quiet intensity made her terribly unsure. He helped her out of her jacket, and then unbuttoned the pearl buttons on her blouse. Stripping the exquisite pin-tucked, lace-trimmed garment from her, he laid it over the back of the chair. Her skirt and petticoat pooled at her feet, and she stepped out ofthem.
He seemed very much at home with women’s clothes. But as a married man of course he would be. Her mind reeled. Had he sought feminine company since…? She knew of the high-class brothels in London where men of his ilk visited beautiful women practiced in the art of lovemaking. Eavesdropping on her father’s conversations had proved fruitful, but now she wished she hadn’t. Would Nathaniel like herbody?
“Turn around, sweetheart.” His fingers burned their way down her back as he unlaced her corset. The new pink lace affair fell away, and she pulled her camisole over her head. Shy about her naked breasts, she bent to untie her satin garters, then sat hunched over to remove her stockings. In her haste, she snagged the silk as she rolled a stocking down herleg.
“Bother,” shemuttered.
“Allow me.”
She leaned a hand on his shoulder as he knelt, his fingers warm against her thigh. She couldn’t resist threading her fingers through his dark hair, shot through with amber lights. It was silky to the touch. With a smile, he handed her the other stocking, then went to the bureau to remove hiscufflinks.
Intent on climbing under the covers as quickly as possible, Laura pulled off her lace-trimmed bloomers and scampered intobed.
Nathaniel turned as he slipped his braces off his shoulders. A smile warmed his eyes. “In bed already? Don’t you wish to use the bathroom?”
“I’m all right for the moment,” she said in a tightvoice.
He sat on the bed, as if to reassure her. “You’re a lovely woman, Laura. Really quite beautiful.” He dropped a quick kiss on her lips, his rough chin rasping against her cheek. Then he drew away, running his hand over his jaw. “I need to shave.” He disappeared into the bathroom.
Every nerve in her body alert, Laura lay back on the pillows. She would not sleep a winktonight.
When he returned some minutes later smelling of soap, she smiled at him, having settled with the covers drawn up to her neck.
“Don’t hide yourself from me,” he said. “I enjoy looking at you.”
She liked looking at him. He had a broad chest with a mat of dark hair tapering to his waist. He was beautifully proportioned and had obviously lived an active life. Well-defined muscles rippled with each movement beneath smooth olive skin. New brides might swoon at moments like this and reach for their smelling salts. Laura had no such intention. She had never seen a man without hisclothes.
