Nathaniel took her chin in his hand. “Who? Who was it?” His voice was mild, but his eyesnarrowed.
Surprised at his reaction, she tilted her head. “You’re not jealous, surely?”
“I want to strike down every man who looks twice at you.” He gathered her into his arms, his voice thick and unsteady, sending a shiver through her. “You are very desirable, wife,” he whispered, kissing the soft skin beneath herear.
Was this all she meant to him? Laura pushed him away. “I’m still angry with you, Nathaniel. You shut me out. It’s insulting. Don’t try to sweet talk me now.”
“Laura…”
“No!” She turned away from him, stalking to the other end of the chamber to put some distance between them, where she could breathe. Where she couldthink.
Nathaniel followed her. He slid an arm beneath her knees and picked her up. The display of manly strength robbed her of speech and fueled her frustration, bringing it to a fever pitch. “Put me down!” She struck ineffectually at his hard, muscled arm with her fist. Ignoring her protests, he walked to the bed and threw her unceremoniously ontoit.
She lay there panting and stared up at him. A slight smile lifted his lips and warmed his gaze. “Does a quarrel inflame your passions, Laura? If so, I’m all for it, but for the life of me, I can’t think of anything to argue about. Although I wish to investigate your concerns, right now I’d much prefer to make love to you.” Placing a hand on either side of her head, he leaned down and took her mouth in a passionatekiss.
Laura pulled back. “This is the only way you know to resolve an argument.” But at the determined look in his eyes, a lurch of excitement ran through her like lightning, and helplessly caught, she traced her bottom lip with her tongue where he’d kissedher.
“It takes two to argue, my sweet.” He grinned, reading her like a book. His fingers circled the tips of her breasts. “My God, you have a fine body. You are made for love.”
“There’s more to me than this, Nathaniel.”
“I agree. So much more. You are intelligent, and I love how optimistic you are, how you grasp life with such passion. I am very grateful to have you for my wife, Laura.”
He was adept at pretty speeches. But did he love her? She burned to ask him. But demanding his declaration of love would render the words valueless. It must come from him willingly to be real. “You give me no chance to show those qualities when you reveal very little of your thoughts and evade my attempts to understand you.”
He inclined his head in acknowledgement. “Then I’m profoundly sorry you feel that way. I thought you were happy here.”
“I am happy here, Nathaniel. It’s just that…” Darn it, she couldn’t demand he tell her about Amanda now; it would sound like she was jealous of a deadwoman.
“We shall talk, but right now, I want to hold you. May I? I have missed you.”
He trailed his fingers down her cheek and paused at her throat. The smile in his eyes contained a sensuous flame, but she glimpsed something else: a softness and vulnerability, as if he understood her and felt badly about it. She’d seen little of that since they came to Wolfram.
She narrowed her eyes, fighting to resist his appeal. “I’d like to hear more about London.”
“London was the same as ever, foggy and crowded. The bill failed to pass the House of Lords. Francis Bolton and I discussed our next move over too much wine. I retired early every night.” He kissed her cheek. “And I saw your parents.”
She hit him on the shoulder. “You saw my parents and didn’t think to tell me?”
He laughed and grabbed her wrist, pressing a kiss to her palm. “You’ve hardly given me a chance. I ran into your father at Westminster. As your mother had come to the city for a meeting of some sort, we caught up for luncheon. I was able to tell them that you were in good health and happy.” His gaze grew serious. “You are happy to be here, aren’t you, Laura?”
“I never want to be anywhere else on earth. Wolfram is my home now.”
“My darling.” Nathaniel kissed herear.
“Are they both well?”
“Fighting fit, I believe,” he murmured, smiling down ather.
She lay back and raised her arms to draw him down with her. “Tell me more please.”
He laughed ruefully. “You should not do that if you wish me to continue our conversation.”
She tucked her hands under her head and grinned, enjoying her sense of power. “What are ladies wearing this season?”
A dark eyebrow rose. “Eh? You want me to speak of fashion?” He pushed back his black hair. The unconsciously graceful gesture made her want to pull him closer. She curled her fingers into her palms and resisted.
“I do.”
