She didn’t want this. Didn’t want this man who she barely knew to be sharing her bed. Didn’t want the same man to be sleeping next to her, wearing nothing more than his sleeping bloomers. But least of all, she did not want him calling her cute names and getting her head all confused.
She puffed out her chest and drew in a breath, readying herself to lay it all out before her. But then Arthur began to move.
He crossed the few steps between him and the bed. But as his weight shifted, his massive form was no longer blocking the light from the fire in the sitting room. And for the first time, Marissa was able to see the glory of him in full.
Oh Lord, but he’s beautiful. Like a work of art, he is.
Her mouth went dry as she watched Arthur’s muscular torso move with his confident, easy strides. His chest bulged with well-defined muscles, a smattering of dark hair across it.
An image filled her mind, one where he crawled into bed beside her and she nestled into his chest. Pressing her face against the soft downiness of it, nuzzling into it, and feeling his chest move as he breathed beneath her.
She imagined how his heartbeat would sound, strong and proud beneath her ears as she lay there. She wondered also how that same heartbeat might quicken as she touched him. She’d run her fingers along the planes of his torso, listening to the way it?—
“Everythin’ all right, wee kitten?”
Arthur’s voice broke through her fantasies, sending them shattering like glass as her attention came well and fully back to the present. Realization as to how far astray her thoughts had wandered washed over her, and she was glad for the shadows in the room as heat flared in her cheeks.
“Aye,” she grunted, sounding anything but all right. “I’m fine. I just want to roll over and get some sleep without ye interruptin’ me.”
“Ye seem rather angry,” Arthur responded, his voice hinting at his amusement.
If I could see him right now, would he be smirkin’ at me?
“I’m nae angry,” Marissa snapped. “I’m tired.”
“Then go to sleep.”
Irritation surged through her, but she didn’t respond. In the very short time that she’d known this man, she’d come to find that he was someone who liked to poke and prod people.
She could only imagine the smug look on his face getting more and more pronounced as she continued to argue back, but she would not give him the satisfaction.
With a huff, Marissa tugged the blanket up to her chin and rolled over.
At least the mattress feels like heaven.
When she’d first laid down on it, she’d let out a groan. It was stuffed full of soft, downy feathers, and it shifted lightly beneath her as he rolled onto his side.
The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, and the weight of his gaze fell on her. The firelight in the sitting room flickered, the light that came into their bedchamber weak. But it was enough to cast a faint shadow on the wall she was facing, and she watched as it danced.
She had hoped that it would help her fall asleep, the mindless staring at the shadows on the wall. But as the minutes ticked by, sleep evaded her.
Rolling over onto her back, Marissa stared at the ceiling, gritting her teeth. Beside her, Arthur’s breathing was even.
Is he asleep, or is he just pretendin’?
She listened to the silence that had fallen between them. But no matter how much she strained, she couldn’t quite tell. At one point, she felt certain she’d heard the softest, lightest snore coming from his side of the bed, but it was quiet enough that she couldn’t be certain if she’d actually heard it or if it was only wishful thinking.
Time passed slowly. Or, at least, Marissa thought that it did. She didn’t know for sure, because there was no clock in this room.
But the fire in the other room died down, going from its hearty light to a weak ember before going out. And she was certain, at least, that that meant quite a chunk of time had passed.
And still, sleep had not found her. She tossed and turned, trying as hard as she could to get her body and her mind to shut down, but they refused.
Surely he’s asleep by now. There’s nay way he’s been lyin’ there awake all this time.
Ignoring the fact that she herself had been lying awake the entire time, she let out a huff of exasperation. At this rate, when the sun started to rise, she’d likely still be staring at these four walls.
I have to do somethin’ to tire meself out.
