Page 103 of His Forsaken Bride

“P-poisoning?” she suggested uncertainly.

Oswald’s lips twitched, and she thought for a moment he would laugh.

Fen felt unaccountably annoyed. “I could be a villain if I wanted to,” she said, plunking a hand on one hip. She cast about wildly for something other villainous women could perpetrate. His gaze seemed to linger on her, and Fen remembered she was stood only in her thin shift. “I could be a scheming seductress,” she said unthinkingly. To her surprise, the humor seemed to drop from Oswald’s face.

His eyes travelled over her and seemed to darken. “Prove it,” he said in a husky voice and threw down the cloth he was drying himself with.

Fen caught her breath. What?

He crossed the room, and to her disappointment, instead of drawing her into his arms, he brushed right past her and walked toward the bed. Fen swiveled on her heel to turn and watch as he climbed onto the bed. Unusually, he was still wearing his white linen braies. Fen frowned, her husband always slept naked. He settled on his back, his arms folded behind his head.

“Come and seduce me, Fen,” he said, and crossed his ankles.

Something about his casual pose, irritated her. Did he think she couldn’t?

“I will,” she fired up. Then lapsed into a thoughtful silence, as she cautiously approached the bed. One glance at his tented braies assured her he was not as indifferent as his pose suggested. “You did lock the door, didn’t you?” she asked momentarily distracted.

He definitely smiled at this. “Yes, stop stalling for time, madam wife.”

“I’m not,” she frowned, sitting on the edge of the bed next to him. Thinking of Linnet’s words, she placed her hand on his muscular belly. From his reaction, she guessed it was not the reassuring touch her sister-in-law had spoken of. Oswald’s stomach muscles rippled beneath her touch, and he gave a muffled noise of surprise and something else. Her eyes flew to his.

In answer to the question in her gaze, he said “I thought you would kiss me first.” To Fen’s surprise, he sounded slightly breathless. He withdrew his hands from behind his head and reached up to grip the headboard. “Don’t stop.”

Fenella had left her hand where it lay, and at his words, she traced the bunched muscle with her fingertips. This time he drew in a sharp breath, before letting it out again on a shudder. Fen was enthralled. She had no idea how she was doing it, but it was definitely working. A notion struck her, and before she could lose her nerve, she stood up from the mattress and drew her shift over her head, before dropping it on the floor. The flickering candlelight was hopefully more flattering than the cold light of day, she thought hopefully as she turned slowly in a small circle, displaying herself for her husband to view. Her gaze flew to his for reassurance, and she was almost scorched alive. Oswald Vawdrey’s gaze was searing. He hadn’t moved an inch, and his eyes were glued to her. Emboldened, she clambered onto the bed, trying to make her movement fluid, then swung a leg over his, so she settled across his muscular thighs.

He groaned at this and shifted under her slightly. She knew a moment’s panic that she might be too heavy, but before she could voice it, he ground out.

“Move higher up, Fen.”

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“You could say that.”

She glanced down at his burgeoning crotch area and shook her head. ”Not yet,” she said, remembering his own unhurried explorations of her body. She felt tingly and a little breathless at this point herself. He huffed, and she placed her hands daringly on his inner thighs. His body jerked, and he let out a startled exclamation, half sitting up.

“I need to take these off,” he muttered, reaching for the ties on his braies.

“Why did you leave them on?” she asked, intrigued.

“So you could take them off me.” He gave a short laugh. “I thought you might run short on seduction ideas.”

“I can take them off,” she objected. “Let me.”

“No,” he said emphatically. “There’s only so much I can stand.” He had them untied and Fen climbed off him with a sigh, as he efficiently shucked them off.

“I was supposed to be seducing you,” she reminded him, reaching for the top bed sheet.

“You are,” he said thickly and caught her wrist. “Don’t disappear under the bed clothes.” He pulled her back over him, as he fell on his back. Fen settled awkwardly in his lap. His hands were on her backside now, squeezing and fondling her.

“Um,” she started uncertainly.

“You’re still in charge,” he told her.

Sadly, thought Fen, now she really had run out of ideas! Absently, her hands fell down to lightly pet the part of him bumping insistently against her soft belly.

His hips pressed forward hard and his eyes closed. Fen could see the vein in his neck strain. “Fen,” he panted.

Oh. Now that he definitely liked. Tentatively, she closed her fingers around his thick staff and lightly squeezed.