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Chapter 6
Robert knocked on his wife’s door at ten o’clock. He had spent most of the evening sitting in his study, staring at the clock. He was supposed to be working, but all he could think of was his wife, waiting for him in her nightgown, in her bed. He couldn’t believe how anxious he was about this night. When he’d seen her at supper in that pale violet gown of a modest cut and design, he knew her intention was anything but to seduce him. But he was tempted, nonetheless. One look at those vulnerable blue eyes and all he wanted to do was rip that gown away from her and have her right there on the dining table.
He felt how stiff she held herself during supper, how uncomfortable she seemed. He had never had to deal with this issue. Women always vied for his attention, hung on his arm, and batted their lashes seductively into his face. Now he seemed to have married the only woman in Britain who wanted nothing to do with him.
“Come in,” she called from inside the room.
He shook his thoughts from his head. If his guess was correct and she was experienced, then at least he wouldn’t have to deal with virginal tears, he thought as he entered the room. Maybe they’d even enjoy the act and each other.
She was standing by the window, looking out into the night. She was dressed in a simple cotton nightgown, buttoned up to her neck with a dressing gown over it. She turned as he entered, her eyes wide, her face pale.
“I understand that this must be—” he paused, searching for a right word, “uncomfortable to do this with someone you, ah, are not attracted to.”
She just stared at him, wide-eyed.
“I assume you know what is going to happen?” he asked, unbuttoning his shirt.
She swallowed visibly and nodded her head.
“Good.” Robert started slowly taking off his clothes. “You can get undressed and lie on the bed,” he told her as she continued staring at him mutely. “Unless you are enjoying the show.” He smiled at her, his slow smile predatory, and she closed her eyes.
Robert scrubbed his face with one hand. “Julie,” he said. “Can I call you Julie? I mean, we are married, and with what is going to happen—”
She nodded frantically, backing away toward the bed.
“No need to act like a frightened hare,” he said irritably. “I am not going to hurt you.”
“You are not?” she asked as if in a daze.
Robert’s head shot up at that.“Why would I do that? I am not an animal,” he asked harshly. “I don’t know what kind of men you’ve been with.” He shrugged.
“I have—”
“I don’t need the details,” he interrupted her quickly. “Just relax, all right?”
Julie closed her eyes and started unbuttoning her dressing gown. He stopped his own undressing and stared at her as if transfixed. The gown gaped open, showing none of her skin, just more of the nightgown fabric. But he felt his arousal growing only at the idea of silky white skin beneath all that cloth.
“Wait,” he told her as she was about to push her dressing gown to the floor. “Let me.”
He came closer to her, already fully naked. She still had her eyes closed. He gently swept her hair back, then pushed her dressing gown to the floor. She stood in front of him in her white flowing nightgown, the material so thin that he could clearly see her nipples beneath it. He cast his gaze downward to the dark triangle between her legs, also peeking through the white cambric. He returned his gaze to her breasts. Her nipples turned to peaks from the cold air, begging for his touch. Robert couldn’t help it; he lifted a hand and gently caressed one lovely peak.
Julie recoiled from him instantly. Her eyes flew open, and she looked at him in abject horror.
“Lie back on the bed,” he said impatiently.
Her breathing quickened, and she fairly leaped onto the bed and crawled underneath the covers. Robert slowly followed her to the bed.
Julie was lying in the center, her knees drawn protectively closer to her chest. She clutched the bedcovers up to her collarbone. Robert ran a hand over his face and threaded it through his hair, not looking forward to bedding a woman so obviously repulsed by him. He wanted to laugh at his own gullibility. What a fool he’d been to think that open revulsion was better than pretended admiration. He should have picked one of the women who at least pretended to want him. Of course, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t act this way on their wedding night as well.
Why was it he couldn’t get rid of women willing to crawl into his bed on a daily basis, yet every woman he decided to marry wanted nothing to do with him? They wanted something from him, but whatever that something was, it wasn’t him.
With a resigned sigh, Robert crawled under the bedsheets with his wife. She went stiff all over as his limbs touched hers. He tried to coax her to relax, slowly caressing her body. He started off with seductive intent, but sensing her distress, he opted for a soothing caress. He rubbed her back in circular motions, trying to make her relax to no avail. He kissed her lightly on her neck, her cheek, and saw as she squeezed her eyes shut. Robert moved his mouth over her face, kissed her tightly closed lids.
“Open your eyes,” he whispered against them.
His wife just shook her head.
He couldn’t take it anymore. There was no use. He would not force an unwilling woman into an act, deal or no deal. He got up and walked back to his clothes.
