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Chapter Fifteen
She wasn’t being forthcoming about everything. Arthur wanted to know all her secrets, all her truths. He watched her as she adjusted her clothes. Her lips were swollen, her hair ruffled by the silky bedsheets. Arthur had the strongest urge to press her back on the bed and never let her go.
He had tasted passion on her lips. All he had ever given his wife were chaste kisses and anything that happened in the bed had been under the guise of darkness because she dearly wanted a baby. Not a single sound had ever left her lips when they had laid together as husband and wife. And Arthur knew that even though they had a respectable companionship, he had never felt any of the things that Carmen had managed to invoke in him. And he hadn’t even taken off any of her clothes.
He watched her sensual sway of hips as she walked to the ornate mirror and checked her appearance. “You look fine,” he said. He didn’t recognize his own voice. It was still hoarse with desire. He wanted nothing more than to pull her back in his arms and have his way with her. And he knew she would let him. She had been putty in his arms the moment he kissed her.
Carmen turned around to face him. A deep blush covered her face and neck. Arthur wanted to trace it to where it disappeared inside her dress. He wanted to put his lips to her bare skin and press a wet trail to—
“What are you thinking?” Carmen asked frowning at him. “Actually, wait don’t answer that.” She firmly shook her head.
Arthur chuckled. “Am I that obvious?”
“Well, yes,” she said. She didn’t meet his eyes. Arthur shook his head internally. They had already established the fact that whatever had happened between them was just a mistake. He wondered what would happen if he told her the truth.This wasn’t a mistake for me. I want you so much.
She turned to face him. “Did you say something?”
Arthur tugged at his cravat and cleared his throat. “No, I didn’t. Why?”
“I thought I heard something.” She shook her head. “I’ll take my leave now.” She gave him a small curtsy and then hurried out of the chamber before he could call out her name or stop her.
Arthur raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. He hated the silence in her absence. When she was with him, he could block out the emptiness inside him. She made him feel things, whether it was anger or desire or something else in between, emotions that he had locked deep within himself.
* * *
The next morning during breakfast, Nora said, “What happened to Miss Black yesterday?”
Arthur almost choked on the bread that he was eating. He coughed into his closed fist. “What do you mean?”
“I heard that she was feeling sick after the lesson,” Nora said totally oblivious to his distress.
“She’s fine,” Arthur said. “She was just feeling a little faint after your lessons ended.”
“Did you take care of her?” Nora asked. Her question was innocent, but it sent him into another coughing fit.
“Y-yes I made sure she was okay,” he said. He was aware of Ramon watching him from where he stood. He wondered if the man suspected something had happened between them. When Arthur closed his eyes, he could still hear Carmen’s moan caught between his lips. He shuddered at the memory.
“Are you okay, Papa?” Nora asked, looking at him with concern. “You look strange.”
“No, I do not,” Arthur said. Frankly even he didn’t know what he looked like. Frustration coursed through him. With everything that was happening, he felt like he was gradually losing his control over his circumstances. He needed to take reign of things and that meant getting away from Carmen for a while. He had proved it to himself that so long as she was around, his desire for her would keep growing.
Nora took a sip of fresh creamed milk and said, “Papa, what do you say if we have a small picnic today.”
“You have your lessons,” Arthur reminded her gently. He opened the newspaper and started reading the headlines.
“I know that!” Nora said. “I just meant, what if we have an outdoor lesson for a change today? Miss Black and Mrs. Cooper can also accompany us. That way I won’t be missing my lessons.”
Arthur gave his daughter an amused smiled. “What kind of lessons are you expecting in the park? Assuming that’s where you want to go.”
“That’s a wonderful idea,” Nora said. Arthur shook his head. His clever daughter thought she would make him believe that it was all his idea. Unfortunately for her she had tried to pull a trick like this before.
“I know what you’re thinking, Nora, but it’s simply not going to work,” Arthur said. Besides, he was firm in his decision to stay away from Miss Black at all costs.
Last night he had barely been able to sleep. His pillows still smelled of her and the memory of her hot flesh and her pulsing core as he imprinted his fingers on her was unbearable. Arthur shuddered at the thought and then shook his head to clear it. He had gone without human contact too long and it was beginning to addle his head.
“Papa, please!” Nora pouted. “It’s my birthday next week.”
“Yes, it’s next week. Your point being?” Arthur asked. He knew Nora wasn’t going to give up so easily and he liked sparring with her in this manner.
