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Chapter 35
Alexander stretched languorously, reaching for the woman at his side before he had even opened his eyes. Hiswife, he thought in wonder for the thousandth time. He had never imagined it would feel so natural and normal to wake up beside the same woman, day after day.
To his great surprise, he quite liked being a married man. He liked it very much indeed.
Olivia was still asleep. He heard the soft regular intake of her breath. He sat up, gazing down upon her as she slept. Her dark curls were rumpled, spilling over the white pillow beneath her head. In repose she looked younger than she was. Her long dark eyelashes curled luxuriously. He reached out, lightly touching them with one finger, noting the tint of gold at the very tip of them.
He was hardening just looking at her. But that was not unusual. It seemed that his thirst for her was never ending—that it was a deep well that never ran dry. Their lovemaking was every bit as scorching and thrilling as he had anticipated, and it only got better with time. A fact that was an immense relief. It would have been tragic if their connection had sparked briefly then fizzled out entirely.
She sighed, turning to her side, so that her head was lying right next to his chest. Tenderness filled him. She was as feisty as ever, but also so very sweet, and he found her altogether delightful. The four weeks of their marriage had been a revelation to him. To his surprise, he wanted to be with her all the time. Not just when they retired to their chambers.
His heart twisted as he gazed at her. Against the odds, it had been wonderful. But his old restlessness was rearing its head again. He was bored. The Earl was trying his hardest to fill his days with duties and activities, to ease him into the life of an aristocrat, but it was not very stimulating.
Often, he found himself dreaming of his life at sea. And the voyage to the Caribbean could not be delayed much longer. Either he captained theMary Elizabethhimself or he must find someone else to do it.
He needed to talk to her about it. But he had not been able to find the words.
He sighed, staring at her perfect face. It was so hard to tell with her. Sometimes, he caught her staring at him, with a yearning expression upon her face. As soon as she noticed him looking, it would change. It was like she was suddenly shutting a book.
Her eyelids fluttered open. She was awake. He was staring into those arresting ice blue eyes. His loins stirred again, but he ignored it. It could wait. He wanted to talk to her now about what he was going to do. Whether he was going to captain theMary Elizabethor whether she would set sail without him. It could not wait any longer.
“Good morning,” he whispered, leaning over, and kissing her lightly on the forehead. “You look so adorable rumpled with sleep.”
She smiled, stretching. He tried not to notice her full breasts moving enticingly beneath the white sheet.
She sat up, running a hand through her dishevelled dark curls, pushing them off her face. “I wonder what the time is. Will the servants be in soon to rouse us?”
“Maybe,” he said, his heart starting to pound. “Olivia… there is something I must speak with you about. Something important.”
Her face changed. “I see. What is it?”
He bit his lip, trying to think of a way to say it without rousing that temper of hers. Olivia’s moods were often mercurial, and she could switch from sunny to stormy and back again in the blink of an eye. He had learnt to tread carefully with her. There was only so much teasing she would take.
“TheMary Elizabethis due to sail to the Caribbean soon,” he said. “The voyage cannot be delayed much longer. I am still in two minds as to whether to captain her myself or get someone else to do it for me.”
There. He had said it. He held his breath, waiting for her response.
She gazed at him steadily. “You want to captain the ship? You want to sail off to the Caribbean?”
He sighed heavily. “I must admit the thought is tempting,” he said, not looking her in the eye. “I was always planning on making the trip. But I would not do it without your approval, of course. I do not want to upset you…”
“Upset me?” Her voice was sharp. “Why should it upset me? You are a sea captain. You run a business. Just because you will become the Earl of Weaver one day does not change that fact, does it?”
He was taken aback. “No, I hoped that it would not. But it is not as clear cut now, is it? We are married. Apart from the fact that your grandfather might be disappointed in me for seemingly running away.”
Her face hardened. “Grandpapa will understand. You had a life before he found you and made you his heir. He cannot expect that you will drop everything because of it.” She took a deep breath. “If you want to go, then go. No one here shall stand in your way.”
He smiled weakly. She was giving her approval. And yet, he could sense the anger, thrumming like the plucked strings of a harp. She was not happy about what he was proposing, despite her words.
“Are you sure?” He looked at her uncertainly. “I have not made a final decision about it. I just wanted to get your thoughts on the matter.” He hesitated, feeling out of his depth. “If you truly do not wish me to go, I can make other arrangements.”
But her face was emotionless. The soft expression in her eyes when she had first awoken and seen him had fled. To his chagrin, she pulled away from him, getting out of the bed. He reached out a hand, trying to stop her.
“Wait,” he whispered, staring at her ardently. “It is still very early. We do not have to get up quite yet. There is time.”
She gazed at him steadily. Her eyes were cold. “I have a busy morning, Alexander. I should arise. And so should you. Grandpapa wants to take you to the stables this morning. Remember?”
He nodded. “I do remember. But that is not until mid-morning.” He hesitated. “Come back to bed. Just for a little while.” He was already missing her body.
