“Do you need help out of this dress?” he softly asked as he approached her.
Nodding, she turned her back to him, her face flushed with heat as his hands unbuttoned the back of her dress. It felt strange not having one of the servants do it, but it was a nice change at the same time. He was gentle and slow, taking his time as if she were fragile.
She held her breath as he finished and allowed the dress to slip off her shoulders and down to the floor.
“I’m not familiar with corsets or petticoats,” he whispered.
She pulled the strings of her corset, noting her trembling hands. Why was this easier when they were at the Davidsons’? Was it because they were already in bed and had time to prepare for this? Taking a deep breath, she removed the rest of her clothing, aware that he watched in the moonlight. She could feel the weight of his stare, as if his gaze had the power to touch her.
Self-conscious, she went to the bed and slipped under the covers, thankful for the reprieve from his intense stare. He followed her and slipped in next to her before she had the chance to settle into the comfortable mattress. The sheets and the pillow smelled of him. Masculine and clean.
When he gathered her in his arms, his warmth enveloped her, and she knew she was safe with him. He wouldn’t hurt her or force her. She lay in his arms, her head resting on his chest which was mostly smooth. A few fine hairs dusted the flat surface, and she lightly touched him, wondering if he’d let her explore him for a moment. And he did. He remained still for a good while, just holding her. He gently rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. She was grateful to him, for he was giving her time to adjust to him…and what was to come.
Her body gradually relaxed. Her breathing was still shaky but she was no longer trembling. She swallowed the lump in her throat and closed her eyes, engaging him in her senses. His touch, his smell, his patient breathing. She did want him. She wanted to do this with him. She lifted her head from his chest and looked at him.
He smiled at her.
“I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time,” she spoke, her voice low and uncertain. Her gaze lowered to where her hand remained on his chest.
“You’re with me now. That’s all that matters.”
Before she could respond, he kissed her. She thought he might start kissing her on her neck as he’d done before, but he didn’t. He let his lips linger on hers, and she enjoyed that. They spent a couple of minutes just kissing each other. Sometimes, he’d let his lips brush hers and at other times, his tongue would seek permission to interlace with hers. And as their kissing continued, her nerves eased and she became aware of a building tension settling between her thighs.
When he did end their kissing, she heard his raspy breathing and knew hers mirrored his. She groaned as he lowered his head and nibbled at her earlobe. The very tips of her toes tingled with delight. He rolled her onto her back and kissed her again; this time his lips were more demanding, but she felt the growing need swelling inside her so she liked his insistence.
He moved closer to her, pressing that male part of him against her thigh. Somehow, it seemed intimidating now that it was so close to her flesh. She forced aside her spike of apprehension as he caressed her breast. He still kissed her, and she heard his low groan as it rumbled from his throat.
He made her feel good. Her skin tingled with a desire for more of his touch and more of his kisses. He treated her as if she were precious, as if she were the most person in the world, and she realized that, to him, she was.
She readily parted her legs for him when his hand lowered to the mound of curls between them. She squeezed his biceps, willing him to continue so she’d know what his touch would feel like on her tender flesh. He obeyed her silent command and caressed her. She sighed and arched her back, opening herself up to the thrilling sensations that spread through her.
He stopped kissing her mouth and let his lips brush her neck. “How can I please you, Carrie? Tell me what to do.”
No longer shy, she took his hand and guided his fingers into her. His groan emboldened her, for she knew he liked this too. Then she took his thumb and moved it in deliberate circular motions on her sensitive nub.
“Yes,” she whispered and released his hand. “This feels good.”
He continued doing as she had instructed and she gave herself to the feel of it, letting her mind focus on the mounting pleasure coursing through her. Helen had told her if she relaxed and just felt, then she would be able to enjoy the physical peak that God gave to both men and women to experience. It was part of the blessing of the marital bed, and when her release came, Carrie silently thanked God for making her body able to receive such pleasure. As her flesh clenched around his fingers, she cried out, pressing him closer to her. Shortly afterwards, the peak faded into a lingering satisfied feeling.
“Make me your wife,” she whispered, still breathing hard.
He removed his hand and eased his body on top of hers. The tip of his erection pressed against her entrance, and she widened her legs and raised her hips to take him in. He moaned and pressed forward, tentative in his movement. She was a little tight, but for some reason, it felt both pleasurable and painful at the same time. She raised her hips and wiggled closer to him.
“I want you,” she murmured.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, his voice raspy.
“You aren’t.”
That seemed to be all the encouragement he needed, for then he thrust forward and she gasped. Even though it stung, it was wonderful too. He filled her, and she had never felt more feminine in her entire life. Wanting to give him the same pleasure he’d given her, she wrapped her legs around him, moving him deeper into her.
When he found his release, she held onto him, noting the way his muscles grew taut. After he collapsed in her arms, she kissed his neck. It was a wonderful experience, she realized, and it made her feel closer to him than she’d ever been with anyone in her entire life.
“I love you, Justin.”
Through his heavy breathing, he whispered, “I love you.”
And there they remained in each other’s arms, content to silently share the moment that bonded them as man and wife.
Chapter Twenty
In the morning the next day, Carrie went to visit Helen. She was surprised to see Mary and Mrs. Walker there. Mrs. Walker had brought her four sons over. She occasionally brought her children over so the nursing home residents could enjoy talking to them.
“What are you doing here?” Helen asked. “Shouldn’t you be enjoying your honeymoon?”
“Don’t worry, Helen. We won’t be getting an annulment.” Carrie blushed as she recalled the way she and Justin had made that official.
“If that’s true, then what are you doing back?” Mary wondered.
“Mr. and Mrs. Davidson turned out to be difficult people,” Carrie replied.
Helen cleared her throat. “You should show her your baby,” she told Mrs. Walker. “Who knows, Carrie? You could be pregnant this very instant and not know it.”
Carrie shook her head. “Really, Helen. Isn’t it enough that I’ve consummated my marriage?”
“Would you like to hold him?” Mrs. Walker offered.
“Yes, I would.” Carrie took the baby and smiled at him.
“Did you hear about Ryan?” Mrs. Walker asked her.
“No.” Carrie felt her blood turn cold. “What happened to him?” She couldn’t bring herself to ask if he was sick, or worse.
“Yesterday afternoon when the children were playing outside, he ran into the street. A man happened to be driving a buggy and didn’t see Ryan jump under it. Ryan’s alright but his ankle got crushed. He’ll have to go through life with a limp but he should be able to walk without a cane if he receives the proper help.”
“Is he in the hospital?”
“No,” Mrs. Walker answered. “He stayed at the orphanage. He’s still there if you want to see him. I’m sure he could use some cheering up.”
“I
’ll come with you,” Mary offered.
Carrie handed the baby back to his mother, said good-bye and walked to the orphanage with Mary. An idea came to her. “Mary, are you doing anything this afternoon?”
“No, I don’t have any plans after lunch. Do you have something in mind?”
“I was wondering if you would like to try one of Jim’s pizzas again? It would be a good snack before dinner.”
“He does make good pizzas. Alright.”
They passed by a baby furniture and clothing store and Carrie paused. “I wonder if Justin would be willing to adopt Ryan.”
“I think he’d be willing to, especially considering the fact that his uncle adopted him.”
Mary’s words broke Carrie out of her thoughts of what kind of crib and toys to buy Ryan. “Speaking of Ryan, we should go see him.”
***
Two hours later, Justin decided to go to his office. If he guessed right, his uncle would be there, and he could explain the promise he made to Carrie the night before. To his surprise, his uncle had been there the entire night and was carefully double checking all of their documents so they wouldn’t face the same situation that Mr. Allen, Mr. Rivers and Mr. Dean had.
Justin walked into his uncle’s office. “Don’t you ever sleep?”
Jonathan stopped reviewing the papers in front of him and looked at his nephew. “You weren’t supposed to come back for another week. What’s wrong?”
A grin crossed his face. “Nothing. Well, there was that catastrophe at the Davidsons’ house, but Carrie and I won’t be getting an annulment.”
“That explains the foolish smile on your face. But what happened with the Davidsons?”
Justin sat down and placed his briefcase on the floor. “Where do you want me to start?” When his uncle didn’t answer, he continued, “Harrison Jr. was there at the Davidson residence, which I didn’t find out until almost five in the morning when he knocked on my bedroom door. And he spent the day with me and Mr. Davidson. We sat for twelve hours in that forest because that persnickety old man didn’t find the deer that he wanted. Apparently, the animal had to be just right or he wasn’t interested, and he found something wrong with every single deer that popped up. Then I had a fistfight with Harrison and decided I had enough so I left and went back to his house. Apparently, Mrs. Davidson refused to be hospitable to Carrie when Carrie accidently broke a vase.”
The older man took a moment to absorb all the information. Finally, he said, “Don’t worry about Mr. Davidson. There are other clients, and as long as we keep a close eye on our paperwork, we should be alright. But you and Carrie are alright?”
“Yes, but I promised her that I wouldn’t go on any more weekend or overnight trips to a client’s house. I told her I would work regular business hours and only give or attend dinner parties.”
His uncle nodded. “For now on, if there’s an emergency meeting, I’ll go to it, and if the client wants you there, I’ll have to make it clear that your priorities lie with your wife, which is exactly where they should be. I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on you to bend over backwards for our clients. As of this very minute, that’s changing. If you tell Carrie you’re going to do something, do that before you do anything else. Always put her before work. Take it from me. You don’t want to end up forty-three and only have a pile of papers on your desk to show for those years you spent on Earth.”
Justin watched as his uncle returned to his paperwork. For the first time, he saw his uncle in a new light. He’d always thought of his uncle as a businessman and a father. But now, he realized his uncle longed for a good woman, just as he had. Not knowing what to say, he picked up his briefcase and left his uncle’s office.
The bell above the front door rang and Mary and her father walked into the building with a basket.
“Hello, Mr. Monroe,” Mary greeted when she saw him.
Justin didn’t hide his surprise that they were there. “Good morning.”
“I just saw Carrie. I’m sorry about the Davidsons.”
Justin shrugged. “Not all clients are logical.”
Jonathan walked out of his office and walked over to them. “I thought I heard some familiar voices,” he greeted. “Good morning, Mr. Duff, Miss Duff.”
Justin noticed Mary blush. “Good morning, Mr. Monroe.”
“We heard you’ve been stuffed up in here since yesterday afternoon and wanted to know if you could use a break,” Mr. Duff explained. “Mary made a lunch.”
“I just made the coffee cake. The cook did the rest,” she clarified.
Justin grinned. He suspected that his uncle and Mary got along very well when they played billiards at the restaurant, but he hadn’t thought anything would come of it. Apparently, her father approved of the match or else he wouldn’t have offered to act as their chaperone.
“That is very thoughtful of you,” Jonathan replied. “I could use a break. Justin, will you be joining us?”
“No. I need to take care of some work.” He motioned to his briefcase and went to his office.
***
Three hours later, Carrie led Mary to her home so Mary could meet Jim. But even as her thoughts were on matchmaking, she couldn’t get her mind off of Ryan. She had mentally planned out exactly what Ryan’s bedroom would look like and when she would take him to the park so he could play. Though he wouldn’t be running, she could help him adjust to walking with assistance, though for the time being, he would be in a stroller. Of course, that was if Justin agreed to adopt him. She really shouldn’t jump to conclusions, and yet, she had a feeling that Justin would be happy to adopt him.
When they reached her home, Carrie opened the door and motioned for Mary to follow her. “From the smell of it, I think Jim is making two pizzas. Louis is partial to the apple cinnamon one. When I first got here, I didn’t think those two would ever get along, but they’re like old friends. Even when Jim accidentally drops something, Louis doesn’t mind anymore. He just laughs the whole thing off. It’s a much nicer environment.”
“That’s good news.” Mary handed her the hat she was wearing.
After Carrie put their hats away, they went into the kitchen. She noticed that it was only Constance and Jim in the kitchen. “Constance, are you actually cooking?”
“I thought I would give it a try,” she said. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Monroe, Miss Duff.”
“Where are Geoffrey and Louis?”
“They’re at the grocery store picking out the menu for Wednesday evening.”
“Isn’t that the night when Mr. Jonathan Monroe is due to give the presentation for the annual proposal?” Mary asked.
“It is. Mr. Monroe writes it and his uncle presents it,” Constance responded. “Thank goodness it only happens once a year. It’s a stressful time for the chefs to prepare meals catered specifically for each client’s taste buds.”
“They don’t eat the same thing?” Carrie wondered.
“Some clients are pickier than others, so Louis has to make separate dishes for about a fourth of the clients.”
“Would Mr. Tyndall be on that list?” Mary inquired.
“Yes. He has to have his steak medium rare, and if it’s cooked too much, he makes Louis and the chefs Louis hires for that night miserable. I won’t even discuss what happened three years ago.”
Turning her attention to Jim, Carrie asked, “What type of pizza are you making today?”
“I’m helping Constance make the vegetable one,” he replied.
“Jim only uses the freshest ingredients in his pizzas,” she told Mary. “He has a real heart for people. He wants only the best for them. Such a man would make a good husband.”
“That’s nice,” Mary uneasily stated.
“So, anyway, I believe that besides cooking, Jim also likes riding horses. He has a great sense of humor and tells some good jokes. Jim, why don’t you share one of your jokes with us?”
“Um, Carrie,” Mary spoke up. “May I speak to you in the parlor?”
Surprised, Carrie nodded and followed her friend to her parlor. “What is it?”
“I thought you knew that I have become fond of Jonathan.”
“You are fond of Justin’s uncle?”
“Yes.” She shrugged. “I got a chance to talk to him that day we were at the restaurant with the billiards room. He’s quite handsome and fun.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to wait and see if anything came of it first. I suspect he’s going to ask me if he can court me, but until he actually does, I can’t be certain.”
“Wow. Where have I been for the past week?”
Mary smiled. “Apparently, Justin occupied your thoughts more than you let on.”
Apparently. Carrie returned her friend’s smile. “Then you might get married?”
“I’m still waiting for the courtship first.”
“If you marry Jonathan, you’ll be my aunt.”
“Let’s not discuss that yet. Like I said, I need to see if he wants to court me first.”
“Alright.”
Mary looked at the clock. “I better get home.”
After Carrie showed her out, she returned to the kitchen. “So, can I help make a pizza too?” she asked.
Jim smiled. “Sure. Roll up your sleeves and I’ll teach you what I know.”
She did as instructed. She and Constance rolled out their dough. “Are we going to eat all of these pizzas?” she wondered.
Constance chuckled. “Mine may not be edible when it’s done. I burnt a bowl of soup one time. It stuck to the pan. I didn’t realize liquids could evaporate when left to boil too long.”
The doorbell chimed.
“I better get that.” Constance wiped her hands on her apron before she went to get the front door.
“I think I’m ready for the sauce,” Carrie announced. “What ingredients do I mix together?”
The Cold Wife Page 19
