The Earl's Inconvenient Wife

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “Really?”

  She nodded. “I would have gotten my mother, but she was clear across the room, and I knew I’d faint if I didn’t get outside soon.”

  “Oh.” So that’s why she’d been holding the column. She was supporting herself, and that meant she hadn’t been out there in hopes of getting a titled gentleman to notice her. “I’m sorry I assumed the worst that night.”

  She smiled at him then, and for the life of him, he couldn’t remember where they were. The rest of the world faded away, and all he could think of was how beautiful she looked. He reached out and touched her hair, noting its silky texture. Though her cheeks grew pink, she didn’t look away from him as he ran his fingers through her hair in an attempt to comb it out so her waves framed her face.

  “You’re beautiful,” he murmured, grateful it hadn’t worked out with the Duke of Rumsey’s daughter after all. Lady Catherine might have been pleasant enough, but he doubted he would have enjoyed being with her the same way he was enjoying his time with his wife. “I was wrong about you,” he added, finally making eye contact with her. “You aren’t the person I thought you were. I’m sorry I gave you so much grief when we first married.”

  Her smile widened, and in that instant, he knew everything was going to be good for them. She wouldn’t hold a grudge. She was offering a chance to start over, and he appreciated that. He cupped the side of her face in his hand and leaned forward so he could kiss her. Her lips were as soft and warm as he remembered, but this kiss was much better than the one they’d shared on their wedding night. This time she wasn’t drunk. She knew what she was doing, and she was choosing to do it with him.

  In fact, she settled against him, her body pressing nicely against his. Still clasping the pins in his hand, he brought his arms around her and deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, seeming to melt in his embrace, something he rather liked. She was giving herself willingly to him, and he appreciated it.

  He traced her lower lip with his tongue, and she parted her lips for him. Accepting her silent invitation, he interlaced his tongue with hers, savoring the taste of her. The kiss excited him to the point where he thought his heart might burst. He couldn’t recall a time when he felt as if he was losing control of everything but knowing he was safe at the same time.

  When their kiss ended, he continued to hold her. Her head settled on his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head, noting the sweet fragrance of her soap. “May I call you Claire?”

  “You have been all along,” she murmured.

  “Yes, but I want to call you by your Christian name as a term of endearment from now on.”

  She nodded. “I’d like that. Can I call you by your Christian name?”

  “Yes. It’s Nathaniel, but I like to be called Nate.”

  “I like the name Nate. It suits you.”

  Smiling, he kissed the top of her head again. After a few moments passed, he reluctantly pulled away from her. “Are you ready to draw another picture?”

  She nodded and retrieved her drawing pad and the flower. This time he watched her as she drew, and as much as he couldn’t figure out what image she had in mind, he noted her intense focus as she worked. She might not have a talent for art, but he admired her dedication to doing her best.

  When she was done, she positioned the pad so he got a good look at it. “What do you think it is?”

  He honestly had no idea. It looked like a mix between a dog, a bunch of circles, and a portion of a house. He took a deep breath, and hoping not to upset her, ventured, “Is it a dog?”

  She glanced down at her drawing. “A dog? How can you see a dog in this picture?”

  So it wasn’t a dog. He couldn’t be surprised. The long nose might have belonged to a horse. It would also explain the partial house and circles.

  Before he could guess it was a horse, she sighed and said, “It’s you.”

  “Me?”

  “I thought it’d be fun to try drawing you. I’ve never drawn a person before.” Her disappointment gave way to a grin. “I told you I’m not good at drawing. I want to know how well you can draw, and for my part of telling you what to do, I want you to draw this.” She handed him the pad and the wildflower.

  “Wouldn’t you rather have me kiss you?”

  Her face grew pink. “Maybe next time, but I’m interested in what you can do.”

  Amused, he brought his attention back to the pad and looked at what was supposed to be his face. He rubbed his nose. It wasn’t that big, was it?

  She closed the space between them and all thoughts about how big she thought his nose was flew from his mind. Instead, he became aware of how nice she felt against him. Yes, sitting close like this was much better than sitting apart. Smiling, he went to a clean piece of paper and did his best to draw the flower. To his surprise, it didn’t look too bad.

  “You draw better than I do,” she noted, a slight disappointment in her voice.

  “If I can’t be as pretty as you, I might as well draw better,” he teased.

  Her gaze met his and she laughed. Taking that as his cue, he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her once more, and as he expected, the rest of the world faded into the background once again.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The day had been such a pleasant one, and Claire hated to return to the house. Outside, while taking a pleasant stroll, noting the flowers, and drawing with her husband, it was easy to forget how tense things had been since she married him. This was a new side of him, one she hoped to see more often.

  It wasn’t that he’d been cruel to her before, but he hadn’t taken the time to get to know her, to realize she wasn’t the person he assumed her to be. And now he was taking that time, something that thrilled her to no end. If only the day would last forever.

  After they ate dinner, they relaxed on the settee in the drawing room, enjoying a hot cup of tea. He sat close to her, something that made her heart flutter with nervous excitement. Though she sipped her drink, she hardly tasted the liquid.

  Once he finished his tea, he leaned back and rubbed her back. “Tell me about yourself, Claire. What do you like? What do you not like? I already know you like to draw.”

  “Yes, you’ve seen me do my best, though no one would know it to look at it,” she mused and sipped more of her tea.

  He chuckled. “You draw fine.”

  “You’re only saying that to be nice.”

  “I believe that, as your husband, I have a right to be nice when I look at your drawings.”

  “As long as you don’t show them to anyone.”

  “If I told you I knew someone who could put one in a museum, would you be alarmed?”

  She gave him a sharp look, knowing full well he’d have to be daft to consider such a thing, but then she caught the sparkle in his eye and realized he was teasing. Forcing back a grin, she admonished, “And to think Lord Clement accused you of not knowing how to tell a joke.”

  “You can’t believe what he says. The poor man has this ridiculous notion that ladies run away from him whenever he’s around. He seems to think he sprouted a second head instead of having a simple limp.”

  She giggled and put her cup on the tray. “That’s not nice, Lord Roderick. He holds you in high esteem.”

  Slipping his arm around her waist, he drew her close to him and kissed her cheek. “You can’t fault him for having good taste. He might not have told you this, but he wishes he was me.”

  Playfully swatting his arm, she laughed. “I didn’t mean to imply he wants to be like you.”

  “He does. Even if he doesn’t say it, he does. It’s been like that ever since we were children. He spent his whole life living in my shadow, trying to be like me.” He shrugged. “What am I supposed to do? Tell him the truth? That he’s doomed to be second best?”

  “You’re a horrible friend,” she teased.

  He shot her a wicked grin. “No. I just want to be sure you don’t think you married the wrong gentleman.” After he ki
ssed her, he added, “What I have to say is for your ears only. Don’t go spreading it around.”

  Intrigued, she nodded.

  “The truth is, I admire him. Despite what he thinks, he attracts people, even ladies, because of his natural enthusiasm for life. He’s the kind of person people want to be friends with, and he always finds a positive way to look at things. And better yet, no matter what happens, he’s there to lend a helping hand. Few gentlemen are better than him.”

  Touched, she smiled and snuggled against him. “That’s a beautiful sentiment.”

  “Which is why you’ll understand no one must ever know I said it.”

  “I’m sure he knows.”

  “Maybe.”

  “How did you two meet?”

  “In school, I was quiet. I spent most of my time reading, and some of the children were giving me a hard time. Perry stood up for me.” Giving her a wink, he added, “And he’s been clinging to me ever since.” He gave her a light squeeze. “What about you? What was it like for you while you were growing up?”

  “Good. Even though I wasn’t good at it, my favorite lessons were painting and drawing. Lilly preferred to play the piano, which she was good at. She still likes to play it from time to time, mostly when people come by to visit. I got along with others, but Lilly was my dearest friend.”

  He rubbed her back and smiled. “And your parents are staying in London until she finds a husband?”

  “Yes. They’re hoping they won’t have to give her a third Season.”

  He finished drinking his tea and held onto the cup while studying her. “While we’re in London, we’ll have your family to our home for dinner. I should get to know them better, and it’d be good for you to see them before we return to Weston. We’ll visit them after we return here, of course, but it won’t be more than a couple times a year. But with any luck, you’ll be preoccupied with a child soon enough, and you won’t be bored anymore.”

  “I’m not bored now that you’re here, but it’ll be nice to have a child.”

  “I’d like to have a child, too.” He brushed her cheek with his fingers, his touch making her skin tingle in delight. “Would it be forward of me to ask if I can come to your bedchamber tonight?”

  Despite her apprehension about being in bed with him, she shyly said, “You can come to my room.”

  He lowered his head and kissed her, his lips soft and warm on hers. When he ended the kiss, he smiled at her. “Would you like to take another walk? We could watch the sunset.”

  “That’d be lovely.”

  He helped her stand up, and together, they left the drawing room to enjoy more time outside before it got dark.

  ***

  It occurred to Nate that going to his wife’s bedchamber that night might be rushing the newfound intimacy they’d found, but when he asked her if he could, she welcomed him. And after having read Lord Edon’s book and spending the day kissing her, he didn’t have the kind of restraint required to wait for another day before he asked to be with her in bed.

  Before he went to her bedchamber, he took the time to slip into his nightclothes and, though he’d rather die than admit it, took out Lord Edon’s book from his cabinet to review the section that explained, in surprising detail, how he could ease Claire into the consummation of their marriage.

  When he was confident he could remember what to do and in what order he needed to do it, he closed the book and placed it back in the safe. Straightening up, he adjusted his robe and left his room. He could have used the door adjoining their rooms, but she wasn’t expecting him from there and he didn’t want to alarm her. So he went down the hallway and knocked on her door.

  He expected her to call him in, but she opened the door, and this time there was no decanter full of sherry to get drunk from. She wore a long robe that covered her from her neck to her ankles, but even so, the candlelight revealed more details in her figure than her day clothes did. He took in the round curve of her breasts and nice shape of her hips. The fact that he was about to see her without her robe excited him to no end, but he refused to rush it. The book insisted he take things slowly.

  As she closed the door, he cleared his throat. “Are you nervous?”

  She offered a shy smile and nodded. “I know. It’s silly. But being this is our first time, I don’t know what to expect.”

  “You finally believe me when I said nothing happened on our wedding night?”

  “If we had, you would have told me today while you were telling me everything else. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

  He reached for her hand and drew her close to him. “You have nothing to worry about. I won’t do anything to hurt you.”

  She cleared her throat. “Should we go over to the bed or do we need to do something else first?”

  He gave her a kiss. “Did you need to do anything? Like brushing your hair or some other thing ladies do before they go to sleep?”

  Her eyebrows rose in amusement. “You came in here so we could go to sleep?”

  Delighted she was quick on her feet with a clever response, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and took her to the bed where the covers were pulled back. Though he sensed a slight unease in her movements, she slipped off her robe, and he was surprised she didn’t wear anything underneath. Sure, when she was drunk, he understood why she removed everything in front of him. People did things they wouldn’t normally do while drunk, but she did it while she wasn’t drunk and that told him she trusted him, something he didn’t take for granted.

  Not knowing what else to do, he followed her lead and removed his robe and nightclothes. He slipped under the covers with her and drew her into his arms. Her flesh was soft and warm, her arms welcoming him as she embraced him. It seemed natural to start with a kiss, so lowered his head and brought his lips to hers. Despite her hesitation, she responded to him. In short time, he noticed her relax. Her muscles weren’t as tense as before, and she was growing more responsive to his kiss.

  He parted his lips, and this time, she followed suit, inviting him into her mouth. His tongue brushed her lips before he interlaced his tongue with hers. Kissing her was quickly becoming his favorite activity. He’d kissed her throughout the day, mindful to wait until they were alone before doing more. They’d spent the majority of the day either outside or in the drawing room which seemed to be her favorite places. And now as he was kissing her, the patience in their kisses from earlier was quickly giving way to the more insistent passions that had been lurking beneath the surface.

  He became aware of her breasts which felt heavenly against his chest, the curve of her waist and hip as he ran his hand down her body, and the way her flesh cushioned his arousal. Recalling Lord Edon’s book, he restrained his urge to rush things and slowed his exploration of her body. He brought his hand up her back and caressed her neck and shoulders to further relax her. It worked. She melted against him.

  He ended the kiss and lowered his head so he could kiss her neck and ear. She let out a contented sigh and wiggled against him, signaling that she was enjoying what he was doing. Encouraged, he continued kissing her neck as his hand went from her shoulder to her breast. Excitement surged through him as he cupped her breast in his hand and brushed her nipple. She shivered so he did it again and was rewarded with a low moan.

  Recalling the book he’d read, he spent considerable time touching and kissing her. He explored her entire body, running his hands along her arms, her breasts, her abdomen, her legs, and her feet. The book recommended avoiding the area between her legs until he’d massaged the other areas of her body, and he was determined to focus on doing everything the book said, even if a part of him was getting impatient.

  From time to time as he ran his hands along her body, he’d glance at her face to judge how much pleasure she was deriving from what he was doing. While he didn’t completely understand why her expression seemed to fluctuate from pleasure to pain, he was reassured that she was enjoying what he was doing by the way she gripped the bed
sheets.

  He turned his attention back to her legs, massaging her calves and then he rubbed her feet, trying to remember the areas that were best to focus on. When he knelt between her legs, he kissed the back of her knees and the inside of her thighs, all too aware of the woman’s flesh that beckoned to him. At such close proximity, he couldn’t resist the chance to study it, and he shifted so that he got a good view of her in the candlelight.

  He unwittingly thought of the beauty she found in flowers, but he much preferred her body to them. Her scent and the way she looked and felt were much better. He thought to tell her this but decided he’d better not in case he distracted her. As it was, she was caught up in the moment, which was exactly where he wanted her.

  He got up on his hands and knees and shifted so that he was next to her. He brought his lips to hers as his hand settled between her legs. She parted her legs for him, allowing him the chance to finally explore her as he’d been eager to do since he’d seen her naked on their wedding night. He brushed her entrance, taking note of her swollen flesh before he entered her, using one finger to detect how wet she was. To his satisfaction, she easily received him, her body pulling him in deeper. He slid in another finger and she moved her hips and groaned.

  Ending their kiss, he kissed her neck and then traveled lower until his mouth was on the breast closest to him. He centered on her nipple and traced it with his tongue. She gasped and clutched his shoulders. Surprised that his tongue should elicit such a strong reaction, he traced her nipple again and was rewarded with an impatient groan.

  His fingers continued to stroke her, and he slipped another finger in, this time noting the virginal part of her. He gently worked on stretching her out while he continued to tease her nipple. From her reaction, he thought teasing her nipple was a good way to distract her from his efforts on getting her ready for him.

  When he realized she was as ready for him as she was going to get, he moved his thumb over her sensitive nub. The book said she’d be most likely to climax if he could stroke it long enough, and if she could climax, then she’d be further relaxed. He finally found it after what was beginning to seem like a futile search, not that she seemed to mind since she grew more vocal in expressing her pleasure. But it would have been embarrassing if he hadn’t found it, so he was relieved when he did. It’d be best if she assumed he knew exactly what he was doing, after all.