He made no move to reach for the spoon she held out to him, and he noticed her cheeks turn a delicate shade of pink. Selena scooped a spoonful of the custard and held it up to his lips. She felt her stomach flutter as she watched his mouth close around the spoon.
Her gaze was captured by his, and her breath caught in her throat. That heat was glowing in his hazel eyes once again, and she knew with sudden clarity that he wanted more than just custard.
They were separated by the tray sitting between them, but she remembered what it felt like to be pressed against him, and she cleared her throat nervously as she looked back down at the dish. She shared the remainder of the custard with him, careful not to meet his eye.
When it was finished, Selena rose and picked up the tray. “Thank you for lunch. I’m going to return this to the kitchen.”
She left without another word, and when the door had closed behind her, she drew a deep breath for the first time in several minutes. Her husband was a handsome devil, and she was finding it more and more difficult to resist his charm. He had made no effort to hide his lust, and if she wasn’t careful, she would soon find herself warming his bed. She smiled secretly as she nibbled at her bottom lip. There were, after all, worse things that could happen.
The remainder of the day passed without incident. Selena took a nap in the afternoon, more from boredom than from a need to rest. She awoke late in the evening, and was surprised to see Liam sitting on the foot of the bed, scribbling in a small notebook. She rose on one elbow and rubbed her eyes.
“What time is it?” she asked, her voice still husky from sleep.
Liam smiled at her. He liked the way she looked when her hair was mussed. “It’s almost eight o’clock.”
“Eight o’clock?” she asked. “Why did you let me sleep so long? Did you have dinner?”
He merely shrugged. “Not yet. I figured you were tired, so I asked the cook to save us a tray. I preferred to dine with you.”
Selena stood up, brushing her skirts down and running a hand over her hair. She turned away, feeling self-conscious. “The cook must think I’m terribly lazy.”
Liam gave a warm chuckle and laid his notebook aside. He rose to stand just behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. His self control was sorely strained by the sight of her looking so tempting.
“I doubt it, Selena. The crew is aware that we are newlyweds. The cook probably thinks that fulfilling your wifely duties has left you more tired than usual.”
As he said the words, he traced the side of her neck with his fingers. Tiny shivers of excitement rippled through her, and when she spoke, Selena’s voice came out as a breathless whisper.
“Well, we should go and eat. You must be starving.”
“As a matter of fact, I am,” he murmured.
Liam slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him as he began to nibble the area beneath her ear. His lips were warm and firm on her skin, and a shiver of delight raced up Selena’s spine. Sensing her response, he grew bolder, sliding one hand up to cup her breast. He kneaded the firm mound, inwardly smiling when her nipple hardened beneath his touch.
When she turned her head to look at him from over her shoulder, he didn’t miss the opportunity to claim her parted lips. The kiss was like setting sparks to dry tinder.
Without really thinking, Liam began to unfasten the tiny buttons of her bodice, and he was surprised by the clumsiness of his fingers. He had undressed a fair number of women, but he had never been quite so anxious to accomplish the task. He finally managed to open her dress to the waist, and he reached inside the neckline of her chemise to cup her naked breast in his palm, glorying in the smooth perfection of the orb.
Selena gasped and drew back from the kiss, looking up at him with wide eyes. Her entire awareness was riveted on his lean fingers. He captured her startled gaze as he rolled her nipple between his thumb and fingers. Desire flared in the pit of her belly, and she instinctively arched her back, pressing her breast more firmly into his hand.
Liam felt his self control slip another notch, and he was suddenly desperate to view his wife without the benefit of her clothes. He devoured her lips once more as he slipped the dress off her shoulders and down her arms. She didn’t protest as he pushed it over her hips and let it drop to the floor.
Breaking the kiss, Liam grasped Selena by the shoulders and turned her to face him, waiting until her eyes fluttered open to meet his. He was aching to have her, but he didn’t want to proceed if she wasn’t in agreement. He had to know before he went any further. His self-control was already hanging by a thread.
“I want you,” he murmured, stealing her breath with the boldness of his gaze as it roamed her meagerly clad breasts.
Selena could only manage a shaky whisper. “What about our agreement? If we consummate the vows, you’ll be stuck with me as your wife. Is that what you really want?”
Liam was having a hard time concentrating on her words, watching in fascination as he ran a thumb over the impudent tip of her breast and saw it harden into an even tighter bud.
“All I know is that I want you, and I can’t see any way I’ll be able to resist you for the next several months. You’re desirable enough to tempt a saint.”
“And that saint would be you I suppose?” she asked with a smile and a skeptical eyebrow lifted.
Liam shrugged helplessly. “I’m no saint, Selena. I’m just a man, with a man’s needs and desires.”
Selena’s thoughts were a confused jumble. She wished that she had more time to make a rational decision. Her parents had shared a love that was strong and lasting. Selena wanted nothing less for herself, and she thought that there was the potential for that kind of love to grow between her and Liam. However, she didn’t know the best way to encourage love to blossom.
If she refused Liam, would he be angry with her and possibly harden his heart against her? If she accepted him, would he resent her after the fact and blame her for trapping him into an unwanted marriage? It really came down to a leap of faith. If she took the next step, she had to trust that physical intimacy would lead to a deeper emotional bond between them.
Taking a deep breath for courage, Selena reached up and kissed him, tentatively at first, then with more assurance. His arms tightened around her, and they feasted. She felt tiny and fragile in his arms, but the contrast of her softness and his strength thrilled her. She wound her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with eager abandon.
Her response ignited Liam’s senses, and he devoured her soft lips, tasting them thoroughly before moving on to the delicate line of her jaw. He traced the graceful column of her neck and nibbled on her shoulder before venturing to her bosom. He suckled one hardened nipple through the thin fabric of her chemise.
Selena gasped from the shocking heat of his tongue. That heat was converted into molten hot desire that coursed through her to settle in the pit of her belly. She clutched his head against her in a wordless plea for more.
Liam lifted her onto the bed and stood staring down at her as he quickly removed his shirt, boots and socks before joining her on the mattress. Propping on one elbow, he skimmed his fingers almost reverently over her breast. “You’re beautiful,” he breathed.
“So are you,” Selena whispered. She tentatively traced the width of his shoulders and ran her fingers through the light sprinkling of crinkly hairs on his chest before meeting his eyes. “Are you sure this is what you want? Just yesterday you said you didn’t want to be stuck with me for a wife.”
Embarrassed by how quickly he had changed his mind, Liam kissed her to avoid giving an answer. He did his best to distract her, ravishing her senses with increasingly explicit caresses as he devoured her lips. Selena refused to be put off so easily. She used her arms to brace against his chest and insisted that he meet her eye.
“Liam, please answer me. Once we do this, there can be no going back. Are you sure you want me as your wife? Are you certain you won’t regret this tomorrow?”
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Liam’s desire had reached a fever pitch, and his erection was throbbing painfully. In his impatience to have her, he gave the answer of a fool. “I don’t know how I’ll feel tomorrow, but I’m sure that I want you right now! What’s done is done. We might as well accept it and make the best of our situation.”
His careless words cut Selena to the quick, and she froze for a brief moment before she gave a small cry and shoved against him. She scrambled away and hopped off the bed to clutch her dress protectively in front of her.
“Get out!” When Liam made no move to comply but lay staring at her with his mouth open, she stamped her foot in fury. “Get out so I can have some privacy to get dressed!”
“Selena, wait a minute. I didn’t mean . . .”
“I know exactly what you meant.” Selena’s voice trembled with anger and hurt as she glared at him. “You were planning on amusing yourself with me since there’s no one better around. You obviously think I really am just some cheap little strumpet you can use whenever you like.”
Liam’s own anger was building, helped in large part by his frustration, and he stood up to place his hands on his hips as he scowled at her. “Now wait just a minute. I’m making willing to make a commitment here, to be a true husband to you.”
“Well forgive me for not having a lot of faith in your commitments. They seem to change from day to day. Just yesterday, you were committed to a marriage in name only!”
“Why you little tease,” Liam growled, towering over her. His eyes raked her with scorn as they dropped to her heaving bosom. “You never intended to go through with this. You just wanted to see my reaction. You flaunt yourself in front of me, doing your best to get my blood heated, and then you criticize me for having the desires of a normal man.”
Selena gasped with indignation, and punctuated her next words by poking him repeatedly in the chest. “I’m not the one who started this. You always blame me for things that aren’t my fault.”
“Oh I don’t think you’ve taken the blame for nearly enough,” Liam hissed as he snatched his shirt from the floor and began putting it on. “I was doing just fine until you came along. Since I met you, I haven’t had a moment’s peace.”
“Oooh,” she screeched. “I have no idea what made me think you were a decent, trustworthy man. I couldn’t have found a more obnoxious, ill-mannered, selfish person to travel with if I had gone to the farthest corners of the earth!”
Selena was grateful Liam had finally finished buttoning his shirt. His naked chest had been much too disconcerting.
“It feels like I’ve already traveled to the farthest corner of the earth with you,” Liam ground out as he donned his socks and yanked on his boots. “By the time we get to Oregon, it will surely seem as if I’ve been to the farthest corners of hell with you.”
Selena pinned him with a narrow-eyed glare. “Then you should be grateful that I’ve just saved you from having to spend the rest of your life with me. Now get out!”
Liam slammed the door so hard the walls shook, and heedless of who might be watching, he stalked down the hall. His wife was the most infuriating woman he had ever had the misfortune to meet. His wife! The words were bitter gall. He must be some kind of fool to have landed in this mess.
The steamship was much too small to provide enough distance between him and Selena, and he soon found he had reached the end of his tether at the back of the boat. As he stared out into the darkness, his aggravation coiled and knotted in the pit of his belly. He hadn’t experienced this kind of sexual frustration since he had been a blushing schoolboy.
Over the next two hours, Liam’s resolve hardened into granite. He wouldn’t give Selena the satisfaction of leading him around by the nose. If the temptation became too great, he would just have to look elsewhere for relief, but there would be a blizzard in Hades before he would try to bed his wife again!
Liam returned to the cabin, intent on giving Selena a piece of his mind, but when he opened the door and stalked inside, he nearly tripped over her. She had made a pallet on the floor and was lying on her side, fast asleep. He ground his teeth to keep from yelling at her and closed the door with a loud click.
He kicked his boots in the corner and flung his shirt onto the floor as he undressed for bed. He made no attempt to be quiet. He stripped off the last of his clothes and turned down the lantern before plopping onto the bed, causing the small frame to creak in protest. He tossed and turned, finally facing the wall and punching the hard pillow into a ball beneath his head.
Selena lay still, praying he would think she was asleep, as she silently seethed. The inconsiderate oaf could rot before she would show him one bit of tenderness. The only feeling that rivaled her fury was the deep wound to her pride.
When she thought about how she had almost given herself to him, she felt like she would shrivel up and die of shame. Well, so much for a deeper emotion growing between them! The only emotion she felt for him in that moment was supreme disgust.
She wasn’t some plaything, available to appease him whenever he felt an itch! She was a lady, someone to be cherished and loved, and starting tomorrow, she would see to it that he understood that!
Neither of them slept well that night, and they were both keenly aware of the other one tossing and turning. Exhaustion finally won out, and they succumbed to its effects.
Selena was the first to wake the next morning. She grimaced, stretching to ease the aches and pains that resulted from sleeping on the floor. She wished she hadn’t been so adamant about taking turns on the hard surface. It would have served Liam right to give up his bed, the scoundrel!
She folded the blanket she had slept in and stacked it neatly on the shelf. The first rays of the rising sun were shining through the small window, casting a deep rose hue across the bed and its occupant.
Selena eyed Liam with contempt as he slept, but she reluctantly had to admire her husband’s fine looks. His face looked almost boyish in repose, and there was a thick growth of stubble sprouting along his jaw. He lay on his back with one arm flung over his head and the other draped across his thigh. The blanket covered him to the waist, but one calf and foot had been thrown from beneath the cloth. Selena took advantage of his slumber to look more closely at him.
She admired the masculine grace of his foot before her eyes skimmed up his strong calf covered with tawny hair. She could make out the clear outline of his thighs beneath the blanket, and she knew them to be well-formed by the way his breeches fit him.
Noticing the prominent bulge of his manhood, Selena’s cheeks burned, and she quickly moved her gaze upward. She was fascinated by the line of hair trailing up from his groin to eventually join with the other springy hairs on his chest. She remembered the feeling of those hairs tickling against her, and she blushed even more.
She couldn’t help but appreciate the rippling muscles of his torso and arms, and her eyes traced every sinew to the tips of his lean fingers. His hands, while beautiful to her, had calluses from his labors. Although she was loath to admit it, he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
She took special care to dress silently so she wouldn’t wake him. Liam had seen quite enough of her body, and Selena was determined not to give him any more glimpses. She slipped her pantalets on under her nightgown and turned her back before dropping the gown to don her chemise. She hurriedly fastened the garment before stepping into her dress and buttoning up the front. She cast frequent glances over her shoulder to ensure that Liam wasn’t spying on her, but he remained deeply asleep and facing toward the wall.
When Selena was once again fully clothed, she unbraided her hair and brushed it quickly into some semblance of order. She didn’t bother with braiding it again, but instead wound it into a soft knot at her crown and secured the ends with the handful of pins she had. Without the benefit of a mirror, she had to assume that she looked presentable.
Finally, she slipped on her stockings and scooped up her shoes before she tiptoed to the door. She cast one fin
al glare at Liam before closing the door behind her without a sound.
Chapter Four
Liam smiled in his sleep, enjoying his dream. Selena was there, naked and willing in his arms, and he was anxious to enjoy all she was offering him. He savored the creamy perfection of her skin as he nibbled at her throat and caressed her hip. Her smile was inviting as she rubbed her breasts against his chest and whispered a bold invitation in his ear.
Liam groaned with pleasure, and the sound woke him abruptly. He scowled fiercely down at his throbbing erection, as if that part of his anatomy were a separate entity and he judged it to be a traitor to his cause. He gritted his teeth in frustration and tossed a glare at the floor, only to find Selena was gone.
“Damn!” he swore violently, scrambling up from the bed.
Liam noticed her blanket folded neatly on the shelf and her suitcase still in its spot. She couldn’t have gone far. Frowning at his own stupidity, he remembered that there was nowhere for her to go even if she wanted to. With that realization, he calmed somewhat and hurriedly washed and dressed, still anxious to know where she had gone.
“What is the little minx up to now?” he muttered as he yanked on his boots.
The ship wasn’t that large, and he set out to look for Selena. He had searched both decks and was beginning to wonder how he had missed finding her when he heard her voice. It was coming from a small lounge near the back of the ship, and he could tell she was talking with someone. Not wanting to intrude, he approached the doorway and leaned against the outside wall as he stopped to listen. Who was she talking to?
“That’s a good idea, Hank. I would never have thought of that on my own,” she was saying.
Liam instantly bristled upon hearing that Selena was on a first name basis with another man. And what was she simpering about? She sounded like one of those brainless twits who liked to flirt with him, pretending to be helpless and always needing advice. A deep masculine voice answered her with a chuckle.
Trailing Home: Liam's Bride (The McKenzie Series #3) Page 7
