A Most Unsuitable Earl (Regency Collection Book 3) Page 12

  “While I appreciate it, wouldn’t you rather be doing something else?” she asked and stepped toward him.

  He moved to the other side of the desk and hurried back to the large room. If he wasn’t quick, she’d figure out what he was doing and his chance to find the drawing pad would be lost. “I thought your lady’s maid would help you…” he cleared his throat and dodged her when she reached for him… “undress.”

  With a teasing grin, she asked, “Wouldn’t you rather do it?”

  He offered a weak laugh and scanned the room. Where would she put a drawing pad? The thing wasn’t exactly small. It should be easy to find unless she put it somewhere no one would expect. On a whim, he bent forward and checked under the chairs in the room. But he didn’t find it.

  To his surprise, she approached him from behind and wrapped her arms around his waist. He let out a startled shriek and almost dropped the candle.

  “You really shouldn’t scare a person like that,” he said, his heart racing.

  She walked around to face him and hugged him. “I’m so glad you’re not the rake I thought you were!”

  He struggled to keep the candle steady in its holder. “Uh, Catherine. The candle.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” She pulled away from him and took the candle so she could set it on the table by her bed. “I know it’s not typical for a gentleman to come into his marriage untouched by a lady, but it greatly pleases me that you did.”

  “Why?” Wouldn’t a lady prefer a gentleman who knew what he was doing?

  “Because it’s something we get to experience for the first time together.”

  Though he didn’t see the importance of it, he offered an obligatory nod and tried to determine where else he could look for a drawing pad.

  “Maybe it’s silly, but I did so few things with others while growing up. I always wanted to do something special with someone that they’d never done with anyone else.”

  His gaze traced the furniture by her gaudy bed, the vanity table, and the armoire.

  “Ethan?”

  “Hmm…?” He narrowed his eyes as something on top of the armoire caught his attention.

  “Are you listening to me?”

  “Of course I am,” he lied, turning his gaze to her. He patted her on the shoulder and smiled. “And I agree.”

  She furrowed her eyebrows. “You agree?”

  “Sure. What you said is right.” Whatever that something was… By the disappointed look on her face, it suddenly occurred to him that he was too hasty to say he agreed with her. He assumed she’d asked him a question, but apparently, that hadn’t been the case. “You really won’t show me what you drew today?”

  She gasped, her eyes wide. “You came here because you wanted to see my drawings? You didn’t want to be with me?”

  “That’s nonsense. I want to be with you.” Now that was true. He’d thought of nothing but being with her all day.

  “Then why are you searching my room for a drawing pad instead of undressing me?”

  Unfortunately, that was an excellent question. It was just his luck that he ended up marrying a lady who wasn’t a dullard. However, inspiration struck. “I’ve never removed a lady’s clothes in my entire life. I wouldn’t know what to do.”

  Her frown deepened.

  “I’m being honest. Tell me, Catherine, do you feel comfortable undressing me?”

  “You’re trying to avoid answering my question.”

  “I am not. We’re talking about undressing, and I made a valid point.”

  She placed her hands on her hips and scanned him up and down. “Fine. I’ll take the challenge.” She reached up and started unbuttoning his waistcoat.

  Startled, he stepped back. He hadn’t expected her to actually do it! Well, that only proved that he couldn’t depend on her to show a smidgen of the shyness virgins were supposedly known for.

  “I thought you wanted me to undress you,” she said, frustration in her voice. “I don’t understand you at all. Earlier today, you seemed more than ready to be in bed with me.”

  “You’re the one who accosted me.”

  “Accosted?”

  “Yes. First, you barge into my bedchamber and demand I consummate the marriage. Second, you stroked my thigh at breakfast—with your father right there might I add. Third, you fondle me in the library. And now you’re trying to rip my clothes off. Really, I’m beginning to think I’m nothing but an amusement to you.”

  She stared at him for a moment. “I was under the impression that gentlemen liked bedroom activities.”

  “Where did you get that idea?”

  “Your reputation as a rake, for one, indicated you frequently took ladies off to somewhere private to engage in such deeds. I don’t have to know everything about it to get the general idea of what gentlemen want.”

  He shrugged. “While it’s true that gentlemen are interested in the bedchamber, sometimes it’s nice to be appreciated for who we are. I happen to have hopes, desires, feelings…” His gaze drifted back to the drawing pad. And a healthy amount of curiosity.

  “Well, then perhaps ladies might also have the urge to participate in bedroom activities. Why, just this morning, I discovered something about myself that I never knew possible, and I’d like to experience it with you. But it seems that you have no interest in me at all.”

  Noting the hurt tone in her voice, he turned his attention back to her. “That’s not true. You’re surprisingly interesting.”

  “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” She went to a drawer on her bedside table and opened it. After she pulled out a handkerchief, she wiped her eyes.

  Oh goodness! She wasn’t going to cry in front of him, was she? He had no idea what to do with a weeping female. Indeed, such a situation terrified him. He hurried over to her and took the handkerchief from her. “There’s no reason to cry. I mean it. You intrigue me. More than I expected when our marriage was arranged. I admit I thought you’d bore a gentleman to tears—”

  She huffed, her cheeks a bright shade of pink and her expression hard.

  He dropped the handkerchief on the table and took her hands in his. “The truth is, you’re a very exciting lady.”

  Her face softened. “You think so?”

  “You’re lively and passionate. You’re the most wonderful person I’ve ever met. I’m pleased to find out how wrong I was—how wrong we all were. I should thank you for putting on the pretense you did. I’m glad you didn’t end up with someone else before my mother meddled in our lives.”

  A smile spread across her lips, lighting her entire face.

  “You are so beautiful when you smile,” he whispered.

  Then, because it seemed to be the appropriate thing to do, he bowed his head and kissed her. In no hurry to end the kiss, he took his time to savor the moment, exploring her mouth with his tongue, noting the way she responded to him. His body, which had suffered all day long for this moment, prompted him to try his hand at undressing her.

  He wanted to see her bare flesh again. The memory of her pink nipples surrounded by soft white mounds and the patch of reddish curls between her legs made him forget all about the drawing pad. He found that the garishly feminine room didn’t even bother him at the moment. His only focus was now on her and how much he wanted to pursue the more sensual side of their marriage.

  He wanted to be as suave as other gentlemen probably were when it came to the task of undressing their wives, but he found himself fumbling a few times, especially when it came to undoing her corset. The row of buttons down her back were so small, he had to squint in the candlelight to find them all, and the strings on her corset weren’t as easy to loosen as they should have been. Her shift, mercifully, was easy since all he had to do was pull it over her head. He managed to get a full view of her before she started to remove his clothes.

  He was too aroused to notice if she struggled with removing his clothes or not. Her breasts brushed his body and her hands brushed his erection in ways tha
t made him sigh in anticipation of what was to come. Tonight, he wouldn’t give thought to her father because doing so would only delay their lovemaking further, and there was no way his body would forgive him for that.

  He pulled back the covers on her bed before he picked her up in his arms and laid her down. He settled next to her and embraced her, relishing the feel of her soft curves as they pressed against him. She was just as wonderful as he remembered from the previous night. He ran his hands over her body. She didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she squirmed and moaned in a way that let him know she was enjoying it. Even better than that, she was exploring him with the same passion he was exploring her.

  At one point, he brought his mouth to her breast, pleased when she ran her fingers through his hair and gently encouraged him to linger there. He teased and licked her nipple, satisfied when she shivered in pleasure beneath him. So this nipple was sensitive. Curious, he explored her other breast with his tongue and suckled it, noting that the other nipple was just as sensitive.

  “Ethan,” she whispered, her breathing raspy, “touch me here while you do that.”

  She brought his hand between her legs and guided two of his fingers into her while centering his thumb on her sensitive nub. Keeping her hand over his, she instructed him on how to best bring her pleasure. It excited him that she didn’t hesitate to let him know what she wanted. She wasn’t shy at all about insisting he bring her pleasure, and after what he’d learned about the temptress beneath her cool exterior, he wanted nothing more than to find out what she would do when she finally had her release.

  He stroked her core, aware of the way her warm, moist flesh tightened around him as he rubbed her nub. Mindful of her sensitive nipples, he continued his gentle assault on them, nipping and licking them. Her moans came louder, further exciting him. When she reached her peak, she cried out and grasped his shoulders, digging her nails into them. He lifted his head and watched her expression. So this was how a lady looked when she was at the height of sensual pleasure. It seemed to be a mixture of pleasure and pain, something hard to pinpoint but something he wanted to see every time they were in bed.

  When he was assured she was done, he rolled on top of her and entered her. This time there was no barrier he had to press through and no gasp of surprise from her to indicate he’d hurt her. She lifted her hips to better accommodate him and murmured for him to press deeper into her. He didn’t need further encouragement. He moved inside her, groaning as her flesh squeezed him. It felt so heavenly. Despite his desire to take his time, the day of longing for this moment was too much for him. He managed several thrusts before he released his seed, his body shuddering above her in response. Afterwards, he collapsed in her arms, out of breath and blissfully sated. This had to be the best experience in the world.

  When his head cleared, he kissed her then grabbed the bed covers so they wouldn’t get chilly during the night. She sighed in contentment and snuggled up to him. He brought his arms around her and kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek on it. The lack of sleep the previous night was quickly catching up to him, and before he knew it, he fell into a very satisfying sleep.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Catherine woke in the middle of the night and glanced at the top of her armoire. How was she to know Ethan would look up there? And how was she to know he wanted to look at her drawing pad so much? Her face warmed when she thought of the drawings she’d etched. If she’d shown him the two pictures she’d drawn of the flowers, she knew he’d want to see the rest of her drawings, and she’d die of mortification if he saw the others. Claire and her sister didn’t ask to see more than the flowers, as she knew they wouldn’t.

  But flowers were only so interesting for so long. She’d looked at flowers her entire life. While Claire and her sister could draw them for hours, Catherine found she needed something more fascinating to draw. So she drew the only thing that held her interest. And there was no way she’d let Ethan see that she’d been drawing him…without clothes. Quite frankly, she didn’t think he’d appreciate it, mostly because he might assume she’d shown it to her new friends.

  Of course, she hadn’t. Such a thing wouldn’t have been ladylike at all, especially since he was her husband. Now that she knew no other lady had seen him naked, she rather enjoyed the secret in knowing only she had. And besides, she didn’t think respectable ladies spent their time drawing a naked man. It seemed that they were more likely to study flowers and other such nonsense.

  Next to her, Ethan let out a contented sigh and rolled to his back. He’d left the candles lit, so she had a good view of the armoire. Her gaze traveled to the top of it. She had to get it down from there before he woke up. She’d rip out the two pages she’d drawn of him and burn them. Then she’d show him the flowers and he’d leave her alone about it.

  When she was assured he was asleep, she slipped away from him, careful so that the mattress didn’t shake too much. She managed to get out of bed without incident. A slight chill in the room sent goosebumps along her bare skin, but she didn’t pay them any mind. She tiptoed to a chair in the corner of the room and carried it over to the armoire.

  Ethan mumbled, and she immediately stilled. After a few agonizing seconds passed, she ventured a look in his direction and saw him roll onto his side so that his back was to her. Breathing a sigh of relief, she set the chair down on the rug, thankful it didn’t make a sound. She stood up on the chair and retrieved the drawing pad. With another glance at him to make sure he was still asleep, she descended from the chair.

  She tucked the pad under her arm and carried her chair back to where it originally was. Biting her lower lip, she tried to decide where a good hiding place would be. She needed somewhere large enough to hold the pad. Drumming her fingers on the pad, she studied the room. He had an aversion to ruffles and lace and overtly feminine colors. She’d never forget the look of horror on his face when he saw her bed sheets and canopy. She stifled back a giggle and decided she’d be better off hiding it in something that would offend his masculinity.

  She quietly slipped it under her side of the foot of the bed. She gathered enough of the cloth from her canopy to go around the leg of the bed, assured he wouldn’t touch the material to expose the drawing pad. While he could make love in the bed, she expected he only did so because the male part of him convinced him he could touch the sheets as long as he was touching her, too. But if there was no incentive for him to spend time near the bed, she knew he wouldn’t do it. So if he snuck into her room while she wasn’t there, he wouldn’t dare go near the bed.

  Satisfied, she returned to Ethan, careful as she slid under the covers. True, the bedding was frilly and extravagant, but she secretly liked it this way. Ethan rolled onto his back again and murmured something about fencing. What a strange thing to mention, she thought. Did all gentlemen dream of sporting? He’d made reference to fencing the night before as well. Shrugging, she settled next to him. It might be that she’d never understand her husband, but really, that was all right.

  His eyelids fluttered open and his eyes focused on her in the candlelight.

  She smiled and snuggled up to him. “You’re awake.”

  He shivered and put his arms around her. “And you’re cold.”

  “That’s because I need you to warm me up.”

  Returning her smile, he kissed her. And in due time, they were making love again.

  ***

  “Is something troubling you?” Catherine asked Ethan as they ate breakfast the next morning.

  “No, nothing’s wrong,” he quickly assured her, offering a smile in hopes she’d believe his lie.

  To his relief, she nodded and turned her attention back to his mother. He wasn’t sure what the two ladies were talking about. He thought someone said something about a dress, but he tuned most of their conversation out. They were discussing idle lady things, and he had better things to do than dwell on such matters.

  What confounded him on this particular morning was the blast
ed drawing pad. He knew he saw it on top of the armoire, and yet, when he woke up that morning, it was gone. It was as if the thing had vanished into thin air. Such a thing was impossible, he knew. Catherine must have gotten up at some point in the night and hid it somewhere else. That explained why her skin was so chilly last night when he woke from his sleep.

  For a moment, his mind went back to the peculiar dream he’d been having. He was fencing with someone he assumed to be her father, but when it came time to take off their masks, he realized it was her. She proceeded to take off all of her clothes then announced they would fence in the nude.

  He woke up at that point, fully erect and desiring to claim her as his wife once more. He’d been so excited she was awake and willing that he hadn’t bothered to think of the drawing pad. But when he woke up that morning, the pad was gone, and he had no idea where she put it. Of course now that they were at breakfast in front of his mother, he couldn’t ask her about it.

  No. He’d have to wait. Perhaps he could convince her to show it to him if he was sweet enough. She seemed to respond well when he complimented her. There was plenty to compliment her about, and the more he got to know her, the more delightful she was becoming.

  “What will you be doing today?” his mother asked after she finished her fruit.

  Since she was looking at him, Ethan decided to answer. “It depends.”

  “On what?”

  “On whether or not the Duke of Terror comes to make sure Catherine is still alive and well.”

  As he hoped, Catherine laughed at his joke. “The Duke of Terror? Is that how you view my father?”

  “Naturally. The gentleman is a formidable wall of terror.”

  His mother rolled her eyes but grinned.

  Catherine laughed harder and pressed her hand to her chest. “Oh, he is not. He’s harmless.”

  “You haven’t fenced with him,” he replied.

  “Is that why you keep mumbling something about fencing while you sleep?” She gasped and glanced around the room. “My apologies,” she whispered. “I shouldn’t have been so quick to speak.”