A Taste of Temptation (15 page)

But if that wasn’t to be, she’d manage. She had married him because her aunt insisted she must. She had already vowed to make the best of this marriage.

She tried to slow her breathing. It was fine to let her aunt see her weakness, but she’d never let Andrew see that she was a wee bit frightened. She was a grown, married woman, and wives slept with their husbands. There was nothing to be alarmed about.

She inhaled softly and said, “All right,” and then she started up the stairs.

Olivia heard his footfalls on the treads behind her, and her breaths grew shorter, deeper, and more ragged with each step. She wasn’t as brave as she wanted to be. She’d do her best not to let Lord Dugdale know her insides were trembling like an autumn leaf in an early snow storm.

When she made it to the top of the stairs the corridor seemed too long and too dimly lit and her legs too weak to carry her to the end. Putting one foot in front of the other, she managed to walk all the way down and stop in front of Andrew’s chamber, the now infamous room she had foolishly entered just over a week ago.

Olivia stood there, trying to calm her racing heartbeat, and waited for him to say something, to open the door, to do whatever husbands do. He remained quietly behind her for a moment. She felt his heat, heard his light breathing, and smelled the musky mint of his shaving soap as it wafted past her.

Suddenly, for reasons she didn’t understand, her skin tingled with anticipation. She didn’t understand how she could be frightened and excited at the same time.

His hand slid around from behind her and he opened the bedroom door. Light spilled into the room.

Olivia took a deep, silent breath and stepped inside his chamber. It was just as she remembered: expensive, dark red fabrics, large masculine furniture, and dreamy lighting from the lamp on his dressing table casting shadows across the walls.

She walked immediately to the far end of the bed and turned to face him.

Andrew shut the door behind them and stopped a few feet away from her. He stared at her rather oddly as if he were surprised or maybe confused. She wondered what he saw when he looked at her; a frightened young lady, an annoyed miss, or a woman waiting to be shown the secrets of the marriage bed.

She put her hands behind her back to help steady her and leaned against the drapery-covered bedpost. She was grateful for something to support her weight other than her wobbly legs and wooden feet.

Without saying anything he took off his black evening coat and threw it across the bed. With one pull of the bow his neckcloth came unraveled. He wound it from around his neck and tossed it and his collar on top of the coat.

Next he unbuttoned his brocade waistcoat and shrugged out of it and then sent it the way of his other clothing.

Olivia felt her eyes getting bigger with each article of clothing he tossed aside; still he said nothing as he undressed and stared at her.

In one fluid motion he ripped the tail of his white shirt out of his black trousers and pulled it over his head and threw it onto the bed. Olivia didn’t want to look at him but she couldn’t force her eyes away.

The soft, amber lamplight made his skin appear a rich golden color. His chest was wide, his shoulders broad and thick with muscles rippling beneath firm skin. His trousers rode low on his narrow waist, fitted his slim hips, and showed the flat firm muscles of his stomach.

Her mouth suddenly went dry.

Olivia had never seen a man without his shirt and she had no idea a man’s body would be so beautiful. She had a strong urge to reach out and glide her palm across his naked chest to see if it was as firm as it appeared, as warm as it appeared, as tempting as it appeared.

“Are you enjoying looking at me, Olivia?” he asked in a low, seductive voice.

“Yes,” she whispered unconsciously and immediately realized what she had said. Heat flushed up her neck to her cheeks. Her gaze flew up to his eyes and she quickly added,

“I mean, I’ve never seen a man’s chest before. That is, except in works of art.”

“But obviously you like what you see in the flesh.” She decided it was best to ignore further discussion of his Adonis body so she said, “I didn’t expect you to get undressed quite so quickly.”

“Why not?”

“I thought you’d give me more time to get to know you before you—”

“What?”

“Before you undressed in front of me.”

“You are in my room, Olivia. This is where I usually undress.”

“Of course,” she said wishing she knew more about what was going to happen.

“You’ve had a week to get to know me.” He stretched his arms out wide from his chest. “Look at me all you want.” And she did. He was magnificent.

But what was she to do? She’d wanted a loving husband, not necessarily a handsome one. Days ago she had made up her mind that if she had to marry him she would be a dutiful wife and not end up a lonely, discarded woman like her mother.

If he could undress without embarrassment in front of her, she could disrobe for him.

Olivia moved away from the bed. She no longer needed its support. She reached up with both hands and simultane-ously untied each bow at the top of her shoulders. The bodice fell away from her breasts, exposing her low-cut off-white corset with its tiny trim of lace.

For a flashing moment she was sure Andrew looked as startled by her action as she was. Slowly he walked toward her and when he was close enough he reached out, circled her with his arms and pulled her to him. Without saying a word he dipped his head low and kissed her.

His lips were warm, soft, inviting as they pressed against hers in a slow, lingering kiss. He tasted of red wine and smelled of clean, fresh mint. His kiss was confident and commanding. She responded by instinct and parted her lips.

His tongue darted into her mouth and explored the inside with slow, sensual movements.

Olivia’s stomach, abdomen, and between her legs tightened at the thrill that spiraled through her body as his kiss became more passionate with each second that passed.

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his strong, muscled back and seemed to melt into the warmth of his body. He was broad, powerful, and she stretched her arms wide. She felt small, comfortable, and safe in his big, protective embrace.

Nothing she had ever experienced in her life had prepared her for how wonderful Andrew’s naked chest felt next to hers. She couldn’t keep her hands still on his muscled back.

“Do you still want the attention of the man from Kent?” Andrew asked, his lips against hers.

“Who?” she whispered before she realized what he’d asked.

She heard Andrew chuckle, and then he deepened their kiss and Mr. Yost was forgotten.

Olivia heard a whispered sigh but didn’t know if it came from her husband or herself.

Suddenly his lips left hers and kissed their way down her cheek, over her jawline to her neck, sending little shivers of exhilaration popping out all over her skin. At the touch of his moist lips upon the fullness of her breasts, her breaths jumped erratically.

With his teeth he grabbed hold of the bit of lace on her corset and pulled the garment away from her breast. His mouth covered her nipple so quickly and sucked it inside his mouth that all Olivia could do was gasp.

The sudden pleasure caused a tightness low in the center of her womanhood. Her stomach quickened with surprise at the sensation as gasps of pleasure continued to escape past her lips. It seemed natural for her to lean her head back and thrust her chest forward to give him better access.

“Yes, Olivia, free your other breast for me,” he whispered against her skin. “You are so soft and so lovely.” Without hesitation she reached up and yanked the fabric from her body, freeing her breast so his tongue could do those delicious things that made her want to groan with pleasure.

Something she didn’t understand made her lift her hips up to his.

Andrew moaned his approval as his large hands slipped down her back and cupped her buttocks, firmly pressing her against the hardness beneath his trousers.

Olivia had no idea what she was feeling or why she was feeling this way. She only knew that it felt right, natural, and she didn’t want it to go away.

A tremor shook his body and she realized he was as affected by these strange new sensations as she was, and that thrilled her.

Olivia had little knowledge of what was to come, but there was no doubt she was eager to continue with this wedding night.

Slowly his lips left her breasts and traveled back up to her lips for several quick kisses. The pressure on her buttocks eased and she had to fight the temptation to press harder against him again.

Andrew raised his head. His gaze swept down her face to her chest.

His voice sounded husky and raw as he said, “You are so tempting and so beautiful, Olivia.”

“Thank you,”she answered just as huskily as their eyes met and held. It pleased her that he thought her body beautiful.

Andrew’s expression relaxed and he slowly moved away from her. He took hold of her arms and gently pulled them from around his neck. She let them fall to her side.

Calmly he said, “You are inquisitive and eager for my touch and all that I can teach you.”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“I like that.” He pulled up the straps to one side of her bodice and tied it in a bow as he said, “And I shall make you mine, Olivia. Make no mistake about that, but it won’t be tonight.”

Olivia blinked rapidly, not sure she comprehended what he was saying. “I don’t understand.”

“I have other plans,” he said and pulled up the other side of her bodice and tied it onto her shoulder. “I’m going out for the rest of the evening, and when I return I’ll spend what’s left of the night alone in my bed and you will be in yours.”

“Oh,” Olivia said, not knowing what to think, not knowing what to say, not knowing if she understood. “You mean you’re not going to stay here with me on our wedding night?”

“That’s right.”

Suddenly she felt rigid and empty. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked, confused by the quick change in him.

“No, you did everything right. We might be married, Olivia, but I don’t intend to change my lifestyle. I go out most evenings and I usually stay out late.” She gasped. She was horrified. Humiliated. How should she react to him?

Did he expect her to say, “All right, please go ahead?

Don’t wake me when you return”? She couldn’t say any of those things because all she could think was that he didn’t want her.

But she’d known that before she married him.

“You mean you’re not going to—to …” She stopped, unable to say the words.

“Take you to my bed and make love to you? Eventually, yes. But there will be plenty of time for that in the future.

We have our whole lives ahead of us, do we not?” She was still breathless, but for a very different reason.

“Then why bring me up to your room? Why undress in front of me?”

“You led the way. I was following you. I expected you to stop at your door and tell me good-night.” How could she have been so naïve? “So you never meant for me to come into your room?”

“No, but I’m not unhappy you did. I enjoyed kissing you and touching you.”

And making me want you.

She lifted her chin and said, “Very well. I’m sorry I misunderstood.”

“I don’t mind you seeking me out anytime you want to, Olivia, but your room with your things in it is right down the hall.”

She was stunned. She was being shown out of her husband’s bed before she even got in it.

Her heart felt heavy and the pounding in her chest slowed to a strong, steady beat. She had a husband just like her father.

“Of course. I don’t know how I could have mistaken your intentions.”

He walked over to the door, opened it and said, “Sleep well, Olivia.”

27239_ch01.001-297.qxd 9/19/05 6:09 PM Page 134

Ten

8

“
H
ow could you?”
Olivia whispered into the empti-ness of the dimly lit corridor as soon as Andrew shut the door behind her.

How dare he kiss her and leave her feeling so, so, what?

So wanting of more of his kisses, his caresses, and so wishing she’d never married him.

Yes!

This was their wedding night and he was throwing her out of his bedroom. Not only that, he was leaving her alone in his house and going out.

But where? To his club? To his mistress?

What kind of man did that? What kind of husband did it?

The kind her mother had.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment as she stood outside his door. That was the last thing Olivia wanted to happen. She wanted to be a loving wife. She wanted a husband who loved her.

A sudden fear gripped her. Would her life be just like that of her aunt and her mother, always wanting the love of a man who would never give it?

Andrew Terwillger, Earl of Dugdale, was a scoundrel of the highest order.

She would not put up with this kind of treatment. She’d show him. She would go back to her aunt’s house first thing in the morning and never come back.

Olivia’s shoulders dropped. Her hands made fists at her sides.

But only two seconds later she lifted her head and her shoulders and whispered earnestly, “No. I will not run away. He will not do this to me.”

But what could she do? She had to think rationally. How could she force him to treat her differently? She didn’t know, but she wasn’t going to give up without a fight. She had to remember that he wanted her. She felt it inside him, but for reasons she didn’t understand he chose not to make her is wife tonight.

Olivia made her way down to her bedroom door and opened it. When she stepped inside she saw a young woman standing by a large, framed looking glass that hung on the wall near her bed.