Nellie (The Brides of San Francisco Book 1) (6 page)

“You found her.”

“Shh, she’s sleeping. Blake found her in one of the chairs in his room.”

“Blimey, what was she doing in there?”

“Probably playing hide and seek. I’m going to have a talking-to with her when she wakes, but for now, let her sleep.”

Nellie walked across the hall to the nursery.

Bertha turned down the covers on Violet’s bed and Nellie laid her on it and covered her up.

“Poor little tyke.” Bertha smoothed the edge of the blanket. “She’s just plumb wore out.”

“Hiding for so long does that to a person,” said Nellie with a smile. “I’m talking to Blake. You and Henry go to luncheon and eat. I find I don’t have much of an appetite.”

Bertha nodded and left to collect Henry.

After a last look at her sleeping child, Nellie made her way back to the library and knocked on the door.

“Enter.”

She went in and closed the door behind her.

“Lock the door, Nellie. We have some things to discuss and I don’t want to be disturbed.”

She took a deep breath, nodded and turned the lock on the door. When she turned back to the room, she saw that Blake stood a mere two feet away.

He held out his hand. “Come with me.”

Curious about his intentions, she put her hand in his and allowed him to lead her to the settee.

Nellie sat and placed her hands in her lap.

Blake sat right next to her, his leg touching hers through her dress.

“I’m glad we found Violet. I don’t like seeing you so upset.”

The words were soft-spoken whispers on her neck.

She stiffened.

“But I don’t want to discuss Violet,” he murmured, “except to ask why she’s been sleeping in your bed at night?”

He kissed her neck and behind her ear.

She shivered. Nellie pulled away, her gaze snapped to his.

“How…how do you know she’s been sleeping with me?”

He smiled and ran a finger over the back of her hand.

“I told you I wanted to consummate this marriage, and I have tried, several times. And each time, I found Violet in your bed. Now tell me, why is that?”

Nellie felt the heat rise up her neck so fast. Her cheeks fairly blazed.

“She was afraid.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “She was afraid or
you
were afraid?”

Feeling guilty at being caught, she knew her cheeks flamed.

Her gaze dropped to her hands in her lap. “I was. I had her sleep with me, in case you wanted to…”

“Oh, I want to. Make no mistake about that.”

With a gentle move, he took her right hand and brought it to his lips turned it over and kissed the inside of her wrist, then licked, slowly, from her wrist to the tip of her middle finger.

The sensation left her panting, but she fought her reaction. Robert had never made her feel like this. All he did before the act was give her pain.

“You want it, too. I can tell.”

“No. I don’t. I…” she was breathless and couldn’t find the words to express herself.

Blake’s lips were on her neck, kissing hot lines up and down and all over. His hand was on her buttons on the front of her blouse and before she knew it, he was inside her chemise, pinching her nipple with his clever fingers.

“Beautiful.”

The words scorched her neck and his fingers sent waves of longing she hadn’t ever felt. Robert. Again Robert intruded. She pulled away. Ice water couldn’t have cooled her off faster than her late husband’s ghost.

She hung her head. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”

“Nellie. What’s wrong? You’re a passionate woman,” He skimmed his fingers across her neck. “Why do you pull away from me?”

Her fingers fumbled with her buttons and then she faced him.

“I haven’t been with a man for a long, long time. Since before Violet was born. I’m afraid…” She bit her lip and shook her head.

“Afraid you won’t remember what to do?”

He chuckled and ran a finger up her cheek then down her neck to the top of her breast. He caressed her through her blouse.

“You want me, Nellie. Almost, I think, as much as I want you.”

He stood and braced his arms against the fireplace, his back to her.

“You better leave now, while you still can.”

Then he turned and faced her, his arousal fully evident.

Heat flushed her skin, and she had to pull away her gaze and look at his face.

“And Nellie.”

“Yes?”

“Violet will sleep in her own bed from now on.” His gaze narrowed. “Do I make myself understood?”

She raised her chin a notch and gave a curt nod.

“Yes. Completely.”

“Good. Now go, before I change my mind.”

Nellie hurried out of the room and up the stairs to her bedroom. She closed the doors and leaned against them, her face burning.

What is the matter with me? I’ve been with a man before. Blake won’t be any different than Robert. Who am I kidding? Robert never, in all our years together, made me feel the way Blake did just now. The longing, the wanting, is like nothing I’ve known before and it scares the hell out of me. Even more than the fear of the pain. How can I want him knowing what the act will be like? Knowing that sex means pain?

*****

There was something wrong. Nellie wanted him, at least her body did. She was very responsive but she acted like a virgin who fears sex. He hadn’t seen that kind of response except in his girls that had been sexually abused. Usually raped, always beaten. For them sex meant pain, not pleasure.

Was that what was wrong with Nellie?
Does she really fear me?

*****

Later that evening, Nellie put on her best nightgown. She knew Blake would come to her tonight. He’d made that fact perfectly clear. Her nerves wouldn’t let her sleep. She tried to read but couldn’t concentrate. She gave up and paced in front of the window, then sat in the window seat and watched the street, waiting for him to come home.

That’s where he found her. Asleep on the window seat. He picked her up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest.

“What am I to do with you, sweet Nellie? Hmm? You fear me, yet you fall asleep waiting for me,” he whispered the words against her temple. “I think for now, you’ll just rest.”

He laid her on her bed and pulled the coverlet over her. Not able to resist her charms, even when sleeping, he leaned close and gave her a light kiss on the lips. Soft lips. He kissed her harder than he intended, but pulled away, before he woke her.

Such a temptation.

*****

Blake was at the table, eating breakfast and reading the morning paper, when Nellie entered the dining room.

“You’re up early,” she said as she seated herself and signaled for her morning coffee. She’d acquired the taste since coming to San Francisco, just two weeks ago.
Had it really only been that long? The time seemed so much longer.

“I found it hard to sleep.” He cocked an eyebrow. “How about you?”

She felt her cheeks heat. “You know perfectly well I slept like a baby. As a matter of fact I should thank you for putting me to bed. Either that or I’ve taken up sleepwalking.”

He chuckled. “Feisty this morning are we?”

Nellie took a deep, calming breath. “Forgive me. I fell asleep watching for you to come home.”

“I surmised as much.” He sipped his coffee and held her gaze over the rim. “I don’t want you to lose sleep over this coupling. The act will happen when it does. I will not force you, but I want you to want us to consummate our marriage…and fulfill the contract. To that end, I will start sleeping in your room. When I come home, after I’ve relaxed a bit, I will come to your room and sleep with you.”

“What?” She jerked and almost spilled her coffee.

“You’ll wake up with me even though you won’t go to sleep with me. As you know I arrive home anywhere between one o’clock and five o’clock in the morning. I will not make love to you, so you needn’t worry about that. You have to ask me when you’re ready for that, but I will hold you, while I wait.”

James rushed into the room. “Miss Singer, sir.”

“Quite the speech, darling,” said the beautiful, sultry woman in a deep burgundy velvet dress. The cut was so low, Nellie thought with a wrong step her breasts may ‘pop’ out.

“Have you managed to tell your little wife here about us?’

Blake stood and tossed his napkin to the table. “There
is
no us. I’m married now, Maddie.”

“You always said that wouldn’t make a difference.” Her lips narrowed and her blue eyes flashed black.

“Well, it does.” A muscle clenched in his jaw.

Pleased by his declaration, Nellie took a deep breath and stood. “Blake, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” Her backbone was as stiff as it would go.

Blake sighed and motioned between the two women with his hand. “Nellie Malone, meet Madeline Singer.”

Nellie walked and extended her hand, to the unwanted guest. “Welcome to our home, Miss Singer. Won’t you join us for breakfast?” She signaled for James. “Bring Miss Singer a place setting, please James.”

“No need Nellie—”, said Maddie.

“
Mrs
. Malone,” said Nellie.

“Very well, Mrs. Malone,” she refused to shake Nellie’s hand. “I won’t be staying.

“Ah, that’s too bad. James, please show Miss Singer out.”

“I know the way. Thanks.”

Maddie turned and left the room with a flounce of her skirts.

Bracing a hand on the open door, Nellie let out a breath she held longer than she thought possible.

Blake was beside her, put his hand at her waist and guided her back to her seat directly to his right at the table.

“Thank you, Nellie. You could have thrown hysterics, meeting my ex-mistress, but you didn’t.”

“So, she is your mistress.”

“Was, Nellie.” He covered her hand with his own. “I haven’t been with anyone since we got married…not even you.”

Anger roiled through her body. “And you won’t either, as long as that woman works for you.”

“Nellie, that’s unfair. She has to work somewhere. Why not at The Nugget?”

“Because you’re there more than you are here. Because she was your lover and could be again. Because you won’t let me come to your business. What are you hiding?” She waved her hand across the doorway. “Just…because.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“Am I?” She lifted her chin. “Why is it so ridiculous that my husband not work day in and day out or in this case night in and night out, with someone who obviously still wants him?”

“You’re jealous.”

He grinned.

“I’m not. I’m simply being reasonable.”

He shook his head, but his smile didn’t fade.

“Tell you what. I’ll stop working nights. I’ll trade with Nick. He can work with Maddie and I’ll work days with Trixie.”

What kind of name is that?
“Another one of your lovers’s?”

“No, Trixie was never my lover. She happens to be sleeping with Nick. This will cramp their love life for a while.” His gaze narrowed on her mouth and then lifted to her eyes. “At least until you learn you can trust me.”

How can he be so nonchalant about having lovers?
“Trust is earned not given,” she retorted. “We don’t know each other well enough for me to trust you or you me, for that matter.”

His face suddenly set in stone, he closed upon her.

“Don’t even think about cheating on me. I won’t be a cuckold.”

“That never occurred to me. I’m not that kind of person.”

“Ah, but as you pointed out, I don’t know you well enough to know that. In any case I don’t wish to continue this conversation. It’s doing nothing but irritating me.”

“Agreed.” She turned to leave, no longer hungry for her breakfast.

He grabbed her arm.

“Please sit. I want to discuss something else.”

She sat back at the table, picked up her cold coffee and sipped.

He sat as well.

“James, please bring us both fresh cups of coffee.”

The butler did as requested and then moved back against the wall where he stood awaiting his next order.

“We’re hosting a dinner party two weeks from Saturday. I need to make a good impression. These are the people who can grant me the go ahead on my proposal for an amusement emporium.” He flattened a hand on the table. “They are the reason you are here.”

“How many guests are you expecting?” She took a sip of the fresh coffee.

“There will be ten men and their wives. I want you to look your best. Have you ordered any dresses that will be suitable for the occasion?”

“I have but they won’t be ready in time. But I did bring one evening gown with me. It’s in the latest fashion from Paris and is quite suitable for the occasion.”