Much Ado About Kissing (Howertys #4)

Chapter 11: Splash of Colour

Marcus closed his eyes as he could hear his wife bathing on the other side of a privacy screen. After a lot of discussions back and forth, they had agreed to both have a bath in her room. She had gone first, and he sat at the small writing desk with some correspondence retrieved from his office, trying to focus on the words in front of him with little luck.

It was impossible not to imagine his wife's lithe body in the tub of water. Her hands running a cloth along her legs. Down her chest. He swallowed. This was not working.

Waiting outside the room might have been a better idea, but it was too late now. And at least this way, he felt more in control. Last night had terrified him. To see her pale shape in the bed, her breathing shallow. He was not willing to leave her side. At least not for now.

If there were no signs of anything happening in a few days, he might task an agent from the Rose Agency with her safety. Someone to keep watch over her when he had to be elsewhere. He trusted every single one of their agents. They had worked for the agency for years now and had been thoroughly investigated when they first joined.

Returning to the letters, he tried to read one but gave up after he'd read the same sentence four times without making sense of it. Standing, he stretched, trying to work out the kinks in his back after sleeping in the uncomfortable chair. Perhaps the floor was preferable. With enough blankets, it might even be comfortable. He groaned inwardly. That might be a stretch. But doable, at least.

"Marcus?" Rain's soft voice made him look over at the screen, and he nearly sat back down as he saw her standing next to it, wrapped in a towel. Her dark hair was pulled up in a loose bun at the top of her head, and her skin still damp from the bath.

If he could have, he would have walked over to her right then and dragged her to the bed. He wanted to worship her body. Explore every inch.

With his mouth dry, he replied, "Yes?"

"Can you please give me a nightgown? I forgot to put one out. My maid usually does."

He nodded, unable to speak. Following her instructions, he found a nightgown in a chest of drawers and brought it to her. The alluring scent of violets made him want to reach for her, but he forced himself to hand over the garment. With a quick thank you, she slipped back to their impromptu bath area.

"It is odd to think I will go to bed again so soon," Rain said from behind the screen. "I only woke up an hour ago. And yet, I am exhausted."

"It has been a harrowing day. Your body went through quite an ordeal. It is not strange that you are tired." Focusing on the discussion was much better than imagining her naked as she put on her nightgown. He was beginning to question the wisdom of staying in her room when he wanted her so desperately. But the alternative was unthinkable. He did not dare leave her. He would suffer the discomfort to ensure her safety.

"The bath is all yours." She came back into the room, the simple white nightgown billowing around her. It wasn't revealing or even particularly flattering, but the knowledge that she wore nothing underneath was doing nothing for his resolve.

"Thank you." He fled behind the screen.

It might have been the quickest bath he'd ever taken, but at least he got clean. Putting on a fresh pair of trousers and a clean shirt, he rejoined his wife just in time for the supper to be served. They sat down at her writing desk, her in the comfortable chair he'd used earlier, and him on the wooden one belonging to the desk. They ate in silence at first, until Rain finally looked at him with her cornflower-blue eyes.

"Are you truly planning to sleep here tonight?"

"Yes."

She sighed. "Then you may as well sleep on the bed. It seems ridiculous for me to make you sleep on the floor when there's a perfectly good bed in the room. One big enough to accommodate us both."