Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Sebastian looked up as Caroline entered the room and a smile spread across his face. She was nervous—that much was quite evident by the trembling breath she took and her hands smoothing anxiously over her dress.

Quickly, in an attempt to ease her, he rose to his feet and set his book aside.

"I hope I did not disturb you," he said softly, his eyes sweeping over her slowly and a familiar heat coursing through his body as his eyes glided over her figure. A wave of desire crashed over him when a blush rose to her cheeks and he took a step forward, his voice low. "Were you able to get some rest? Please, come sit."

He gestured to the plush armchair across from his own, a cozy tea service laid out on the low table between them. Caroline settled into the chair, and Sebastian released a slow breath as he handed her a steaming cup of tea. Her face was still flushed and her breath hitched in her throat when their fingers brushed together.

She was not unaffected by his presence, he thought as their eyes met.

He watched her silently as she sipped at her tea. Once again it was Sebastian who managed to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

"What do you say to a game of cards, my wife?" Sebastian asked as he finished his last sip of tea. Caroline looked at him quickly and he couldn't help but smile when he saw the flush of her cheeks and a mischievous glint that appeared in her eyes. "I must warn you though, I'm quite skilled."

Caroline smiled and Sebastian lifted a brow at the look in her eye. She was as competitive. "I accept your challenge," she said with a soft laugh. Her mouth opened and closed quickly—an attempt, he assumed, to call him husband too.

Sebastian laughed softly as he dealt the cards. "Commerce?" he suggested easily, "Or do you prefer Brag?"

Caroline's cheeks flushed even before the suggestion left her lips. "What about Piquet?"

Sebastian lifted a brow, but he didn't say anything—merely starting to deal the cards. "I used to play all the time with…"

Her words drifted off and Sebastian looked at her sympathetically. He knew what it was that she was going to say.

Beatrice.

He suppressed the thought and focused on the game at hand quickly.

"Ah," Caroline announced far sooner than expected. "It appears I have a hundred points, My Lord."

"I demand a rematch!" Sebastian declared, tossing his cards down in mock outrage after Caroline won yet again. "You must be cheating."

Caroline laughed and shook her head. There was a glint of joy in her eyes. "I would never," she said dramatically, pressing a hand to her heart in feigned offense. "I'm simply better than you at this game. You'll have to accept it."

Sebastian laughed lowly. "Perhaps I shall simply teach you a game you do not know yet."

Caroline looked up quickly at this, their eyes meeting—and the air between them suddenly crackling with electricity. Gone was the playful banter between them. Caroline's breath quickened when her eyes fell onto Sebastian's lips and Sebastian's own eyes moved towards her mouth.

He could not help but wonder what else he might be able to teach her—other than card games, particularly in the privacy of a bedchamber. A familiar hotness suddenly throbbed in the pit of his stomach as he allowed his eyes to slowly devour her.

She too was flushed it seemed and she rose abruptly, pressing a hand to her mouth in an exaggerated yawn. "I think perhaps it's time I retire," she said, not quite meeting Sebastian's eye. "It's been an… eventful day."

Sebastian nodded and rose too. "Of course. I'll walk you to your room."

Caroline nodded simply before following him upstairs silently. The occasional brush of his arm against hers sent tingles down his spine as they moved. Caroline came to an abrupt halt when they reached the door of her bedchamber and Sebastian looked down at her.

She looked up at him, her cheeks aflame. "Well… goodnight, I suppose," she mumbled, choosing to focus on the sleeve of her dress.

"Goodnight, Caroline," he murmured, his warm breath fanning across her skin. Then, without much warning, he pulled her into a gentle embrace and his lips pressed to hers. His tongue pressed against her mouth in a soft plea for entrance and he pulled her close, his hands moving over her hips.

The kiss ended as soon as it began and he turned abruptly, making his way to his study.

He wanted nothing more, he realized as he heard the door to her bedchamber click, than to walk into that chamber, take her in his arms and make her his own. He wanted her in his arms—wanted to feel her body trembling with joy—as they danced the dance of love.

Despite these desires, Sebastian went to his study, and sat at his desk. She was not ready. And he would not push her before she was ready. He'd only go to her once he was certain that she was ready. And then he would make her his own.

***

He'd kissed her—and it was nothing at all like the clumsy kisses she'd experienced before. It was sensual, and hot, and she wanted nothing more than for him to enter her room and take her for his own. It was incredible.

But minutes ticked by and no knock came. Disappointment coursed through her and a frown appeared on her brow.

With a sigh, Caroline climbed into bed and blew out the candle, plunging the room into darkness. As she lay there, staring up at the canopy above her, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment mingling with her relief. She wanted nothing more than to have him teach her.

Of course she was rather afraid of her wedding night, but she could not deny that a part of her had almost… looked forward to it. She fell asleep with a deep sigh and soon found herself tossing and turning in her bed, the sheets tangling around her legs as her mind drifted into a vivid dream. In her slumber, she found herself back in the drawing room, alone with Sebastian. But instead of the playful card game, the atmosphere was charged with a different kind of tension.

Sebastian stalked towards her, his eyes dark with desire. Caroline felt her breath hitch as he backed her against the wall, his strong body pinning hers. His hands came up to cradle her face, his thumbs stroking over her cheekbones.

"Caroline," he murmured, his voice low and rough. "I've been wanting to do this for so long."

Before she could respond, his lips crashed against hers in a searing kiss. Caroline gasped at the contact, her hands coming up to clutch at his shoulders. Sebastian's tongue swept into her mouth, tangling with hers in a sensual dance that made her toes curl.

His hands began to roam over her body, skimming down her sides to grip her waist. Caroline arched into his touch, a moan escaping her as his fingers dug into her soft flesh. Sebastian tore his mouth from hers, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down the column of her throat.

"Sebastian," she breathed, her head falling back against the wall as his teeth grazed her pulse point. "Please…"

He growled against her skin, his hands bunching in the fabric of her skirts. With a sharp tug, he yanked the material up, exposing her legs to the cool air. Caroline shivered as his fingers trailed up her stockinged calves, his touch leaving trails of fire in its wake.

His hands traveled higher and higher, until they reached the soft, sensitive skin of her inner thighs. Caroline whimpered, her hips canting forward of their own accord, seeking... something. Sebastian's fingers brushed against the damp fabric covering her center and she cried out, the sensation almost too much to bear.

"Shh, my darling," Sebastian soothed, even as his fingers began to rub slow, deliberate circles over that aching bundle of nerves. "Let me take care of you."

Caroline found herself gasping and moaning as he worked her body, his touch expertly stoking the flames of desire even higher within her. She could feel something building, a pressure coiling tighter and tighter in her belly. Her hips rocked against his hand, chasing that elusive peak...

With a strangled cry, Caroline jolted awake, her heart pounding and her skin damp with sweat. She sat up, pressing a shaking hand to her chest as she tried to catch her breath. The ache between her thighs throbbed insistently, a lingering reminder of the dream, filling her with both embarrassment and desire.

Flopping back against the pillows, Caroline pressed her hands over her burning face. She had never had such a vivid dream before. The things Sebastian had done to her in this dream, the way he had made her feel... it was both thrilling and terrifying. It was far more intense than any words she'd ever read on a page.

But it was just a dream, she reminded herself firmly. Sebastian was likely asleep in his own bed, not giving her a second thought. She needed to put these wanton imaginings out of her mind and focus on being a good wife in the real world. A good wife who learned how to run the household and make her husband proud rather than be filled with wanton dreams and desires.

She lay in bed for a moment, staring up at the canopy as she tried to gather her thoughts. The events of the previous day came rushing back—the wedding, the carriage ride, the evening spent with Sebastian...

Sebastian. Her husband. Who had not come to her room last night.

With a huff of frustration, Caroline threw back the covers and climbed out of bed. She paced the length of her room, her mind whirling. It was their wedding night, for heaven's sake! What would people think if they found out that her husband had not visited her bed? .A frown furrowed her brows as she dressed in her day dress.

It was more than concern about what people would think, she realized with a start. She wanted Sebastian to come to her. Of course, she'd had no choice but to resign herself to her fate when her father told her she'd marry him. But there was no denying that she had grown quite fond of him. He was kind and charming with a quick wit and a gentle heart. And in truth, she found him more than a little handsome. He was far more attractive than any roguish man in the pages of any book.

Her mother's words before the wedding suddenly echoed in her mind. "It is a wife's duty to submit to her husband," she had said, her face grave. "It may be uncomfortable at first, even painful, but it is necessary for the production of heirs and the solidification of the marital bond."

Caroline had nodded, her face flushed with embarrassment at the frank talk. But she understood. It was expected of her, as a wife. And she was determined to be a good wife to Sebastian, to make their marriage work despite its unconventional beginning. Only… it seemed that her husband did not share this determination.

A frown still furrowed her brows as Caroline made her way downstairs and she hesitated when she saw her husband, already seated at the breakfast table. Despite the stacked plate in front of him, he was not eating yet. Instead, he was merely staring at the food.

He looked up as she entered and a smile appeared on his face. "Good morning, Caroline," he said and rose slightly as he waited for her to sit. "I hope you slept well."

Caroline felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she remembered her dream. "Yes, quite well, thank you," she mumbled, taking her seat across from him.

For a few minutes, they ate in silence. The only sound in the room was the clink of cutlery against china. Despite her firm dedication not to do anything that could be seen as wanton, Caroline kept sneaking glances at Sebastian from beneath her lashes. She was eager to attempt to gauge his mood. To her surprise he seemed perfectly at ease and she huffed at this.

As if it was completely normal for a husband to leave his wife alone on their wedding night.

Perhaps, Caroline could not help but think, he was disappointed. Perhaps he would rather have married Beatrice after all, and he was infuriated by the circumstances that had led to their unconventional union.

A feeling she'd never experienced before shot through her at this.

Then he should have refused, a little voice screamed from within her. No one forced him into the union. He could have let it be, but no—he had chosen to marry her and with it, she had sacrificed her relationship with her sister.

The least he could do, she thought, was make her feel as though he desired her.

Was it really too much to ask?