Colin's Conundrum: A Steamy 19th Century Romance (The Victorians Book 3) Page 6

  Without warning, Colin released Daisy's mouth and rose to his knees, dragging his undershirt over his head.

  Unable to resist the draw of his heavy, work-strengthened chest, she rose up beside him and ran her hands into the sparse, brown curls there. The contrast of textures left her fingers tingling.

  “Let's get you out of this,” Colin suggested, reaching for the buttons of her nightgown.

  She gulped as he opened her bodice and gripped the fabric again, this time taking it off her.

  For a moment, trepidation warred with pleasured desire. Naked with a total stranger took a lot of slow, deep breathing to accept. Her body, on the other hand, seemed to know what it wanted. Her nipples hardened, reaching for contact with his firm, bare chest. Her back arched of its own accord.

  “Lovely,” he murmured, cupping one breast in each hand.

  “Oh!” she exclaimed softly. A slow exhalation accompanied his thumbs coming into direct contact with each nipple. Sweet, sweet tingles chased down her belly. Her knees weakened.

  “Oho, easy now,” he said, pride in his voice. “Lie back, sweet girl. I have many more touches for you.”

  “Oh, Colin,” she squeaked, positioning herself on the pillows again.

  Colin quickly shucked his drawers and stretched out beside her, on his side. One warm hand stroked her entire length, from her shoulder to her belly and below, lightly cupping the place no one had touched before.

  He's going to do more than touch it, she reminded herself, not sure if the accompanying movement was a shudder or a shiver. Maybe both.

  “Hot and wet. Just as I knew you'd be. Are you so eager for me, Daisy?”

  “You know I am,” she breathed, “but I'm scared, Colin.”

  “Don't be afraid,” he urged, even as his light stroking turned purposeful and he delved through the golden curls into intimate folds that reacted strongly to his touch. “I'm going to love you so nicely. You'll enjoy every moment.” His questing fingers slid along slick, love-dampened folds, finding and testing her opening.

  “Oh!” Daisy exclaimed. “Oh, Colin!”

  He leaned forward and nipped her throat, distracting her as he pushed ever deeper. When he withdrew and returned with two fingers, opening the portal to unexpected dimensions, the sound she released in no way resembled words.

  Hot wetness engulfed one nipple. Colin sucked at the aching tip. More heat and wetness surged. His encroaching fingers curved upward, finding a spot she hadn't known existed.

  Colin transferred his attention to her other breast, nipping the tender tip as his thumb sought and found a knot of sensitive tissue that, at his first touch, drew her head up off the bed with a cry.

  “That's it, love. Easy, easy. Enjoy it. Enjoy my touch. Let it make you feel good.”

  At first, she wasn't sure his touch had felt good. Overwhelming, more like. But as she relaxed into his intimate caresses, a pleasure so sharp she could almost have called it pain radiated out from her core. It built. Built until she didn't know how her body could contain it. Her breath shuddered. Her body tensed, tensed… Locked.

  A quiet squeak marked the moment as her pleasure peaked for the first time.

  Colin shifted, kneeling between her thighs, and lifted her hips. One hand remained on her sex, keeping the folds open. The other, she barely registered through her continuing climax, took hold of his jutting erection, lining it up with her opening and surging home in one smooth stroke.

  The pain she'd been told to expect turned out to be little more than a tiny ache and a startling fullness. He leaned down and kissed her as he filled her.

  Daisy stilled beneath her husband as he began to drive into her, again and again, taking obvious pleasure in the clinging wetness of her body. A few quick surges had him growling, muscles locking in what she immediately recognized as the match of her own lovely peak.

  She stroked his back, exploring the hard, bunched muscles as they relaxed slowly into limpness. He fell off her onto his side and immediately passed out.

  Arching one eyebrow, Daisy shook her head in amazement. Grinning wryly, she turned on her side and allowed herself to relax.

  Chapter 6

  Gentle comfort lured Colin up from the depths of the most restful slumber he could recall ever having had. He felt warm, warmer than this thin, threadbare blanket could account for, spring notwithstanding. The mattress felt comfortable. Well, Christopher is able to afford nice things, he thought. But wait, I've slept in this bed before. It's a good bed, but…

  The feeling of relaxation was so unexpected, so rare that he struggled to understand it. I feel like Atlas when he handed the world over to Hercules. Why is that?

  A soft exhalation in the vicinity of his chin dragged his eyes open. Though morning had not come, a big, yellow moon shone in the window. Its light revealed the small, slender figure in his arms. Golden hair strewn across the bed. The scent of peaches. Daisy. Warm and relaxed in bed with me. A ghost of a smile crossed his face. No wonder I feel good. It's been years since I made love to a woman, and it was… magical. Perfect. She's the sweetest, most eager lover. What a blessing.

  Then, Colin's eyes opened wide. “Oh, no!” he breathed.

  Daisy stirred, rolling onto her back.

  Colin recoiled. “Oh, no! Oh, no!”

  Daisy opened her eyes and stretched, apparently at peace with the world. “What's wrong, love?” she asked, turning his direction and propping herself up on one elbow.

  “What did we do? Oh, God.”

  “Um, we consummated our marriage?” she pointed out, phrasing the statement as a question.

  Nausea began to churn in Colin's belly.

  “What's wrong?” she asked again, more seriously this time. “I know you had some reservations, but last night, I thought you had made peace with this… with us. That's how you were acting.”

  “That's how the brandy was acting,” he hissed. “Why didn't you stop me? I thought you were furious and disgusted with me. Why on earth did you let me touch you?”

  Daisy lowered her eyebrows. “You did a good bit more than touch,” she said.

  Colin buried his face in his hands. “Oh, God. Don't remind me.”

  Her smaller hands grasped his wrists, dragging them away so she could look into his eyes. He caught a quick flash of her naked body. His own responded eagerly, ready for another taste of his wife. It sounded marvelous. So insanely wonderful that he had to fight to stop himself from grabbing her and tumbling her to the bed. “We can't do this, Daisy,” he said, his voice rough and painful in his throat.

  “Do what?” she demanded, leaning in close.

  “Be married,” he said. “I can't have a wife. It's not possible.”

  “I'm sorry, love,” she said, biting her lip as her face and chest flushed, “but the fact is, you do have a wife. I'm sorry you're upset about it, but as of last night, we cannot change it.”

  “We must,” he insisted. “The marriage was created under false pretenses. We were forced. Surely, an annulment can still be obtained…”

  “No,” Daisy interrupted his runaway thoughts. “No, Colin. I won't allow that.”

  “Our marriage was contracted illegally. Your virginity, our intimacy, it won't matter.”

  Daisy clamped her hand over his mouth. “Stop that. Our marriage is only invalid if one of us protests it. I won't go along with your plan to end it anymore. I'll fight you. I'll tell anyone, everyone, that you married me, took my virginity and now you're trying to abandon me. I'll tell everyone who will listen that you're a despoiler of innocents. I will not allow you to steal my innocence and my reputation. You'll pay with your own. I'll make sure of it. Come what may, Colin, you're stuck with me.”

  Colin opened his mouth and then shut it again. For the first time, he looked at the situation through Daisy's eyes. She must be so confused. “You don't understand,” he said at last.

  “Of course I don't,” she snapped. “You've explained nothing. It was all well and good to be a mysterious str
anger when our entire relationship was only meant to last a day, but things have changed now, Colin. We're married, consummated, and you won't tell me why that's a problem. I might almost have thought we could be happy together.”

  Colin's teeth ground together, preventing any words from escaping.

  “Do you still think I meant to trap you?”

  He shook his head. “It was that idiot your father wanted you to marry, wasn't it? Didn't he and your father set out to trap you?”

  She nodded. “That seems most likely,” she agreed, scowling. “You saved me from worse than ravishment alone.”

  “And this was my reward.” He rolled his eyes to the ceiling.

  “I must say, I'm feeling rather insulted,” she told him. “This may not be what you planned, but is it really as bad as that? Granted, we're still strangers, but there is some essential draw between us.”

  Colin shook his head, not denying the obvious, but trying to shake off his inertia and speak. “It's not enough. If I care about you at all, I can't do this to you.”

  “Well,” Daisy said tartly, “if you plan to annul our marriage for my own good, even though you took it upon yourself to relieve me of my virginity, you'll have to provide a better reason than these vague comments.”

  Colin closed his eyes. The words of his predicament clogged his throat. It's too late, he reminded himself. If you wanted to present a case of marriage against your will, you wouldn't have bedded her. He glanced at the sheets, at the pink-tinged semen stain that had gathered while Daisy slept. You wanted her for yourself. You have from the first moment. The brandy didn't make you take her. It let you. Now what? He didn't know. Nothing made sense anymore, but the green eyes shining with righteous indignation in the moonlight pricked at his conscience.

  “It may be too much to ask,” he said at last, humbly, “but can you trust me a little longer? I will show you everything you need to know… once we go home.”

  “Home?”

  He nodded. “To my estate. I… You would just have to see… everything in order to understand.”

  Daisy pursed her lips. “Trusting you hasn't done me much good thus far.”

  “Please, Daisy. I'm sorry. Please.”

  “Very well,” she said at last.

  Colin closed his eyes, nauseous again.

  * * *

  Daisy flopped back on the bed, more confused and upset than ever. It's one thing after another. As if the hopeless infatuation wasn't bad enough. That, at least, mixed some sweet with the bitter. But adding on Father's betrayal with that pig, John Orville, this forced marriage, Colin's hostile behavior yesterday, the… events of last night. Her cheeks heated at the memory of wanton pleasure.

  Now, he'd turned again. It was beyond frustrating. Why on earth am I even considering trusting him? What I've seen so far shows me that he's not a good partner, and our bond was imaginary.

  She knew the answer. She was just as stuck as he and just as inclined to be upset about it.

  Agitated, she bounced up from the bed, retrieved her nightgown from amongst the sheets and covered it with her dressing gown. Walking across the room, she stepped out onto the balcony that overlooked the street. Even at the late hour, vehicles drove past, sleepy horses spluttering and complaining in a light drizzle.

  Here, Daisy could see that the moon was full; bright and yellow, glowing down on her face. She closed her eyes, letting the light filter through her eyelids. Why is all this happening? she wondered. A tear escaped from beneath her eyelid and rolled down her cheek. She had never felt so powerfully alone. It felt deeper than words, deeper than tears, as though some essential element of her psyche had been ripped from inside her and thrown over the balcony to wither in the street below.

  At last, fatigue overcame distress, and Daisy made her way back to the bedroom. Colin lay perched on the edge of the bed. His rigid posture told her he was not asleep but pretending.

  No matter. I have no desire to talk to him either. She assumed a matching pose on the opposite edge and lay in discomfort on the comfortable mattress.

  “Colin?” she said at last.

  “Hmmm,” he replied, not sounding sleepy in the least.

  “What will happen tomorrow?”

  “I need to see a man about a horse,” he replied. “That's why we're here. After that, we'll head home. It's about a three-day walk.”

  Daisy raised her eyebrows. Goodness, what strange things he decides to do. A nobleman walk three days in the wilderness? I wonder where he left his carriage.

  Then, she decided she didn't care and closed her eyes, willing sleep to claim her.

  It didn't.

  * * *

  Morning dawned painfully bright on bleary eyes. Yawning and stretching aching muscles, the couple dragged themselves from their bed, turned to look at one another in wary hopelessness, and dragged on clothing.

  Unable to form a coherent thought, Daisy trailed after her husband down to the dining room, where a tasty breakfast lay, hot and utterly unappealing, on the sideboard. Daisy claimed some tea and toast, spread marmalade, and sat, staring at the repast without consuming it.

  Colin frowned at his food but began to shovel it into his mouth with unmannerly haste.

  Good thing our hosts are not around to see this, Daisy thought. “Colin?”

  He met her eyes, swallowing but not responding.

  “For what it's worth, though I had nothing to do with causing this predicament, I'm sorry it put you in an uncomfortable spot.”

  He sipped from his cup of coffee. “I'm sorry as well. It was not my intention to harm you. Far from it.”

  “Do you believe me then?” she asked, pushing her luck. She forced a corner of the toast into her mouth, chewed and swallowed. It stuck, making her cough. She washed it down with a swig of tea.

  “I'm trying to,” he replied with painful honesty. “I mean, I can see the explanation you've laid out, and it does make sense, but…”

  “But you don't trust people in general?” she guessed.

  “It's a small number,” he agreed. “I'm sorry, Daisy, but I just don't know you well enough yet.”

  “Fair enough. Will you allow yourself to get to know me since there's no other option?”

  “I'll try.” He sighed deeply. “I wouldn't think less of you if, after you've seen my estate, you decide that the loss of your maidenhead is a fair price to pay for escaping.”

  “What odd things you say,” she commented. Again, she lifted her toast, but then she set it down again, scowling.

  “I know. I swear it will all make sense in time.”

  “All? Do you mean that in the end, we'll find a way to make peace, and live as a couple, and try to make a family together?”

  Colin choked on his coffee. Clearing his throat, he shook his head. “If, after you've seen… everything, you decide to stay—which you won't—and you also decide that you don't hate me—which you will—I don't know. I think… I think I just need some time. Can you give me that?”

  “I don't know,” she replied honestly. “Do you deserve it?”

  “Not in the slightest,” he replied. Then he shoved a large bite of food into his mouth, cutting off the conversation.

  Daisy studied his face, her teacup sloshing in her hand. He didn't look angry this morning. He looked… defeated. The sunlight filtering through the warm, golden draperies set the silver strands in his dark hair shining and reflected off the lines bracketing his eyes and mouth. He's not old, but he looks it, she thought. What could have etched so much pain on every line of his face? Another question with no answer made her grumpy, and she frowned at her unwanted food.

  “I must say, you two are gloomy this morning,” Christopher said, bustling into the room and helping himself to a hearty breakfast of eggs, toast, sausages and coffee. “I see the sun is shining, but it's not too hot yet. What's the trouble?”

  Daisy shrugged and hid her face behind her teacup.

  Colin shook his head. “It's beyond explanation,” h
e told his friend. “Were you planning to go to the factory today?”

  “Not a bit,” Christopher replied. “My father forbade it. He said, as close as my wife is to delivering, I must stay with her until the moment comes. I almost wish I could buck convention and assist her in the delivery.”

  “Why don't you?” Daisy asked. “Surely, in your own home, with your own wife, you can do whatever you want…”

  Christopher grinned wryly. “The women in question won't allow it. They tell me birthing is women's business and no place for a gentleman. That I'll be underfoot. My task has been clearly laid out. I'm to summon the midwife and then take my daughter somewhere so she won't be troubled if Kat gets… loud.”

  Daisy rolled her eyes. If I had a baby on the way, I wouldn't let my husband out of my sight. He participated in the begetting, he can assist me while I deliver. Then it dawned on her that any child she bore would be Colin's, supposing every 'if' he'd laid out came to pass. I might decide to hate him, she thought, if things don't start making sense soon. This is ridiculous.

  “So, what are you two planning to do today?”

  “I'm going to call on Jeremy Ralston,” Colin explained. “Remember he was a few years behind us in school?”

  “That's right,” Christopher agreed. “You tutored him in mathematics. He had no head for numbers, isn't that right?”

  “Oh, he did,” Colin replied. “He only had to get past thinking he had no head for numbers. Once I showed him, he was bright enough to open a stable and breed, train and sell some prime racehorses. Years ago, he promised me a favor—which I forgot until now. He's just retired his stallion Pesadilla and I hope to acquire him for stud.”

  “Brilliant!” Christopher cheered.

  “Will you be going on to see about… what we discussed?” Christopher asked. “Do I need to come with you?”

  Colin shook his head. “That will not be possible after all. Stay, tend to your wife. I'll be back by luncheon, I hope, and then my…” he looked at Daisy with an unreadable expression, “my wife and I must depart.”

  Christopher looked from Colin to Daisy and back, and a knowing expression spread across his face.