A Certain Wolfish Charm(79)

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She took a calming breath and raised herself to her full height, refusing to be cowed. "Exactly what I said. Ever since we arrived in Essex, you have found one excuse or another to abandon me. It will be much easier for you two to carry on without me being in your way."



"Lily." He frowned, planting himself in front of the connecting door.



"You can tell me all about Harrow when you return to Westfield Hall."



He folded his strong arms across his chest. "I don't find pouting to be an attractive trait."



Lily plastered a fraudulent smile across her face. "Indeed? I find boorish behavior to be particularly distasteful, myself. You are in my way, Simon."



"Have I behaved boorishly?"



"In more ways than I can count. Now, please remove yourself from my path."



"Lily."



"You and Oliver really should get a start on the day. Do excuse me." She tried to brush behind him and escape into her own chamber, but she found him more immobile than an elephant with a mule's disposition.



He grasped her waist and pulled her flush against him. The intensity of his stare left her nearly breathless, which was infuriating. After putting up with his ill treatment the previous day, she didn't want her pulse to race when he held her. She didn't want to notice how lovely and strong his lips were. She didn't want to feel his muscles and sinew through the thin material of her nightrail.



"You are my wife, Lily." His dark voice warmed her and settled in her belly. "And you won't escape me."



"Ha!" she shot back, hoping to regain her composure. "You're the one who has been escaping me, Simon Westfield. Now unhand me."



"I've not been escaping you."



She narrowed her eyes at him. "As soon as we arrived, you took off. Then yesterday you made it seem as if you wanted my attention while you bathed, but then you pushed me away. You kept yourself apart from me the remainder of the day, except for dinner, as I'm certain you couldn't find a plausible reason to avoid me, and then…" She poked his chest with her finger. "Then you stayed away all night and didn't even wake me when you returned."



Simon frowned. "I'm not accustomed to having to answer to anyone, Lily."



"I'm not just anyone, Simon. I am your wife, which I suspect you are now regretting."



"I told you my lifestyle wasn't conducive to marriage. You're going to have to be patient with me."



Lily didn't feel like being patient. She wanted answers—and sooner rather than later. "What are you hiding from me, Simon?"



He shook his head. "Nothing, Lily. Whether you believe me or not. I don't know how to convince you."



"Why did you push me away?"



"I'm not accustomed to having anyone else in my life. As I said, it will take me time to adjust. Dear God, Lily, this is all new to me."



Was that all it was? She started to second-guess herself. Was she being silly and insecure? She stared into his grey eyes and felt warmth spread across her body. "You're not trying to avoid me?"



He shook his head.



"Why didn't you wake me last night?"



His lips formed a lopsided smile. "Because you looked so tired. After the exhausting day we had, I couldn't bring myself to rouse you, though I wanted nothing more than to do so. Believe me, if I'd known you'd react this way, I would have done so."#p#分页标题#e#



"Truly?" she asked, her voice very small.



"If I promise to ravish you every night, will you promise to avoid histrionics every morning?"



Her cheeks warmed, and she felt like a fool. She'd never been prone to dramatics before.



"Is that a yes?" he asked, dipping his head down to hers. "I promise to keep my part of the bargain, Lily."



"To ravish me every night?"



A wolfish grin spread across his face. "And sometimes in the morning."



When Simon's lips captured hers, all other thoughts left Lily's mind. His strong hands splayed across her lower back and pressed her against his arousal.



Lily couldn't think when he held her this close, when his eyes darkened to flint and his nostrils flared. She could only feel. And feel she did. Every inch of him pressed against her belly, hot and hard.



"Can we start with this morning?" Lily felt the heat



creep up her cheeks when he raised one eyebrow. Perhaps she was being too bold. But then he picked her up and took her back to bed, and all thoughts of being too pushy fled quickly from her mind.



***





Simon draped his arm around Lily as the coach rocked her back to sleep. On the other side of the carriage, Oliver watched with a sad smile on his face. The boy had been quiet most of the journey, and Simon wondered what was on Oliver's mind. "Something wrong?" he asked quietly.