Peter’s body was responding to her as helplessly as it always did, and soon he was hard, hot, breathless.
“Again?” Kelly asked.
“Why not?”
“No reason, I guess. But I’m a little sore from before, so you’ll have to be gentle.”
He rolled her over onto her back and moved over her, thrilled and amazed that he was finally able to do it, after wanting it for so long. He murmured, “I can be as gentle as you want.”
***
Peter was almost high on the excitement of the change in their relationship for most of the day—until they got back to Savannah.
Kelly had been soft and sweet the whole time, letting him kiss her, giving him slanting little looks, but her manner changed as soon as they walked into the old Beaufort house and she greeted her grandmother.
Mrs. Beaufort gave him a sharp look, as if she suspected he’d been up to no good, but she didn’t say much. Fortunately, it was already after dinnertime, so they didn’t have to spend much time making small talk.
But Peter knew something had changed, and his heart sank as he kept searching Kelly’s face.
She was going to pull away from him, now that she’d come home, now that she was back to her normal self.
He told himself not to overreact. It was to be expected. Coming back from a trip often felt like a letdown. It didn’t mean she didn’t want him anymore.
They went through their normal evening rituals, and Kelly was reading in bed when Peter came out of the bathroom, after taking his shower.
He got into bed beside her, rolling on his side so he was facing her.
“What?” Kelly asked, her eyes still on her textbook.
“I didn’t say anything.”
She turned her head toward him. “But I could feel you thinking.”
“And what was I thinking?” He tried to sound light and teasing, but he wasn’t sure he was very successful.
Kelly sighed and lowered her book. “Peter, it’s just too weird for me to have sex here, with my grandmother just upstairs.”
Okay. That was clear enough.
He tried not to convey his disappointment. “She wouldn’t hear anything.”
“I know. It’s just the idea of it. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. We agreed we’d just play it by ear, and we’re definitely not going to have sex if you don’t want to.”
“I don’t want you to be upset.” She was eying him worriedly.
He obviously needed to work more on his expression. He smiled at her. “I’m not upset.”
“Yes, you are. You always get all bland and nonchalant when you’re upset. You think I don’t know you?”
He relaxed against his pillow, a fond resignation washing over him. Of course, she knew him. Better than anyone else. “Okay. I’m a little disappointed, since I was hoping to keep having sex with you. But I get it. There’s no pressure. I mean it.”
She nodded. “Thanks.” She scooted over toward him and wrapped an arm around his chest. “I can feel Grandmama up there, shaking her head in disapproval.”
Peter could almost feel her too. “But I don’t get why she’d be disapproving. We’re married. Surely she’s not against sex between married people.”
“I don’t know. There’s no telling. But she’s definitely disapproving.”
“She doesn’t seem to like me.”
“She doesn’t like anyone.”
“But she was all excited about your sisters getting married. I don’t get why she doesn’t think I’m a good option. I’m a decent guy, and I’m a Blake. I would have thought that would mean something to her.”
“Yeah,” Kelly admitted, idly stroking his chest. “I would have thought so too. I don’t know. I think she never expected me to get married at all. I’m the one who stays home.”
“That’s not fair to you.”
“It’s not about being fair. It’s about who she’s always thought I was.”
“But who she always thought you were isn’t really who you are. You can’t let that shape the course of your life.”
“I know. I’m not.”
He couldn’t help but wonder if that was actually true.
He suddenly realized he was never going to win Kelly’s heart until he could first win her grandmother’s approval. At the moment, it seemed like an impossible task.
He cleared his throat. “If you have any advice, for getting your grandmother to like me, I’d be very glad to hear it.”
“Seriously?” She lifted her head to look down at him.
“Yeah. What should I do?”
“I don’t really know. Maybe you could ask her about the family and about the house and her treasures and the Pride and everything. She loves to talk about all that, and she loves when people are interested. But you’ll have to be convincing. She knows when people are faking.”