They broke the bread and dipped it in oil. “I was half-starved,” Sara murmured. She lay across the blanket seductively. The curve of hips glistened in the afternoon sun. Nicholas tried to speak, but the bread felt solid in his throat. He choked and reached for something to drink.
“Are you all right?” She sat up suddenly.
“Perfect,” he answered, voice raspy. “Something just caught in my throat.” His gaze burned into the inviting angle of her body. God was surely punishing him.
Chapter Eighteen
Sara could do nothing more except throw herself at her new husband. What more did he want? Weren’t they to be married like a real married couple? Did he no longer desire her in that way? She had been so excited about the carriage ride because he kissed her so passionately, now he seemed to be paying more attention to his wine than to her. If he didn’t slow down he would pass out on her before the sun even went down, unless that was his goal all along.
She took her hair down, knowing he loved to see it flow freely around her shoulders She had even done her best to lie across the blanket in a way that brought special attention to the curve of her body; instead he looked away as if angry.
“Nicholas?” she asked coyly.
His gaze was brooding at best; he actually looked upset rather than excited to be sharing a picnic with her.
“Yes?” His eyes darted back to the food.
“Do you think we could take a nap out on the field rather than inside?” She scooted closer to him, allowing her scent to permeate the tight bubble he had around his person.
“Uh…”
“Then we can go inside later?”
“Sure.” His voice sounded unsure, but he’d agreed, which was exactly what she wanted. She hadn’t planned on trying to seduce her husband, and frankly she didn’t really know how. All she knew was that for some reason he was being an idiot, and she, being the female, needed to remedy the situation.
“Thanks,” she said, stretching her hands into the air. She felt his hot gaze even though her eyes were closed. If looks could kill, she would be dead.
She took the opportunity to yawn and lift another strawberry to her mouth before stretching her body across his.
“Sara.” His voice was small, not at all how she was used to hearing it.
“Hmm?” she asked innocently.
“I uh, I—“
“Do you always use such big words, Nicholas?” she teased, not opening her eyes. His body tensed beneath hers. Surely this was the bravest moment of her life as she began caressing the top of his leg. Even she felt his shudder and a smile crept upon her lips. Luckily she was facing away from him.
“Time to sleep,” she said, even though it was absolutely the last thing on his mind now. Good, let him suffer for a while, she thought, then she sadly realized how tired she really was. Maybe she could sleep for a few minutes.
She woke up with a start. It was already dark outside; she could hear the crickets and feel the cool temperature. Somehow the blanket she had sprawled across was tucked around her body and Nicholas was sitting straight up next to her. She was mortified. She had tried to seduce her husband and fell asleep; she really was an innocent.
A smile played on Nicholas lips as he looked down at her. “Awake princess?”
She nodded glad he couldn’t see her red face. “How long was I sleeping?”
“Four hours.” Nicholas didn’t even crack a smile.
“Four hours!” she yelled.
He shook with laughter and fell back onto the grass. “My, my you’re fun when you wake up from a long sleep. Maybe I did stretch the truth. I actually fell asleep too, it seems we have only been out here around two hours, maybe one spent sleeping.”
She exhaled, realizing she had held her breath. “Shall we go inside?” she asked, already getting up.
“Sure.” His eyes squinted with laughter. “I have another surprise waiting for you.” He grabbed her hand and kissed it. The kiss sent sensations all the way down to her toes. She could get used to being kissed on the hand like that.
Nicholas led her back into his immaculate home. He bit his lip and focused on pulling her up the stairs. He looked like a little boy on Christmas, which gave Sara tingling sensations in her stomach. The anticipation of what was to come was nearly too much to take. She hadn’t seen him like this, ever.
“Just this way,” he said softly in her ear. It was odd how often he whispered to her, as if speaking in his normal tone was too harsh for someone so precious. Whatever his reasons, it made her feel special. He led her back into her chambers and into another room she hadn’t seen yet. It was small and smelled like fruit and soap. She looked down and nearly cried. He had had a bath prepared for her. It was perfect; then again, she wasn’t sure what he wanted her to do. Was she supposed to bathe alone, or was he going to sit with her, or would he bathe with her? The thought, rather than frighten her, filled her with longing and anticipation. What would his hands feel like on her naked body? Closing her eyes momentarily, she allowed herself the little daydream of being alone with Nicholas in the large tub.