The Earl of Morrey (The League of Rogues #13) - Lauren Smith Page 0,33

terrified her, and she wasn’t sure she would be up to her wifely duties after all.

She reached up to touch her hair and giggled again as she realized she was still wearing the extravagant coronet from her wedding. In all of her troubles today, she’d gotten quite used to the weight of the jeweled headpiece and had forgotten it was still on her head.

Letty sat up in the bathtub and started to remove it, but a deep voice stopped her.

“Good evening, lady wife.”

She glanced over her shoulder and went rigid as she realized her husband was standing in her bedchamber, and she was not a dozen feet from him, completely naked.She could feel his eyes upon her in such an exposed and vulnerable state, and it sent her pulse racing.

“Er . . . ,” she stuttered. “Would you mind terribly averting your eyes while I remove myself from my bath?”

“You’ve turned shy now?” Adam teased as he drew closer.

“Oh, please, you mustn’t tease me,” she said in mortification.

“She says this to me while wearing nothing but a coronet and a blush before her husband.” Adam gave a long-suffering sigh, but his eyes were bright with teasing.

“I was waiting for you,” she said, trying not to giggle.

Adam knelt by the tub, his eyes fixed on her face. “Well then, I have arrived, and you need not wait any longer. Stand and I will help you put this on,” He held up her robe. The glint in his eyes had softened, and she felt a warmth in her chest that made her giddy with joy.

Her face was on fire as she rose and he slipped the robe about her arms, then over her shoulders. Before the fabric could touch the water, he grasped her hips and raised her out of the copper tub, setting her down on her feet next to him.

“I rather like this,” he said. “My countess wearing nothing but her coronet. The diamonds make your eyes sparkle.” He brushed a damp lock of her hair back from her cheek.

“I quite forgot I was wearing it. I’m so sorry.”

“Tut, tut. What’s this now? No apologies. As I said, there is something quite wonderful about you wearing nothing but your skin and my diamonds. You’re quite spoiling me on our wedding night.”

“Oh, but—” Another hiccup escaped her, and she clapped her hands over her mouth in mortification.

“Have you had much to drink?” he asked more seriously.

“A bit,” she admitted, then hiccupped again.

With a sigh, Adam moved away from her and poured her a glass of water. “Drink this. Slowly.”

She did, and the hiccups soon vanished. “I’m terribly sorry, Adam. I was so fretfully nervous.”

“Nervous?” He rubbed her shoulders. “Whatever could make you nervous?”

“Well, you do, of course,” she said. “I mean, the thought of sharing a bed with you, that is . . .”

“You’re afraid of the marriage bed?”

Her robe slipped off one shoulder as she took another drink of water. Adam reached up and gently pulled the robe back up over her shoulder rather than down, for which she was grateful. Her breasts felt strange and tingly, and her nipples had pebbled in the chilly air. She would be embarrassed for him to see that.

“It’s silly, I know, but Gillian and Caroline said it might hurt, and I’m really not so brave as you think I am. But I will do my duty.” She lifted her chin, wanting to make him proud that she was ready for whatever came next.

Adam had been smiling until she said duty. Then his open, soft expression faded, and he grew reserved once more.

“There will be no duties fulfilled tonight. You need not fear me—for now, at least.”

He swept her up into his arms and carried her to bed. Then he pulled her covers back and laid her down beneath the sheets.

He bent his head and kissed her forehead. “Sleep well, lady wife.”

The wine was taking its toll upon her, but she reached out and caught his hand as she settled deeper beneath the bedsheets.

“Adam,” she sighed.

“Yes?”

“Stay. Please . . .”

She wanted to feel his body close to hers, to see what it was like to share such an intimate space with him throughout the night, to feel protected and cherished in his arms as she slept.

“You truly wish that?” he asked.

She nodded and yawned.

“Very well, lady wife. I see that you are the one who must be obeyed.” If he hadn’t said this with a chuckle, she might have been worried she’d somehow upset