Adele (Angel Creek Christmas Brides #18) - Cynthia Woolf Page 0,23
didn’t change positions. “I’m surprised I took this long. Maybe I needed you more than I thought. But I don’t need you anymore.”
He chuckled. “We’ll see.”
*****
The next morning, Adele was surprised to find she’d plastered herself against Edward’s side and his arm was wrapped around her, as usual. She moved his arm, but he tightened it.
“You’re awake. Let me go.”
“Never. I’ll never let you go, Adele.”
She pushed at his arm again, but couldn’t move it. The man was too strong. “I have to get up and meet Lissa in the barn. Please, let me go.”
His hold relaxed, but he didn’t remove his arm. “Here is where you belong…in my arms.” He moved her so she lay atop him and then he wrapped her with both arms. “Is it really so bad?”
She huffed out a breath and closed her eyes. “You don’t talk to me during the day and then you expect to have relations with me at night.” She opened her eyes. “I can’t do that. I’m miserable knowing you have so very little respect for me.”
“Can you blame me? And for your information if I didn’t have some respect for you and understand your circumstances you wouldn’t still be here.”
“But you said—”
“I don’t care what the town said. I’ve already alienated most of them because of Catherine. What’s one more woman I can’t keep happy?”
She crossed her arms on his chest and then rested her chin on them so she was looking at Edward. “You know that’s not the case. All you have to do is treat me like your wife during the day and not as your whore at night, regardless of what you think of me.”
He frowned and closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. “Have I really been acting that way?”
“Yes, you have. You don’t talk other than to give me instructions. Do this, lay here, and so forth. That’s not the kind of talking I mean. I want to know how your day went. I want you to take interest in my day and maybe even ask how I’m getting on with Lissa.”
“You’re right. We both said we wouldn’t bring our troubles into the bedroom, and I’ve not kept to my word on that rule. Forgive me.” He gently rubbed her back.
She felt so good lying there and talking, she could easily fall asleep. Adele opened her eyes wide and remembered what she’d wanted to ask him. “Edward, I want you to teach me to shoot, please.”
“Why would you need to shoot?”
“Because Richard threatened to kill me.”
His arms tightened around her. “Why didn’t you tell me before now? You’ve known for a month. What if he’d come back? I’ll take care of Richard.”
She tilted her head and huffed out a breath. “We haven’t been talking. Remember? What if you’re not here when he comes next time and there will be a next time. I don’t know why he’s taking so long. Maybe he wants us to forget about him. Which I have for the most part and that’s dangerous.”
He was quiet for a moment and then nodded. “You’re right. You need to be able to protect yourself and Lissa.”
“Yes, I do, because Richard won’t think twice about hurting her to get to me.”
Edward’s hold tightened. “Do you believe he really would hurt her?”
“Yes, I do. He’ll warn me before he does, and I will go with him if it comes to that. I won’t let him injure her when it’s in my power not to. I already know how to shoot a shotgun. Richard taught me so he could take me skeet shooting at his club. They also had a fox hunt on the grounds and I learned to shoot a rifle for that. But I don’t know how to handle a pistol. Now I must go.” She leaned up and ran a hand through his hair. “Think about what I’ve asked. I won’t make you answer now.”
He moved his arm and released her.
“I have to meet Lissa in the barn. I promised and I will keep my promise to her.”
Adele leapt from the bed and removed her nightgown. She pulled yesterday’s dress over her head and then buttoned it from hip to neck. The dress was actually one of her favorites, a dark green calico with black piping around the cuffs and the neckline. A simple design, fitted in the bodice and gathered at the waist it gave her plenty of room to walk and to work.
She thought the shade of