the power of his touch. The simplest graze and Mina could hardly think straight. Her fingers ran along his jaw, and Simon pulled her closer, as though begging for more of her. But even as her heart pushed her to keep kissing him, she needed to give voice to other feelings longing to be known.
“I am sorry for doubting you, Simon.” Wincing, Mina shook her head. “There are times when I cannot believe you love me, even though you give me so many reasons to trust it. Can you forgive my weakness?”
Simon released her face, bringing his arms around her to hold her close as they leaned against the bed. The cold of the wood seeped through her nightclothes, but she was in no hurry to leave that position.
Pressing a kiss to her head, he murmured, “We are a pair. Both so petrified of losing the other that we behave irrationally, which only feeds into the other’s fear.”
Mina rested her hand on his chest, playing with the edge of his nightshirt collar. “What are we going to do with us?”
“Perhaps we can go back to the beginning and start afresh…” Simon’s voice trailed off, his hold on her tightening. “But I suppose I did not fare so well when we first spoke, either. Why did you agree to marry me in the first place?”
Lifting her head, Mina met his puzzled gaze, his eyes asking for an answer he could not work out himself. She gave him a teasing smile and said, “I was a touch desperate.”
A jest at such a time was a gamble, but luckily, Simon chuckled, turning a wry smile inward.
Mina clutched his robe’s lapel, pulling his attention to her, and she answered honestly, “It wasn’t the best of starts, but I do find it humorous now.”
Her husband grunted and did not seem amused at all. “My obtuseness knows no bounds.”
“No more of that, sir. I think it time for a negotiation, so to speak. We both had expectations coming into this marriage, and none of them have unfolded as we hoped, but it was because we were not honest with one another. Not truly.”
Straightening, Mina turned to face him directly and took his hand in hers. “Simon, if you promise to be free with your thoughts and feelings, then I promise I will do the same. I will no longer hide what is bothering me.”
“I am utterly rotten at guessing your thoughts,” he replied with a sad smile.
“And you shouldn’t have to,” said Mina. “I kept expecting you to intuit my feelings, rather than telling you, and that was wrong of me. No more secrets between us.”
Simon reached around to pull her into his arms. His eyes were glistening and bright, capturing Mina and warming her through. “I promise.” He placed a kiss on her cheek. “And I promise that you are the only woman I have ever truly loved.” He followed that with another press of his lips at the corner of her mouth. His voice softened, growing huskier as he continued. “And you are the only woman I will ever love. My beautiful wife.”
Mina blinked away her tears at that declaration. The words were nice to hear, but it was the utter conviction in his voice that wrapped around her heart and soul. At that, he met her lips, kissing her with such abandon that Mina’s mind cleared of all thoughts, reveling in the feel of him and his love. It filled her, and she was certain she could say the same of him: Simon was the only man she would ever love.
When Mina settled back against Simon, the pair of them stared at the wall opposite, deep in thought as they enjoyed the peaceful moment together. His arms were wrapped around her, and Mina thought there was no better place in the world to be.
“Thank you for speaking up, Mina,” he said, his fingers tracing a pattern along her back. “I shouldn’t have followed Finch’s advice.”
Lifting her head, Mina sent him a questioning look, and Simon shrugged and added, “A few weeks ago, I asked him what I should do, and he said it was better to let things be as everything would settle in due course. He didn’t think any good would come from dredging up such unpleasant subjects.”
Mina stiffened, her eyes widening. “He said that?”
Chapter 35
Impoverished gentlemen could not afford to travel, but a stint in the army and visits to his family allowed Finch some opportunity to see places outside of