He managed a nod without raising his head as she closed the door behind her.
He tried to go back to the books, but he couldn’t focus. He’d seen the signs too. His bride hadn’t been lying when she’d said she might be pregnant. She was pregnant.
Forcing himself to concentrate, he decided to work on one problem at a time, knowing deep down that if she was truly with child, he wouldn’t be able to keep his word and leave her.
He wasn’t aware of anything but the books for a while, then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cozette slipping through the door.
With her puffy eyes and red nose, he had no doubt she had been crying. She smiled as she neared. “Thanks for handling everything today,” she said as she moved closer. “I don’t know what is the matter with me. I thought to only nap and ended up sleeping the day away.”
“You’re welcome,” he answered, wishing he could read her mind as she walked closer. “There was no need to wake you. You needed the rest.”
When her hand brushed over his head, he jerked in surprise. He hadn’t expected her to touch him. That hadn’t been part of the bargain. A few times she’d taken his hand or put her fingers on his arm, but nothing like this—almost a caress.
“You look like you belong in that chair, Michael. The housekeeper told me you’ve had the men do more work today than they’ve done in a month.”
He pushed his chair back. “Come closer,” he ordered gently, loving the easy way she came to him as if they were lovers.
She slowly moved against his side and he handed her his handkerchief. As she blew her nose, he pulled her onto his lap. As always, she hesitated like she might refuse his closeness, then relaxed against his arm.
“Are you all right?” he asked, playing with a curl of her hair.
“Everyone has been so nice,” she said, then laughed that little giggle she had that wasn’t really a laugh at all. “Well, everyone except Uncle Raymond, who is, at present, eating his dinner surrounded by your uncles because he keeps trying to get close to me.”
Michael brushed his hand over her shoulder and along her arm. The need to touch her grew stronger every hour. He’d learned that once he was close to her, she quickly grew accustomed to his touch and no longer tightened her muscles as if expecting a blow. Either she was learning to trust him, or she saw him as no more than a bothersome gnat to be ignored.
As Cozette talked about the guests and all they’d said, he slowly moved her hair away from her neck and leaned close enough to brush his mouth along her throat.
When she didn’t react to his light kisses, he opened his mouth and tasted her skin. He could feel her pulse beneath his lips. Curling his fingers into the collar of her dress, he tugged to reveal more of her neck. The material gave to his demand, showing the rise of her breasts against the black of her dress.
“Are you listening?” she said, tugging away so that she could look him in the eyes.
“Yes, dear,” he lied. So she wouldn’t consider standing, he circled her waist as he pushed the chair closer to the desk. He wanted her close enough to feel her breathing. “But before you continue I need to show you something I’ve found.” His hand rested just below her breast and he almost forgot what he was saying. She was perfection in his arms.
She leaned over the books unaware that he now cupped the bottom of one breast in his hand.
He pulled her back and whispered against her ear. “I love touching you.” His fingers closed gently over her breasts. “Am I hurting you?”
She shook her head. “I think I like the feel of you touching me.” She took a breath, letting the front of her dress press lightly against his hand. “It seemed a strange request but I’ve found it comforting.”
He moved his fingers over her, needing to feel all of her. “And pleasurable,” he whispered.
She stopped breathing for a moment, then took a deep breath and sat perfectly still while his fingers tightened once more. “And pleasurable,” she admitted.
He watched her face for any sign that she wanted him to stop. He saw none.
He kissed her ear. “I love being near you. The best part of the bargain