Blackmail and the Bride by Sahara Kelly

Author:Sahara Kelly [Kelly, Sahara]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: regency romance
Publisher: SK Private Label Publications
Published: 2018-06-13T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Richard awoke to find himself alone.

He was more than a little surprised they’d managed to sleep at all after the previous night’s excitement. Their visitation had been frightening and puzzling, and coming on top of their somewhat lustful activities—their emotions had exhausted them. They’d fallen asleep curled tightly around each other.

Just thinking of those lustful activities brought Richard’s morning arousal to full strength. He groaned, wondering what the hell he was going to do about that particular issue. There wouldn’t always be a ghost around to scare the devil out of him and wither his masculine assets more effectively than a cold shower.

He wanted his wife, no two ways about it. And after last night, he truly believed she was developing similar emotions. Had it been a matter of mutual lust, he’d have taken her without a qualm. But she was an innocent, and his wife. That combination led down a different path. He would spend the rest of his life with her—since he wasn’t one to turn his back on the vows he took seriously.

He didn’t believe she was, either.

Nor was he the type of man to take a mistress and he didn’t believe she’d look for pleasure elsewhere. The mere thought of Cressy in someone else’s bed…no. No, and again, no. She was his. A wave of possessiveness washed through him, surprising him with its ferocity. He lay there, staring at the ceiling above his bed. In a country house that was now his, thanks to his marriage.

And it slowly dawned on him, as the sun made its way into the summer sky, that he finally had things of his very own. Things nobody could take away from him, or deny him, or remind him that he had them on loan, or any of the other things that had left him feeling…untethered.

Some men enjoyed freedom. Richard had had too much of it. But now, he was sleeping in a bed that was his, with a wife who bore his name. He had someone to protect, and something to take pride in—to work on and restore to its former perfection. No wonder he felt possessive…and relished it.

There was a mystery here, in Branscombe Magna. They’d solve it together, side by side. He wasn’t inclined to shut her out, and he doubted she’d let him.

His stomach rumbled, and the thought of breakfast roused him from his unusually contemplative state. Cressy’s door was closed and he heard another shut. She was probably dressed and on her way downstairs.

Rising and stretching, he wondered if he should look into hiring a valet. He shrugged. First things first. Get dressed and find Cressy. The day would unfold from there.

She was helping herself to several dishes from the sideboard as he walked into the small parlor, and turned with a smile.

One that went straight to his loins. “Good morning,” he nodded, hoping his breeches were well stitched.

“We slept,” she shook her head as she moved to the table. “I’m surprised by that. Also that Zizi never woke up at all.

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