Total pages in book: 235
Estimated words: 227851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1139(@200wpm)___ 911(@250wpm)___ 760(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 227851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1139(@200wpm)___ 911(@250wpm)___ 760(@300wpm)
I don’t agree. “I want you to give up,” I say, testing those waters again. “Be a lady of leisure.”
She laughs under her breath. “How would I be a lady of leisure if I’m permanently nailed to you?”
“Okay,” I whisper, resorting to my usual tried and tested tactics, grinding myself into her, smiling when she stiffens. “Be a lady of pleasure, then.” Just look at her cheeks, instantly flushed.
“Ward.” She’s breathless, her hands holding my upper arms. “You are not taking me now.” Oh, please. Not a few moments ago she was surprised I wanted to snuggle. Now she’s going to be all coy? “Anyway, we should get downstairs before my mum comes in search of us.”
Let her. I don’t mind giving her an eyeful of my arse as I take Ava from behind. Gently, of course. I do know, however, Ava will. “Your mother is a pain in the fucking arse.”
She laughs, loud and in disbelief. “Don’t wind her up, then.”
Wind her up? My trampling has been very mild. I don’t mind dialing it up if necessary. “She needs to accept who has the power,” I mumble as I get us up, reattaching the cuffs.
“You’re touching me,” she says tiredly. “Of course you have the power.” I grin when she tries and fails to take her hand from mine before I can secure her to me. Too slow, baby. Way too slow.
“I’m sorry,” I muse, thoughtful, casual, jiggling our joined wrists. “Who has the power?”
“You can have the power for today,” she mutters.
“You’re being very reasonable.” I’m suspicious. And still really fucking horny. I dip and steal another kiss, plunging my tongue deeply. “Hmmm, you taste delicious, Mrs. Ward.” Even more delicious now she’s my wife. And the sound of her name? Perfect. “Ready?”
“Yes,” she says on a breathy whisper, giving me all of the signs. But rather than take her and indulge her, I find my untamable curiosity overpowering my untamable desire, and my hand lifts without instruction, laying on her tummy. She jerks but doesn’t move away. I inhale. She’s letting me feel her. What does that mean?
Flexing my fingers, I circle my touch, breathing in, searching my mind for the right words, a way to break the screaming silence. Is she?
I don’t get the chance to ask. Ava moves away and my hand falls, but my eyes remain on her lace-covered stomach, silently begging her to speak to me. Trust me. Believe me when I tell her I did it for us.
“Come on, then,” she chirps, happy. And I’m astounded as I watch her walk to the door. Or try to. I remain where I am, and she’s pulled to a stop on a hiss, our arms extended between us.
Enough. This is madness. “Are we going to talk about this, Ava?” I ask, trying and failing not to sound short.
“Talk about what?” She’s not looking at me, so she can’t see my astounded face.
“You know what.”
I study her persona, her eyes still avoiding me as she searches for . . . what? Courage? Words? Anger, happiness? What the hell does she want to happen right now, because ignoring it isn’t an option anymore. I’ve given her time. I’ve waited for her to come to me, confide in me, confront me, whatever it is she needs to do. She’s taken none of the opportunities.
“Ava, we—”
The door flies open, Elizabeth appearing, and I sag on the spot as she looks between us, oblivious to the screaming tension. “Can I ask why you two didn’t just run off somewhere to get married?” she asks. That’s a good fucking question. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking when I decided we were having a big wedding. Perhaps I was appeasing Ava’s unspoken romantic notion of a fairy tale. Perhaps I wanted everyone to see us wed. Who the fuck knows. “You have guests downstairs,” she rants on. “Dinner is being served, and I’m thoroughly fed up running around trying to control you.”
Then don’t, I say to myself, because there will be ructions if I retaliate. I’m in no mood for Elizabeth right now.
“We’re coming,” Ava says, trying to get me moving.
I remain static. “We’ll be a few minutes, Elizabeth.” This is being dealt with now.
“No,” Ava counters, her jaw rolling. “We’re coming.” She tilts her head, her eyes becoming glassy. She’s upset, acknowledging the situation without actually acknowledging it. It’s something, I suppose, but it still doesn’t answer the fucking question, does it? The fact is, she should be pissy with me whether I succeeded or not. She’s asked me outright if I was taking her pills and sounded quite chilled about it. I denied it, obviously. What can I say? I was caught off guard, unprepared. She’s forced condoms on me since. But now I’m ready, prepared. And now she’s avoiding talking about it. The mixed signals are driving me round the bend. “Please,” Ava mouths, and I growl to myself, raking a hand through my hair in frustration. God damn it.