can pass before I am reminded how insufferably arrogant you are.”
Ian bit back a smile. “You will turn my head with all your pretty compliments.”
“Adding to your conceit was not my intention, believe me.”
Instead of retorting, he stood and moved behind Tess to pull out her chair for her, bending to murmur in her ear.
“I’ve had no complaints about my lovemaking, sweetheart. But since you profess to have little knowledge of passion, I suppose you can be excused for your naïveté.”
“I will forgo the pleasure of ending my naïveté, thank you,” Tess snapped, rising to her feet.
His taunting had served to distract her, Ian decided as they climbed the sweeping staircase together. Yet he was somewhat distracted himself.
Tess did have a disconcerting way of keeping him off balance. Her earlier discussion of mistresses, for instance. Her implication that he would so easily commit adultery had stung him. He wouldn’t denythat he’d had several mistresses in the past—and more liaisons than he ought. But he’d never been intimate with a married woman. He drew the line at cuckolding another unwitting chap as his illustrious father had been so fond of doing.
And he would never be so liberal where his own wife was concerned, even discounting the fierce possessiveness Tess kindled in him. He was not about to let her give her body to any other man, certainly not now that she was his. They were joined in holy matrimony now and he intended for both of them to honor their vows.
It would require a Herculean effort, though, to sleep in the same bedchamber with Tess and restrain his desire for her. But for both their sakes, Ian pledged, he meant to try. For now he would keep his hands off her if it killed him.
When at last he escorted her up to the ducal apartments and closed his bedchamber door behind them, he saw Tess’s nerves visibly return. The suite was quite large, but Ian suspected it felt too small to her, having to be alone with him.
He noted how her gaze swept the room. The furnishings were done in burgundy and golds, with a massive four-poster canopied bed dominating one side. The covers were drawn down and someone—presumably her maid—had laid out her nightdress and dressing gown on the bed.
Despite the welcome fire in the hearth that took away any chill, Tess shivered, evidently still unsettled at the necessity of having to sleep with him.
“Do you need my help undressing?” he asked, keeping his tone placid.
“I can manage.”
“The dressing room is beyond that door.” He gestured toward the far side of the bedchamber.
Tess hesitated. “It occurs to me that we needn’t share a bed at all, even to keep up appearances.”
“Where do you propose sleeping then?” When she had no answer, he relented. “There is a chaise longue in the sitting room next door, where you may sleep if you wish. I advise you to take some blankets to ward off the cold. Although it seems foolish when there is a comfortable bed right here.”
He waited for her reply to no avail. “I could volunteer to be noble, but I have no desire to endure such discomfort myself. My bed is large enough that we can each sleep on our own side.”
When Tess still remained silent, Ian let out a breath in exasperation. “Your nerves are understandable, love, but I assure you, I won’t ravish you in your sleep. I am that much of a gentleman.”
“I believe you are,” Tess said grudgingly. “It is just I have never slept with anyone before.”
“That can be lonely.”
She gave him a quelling look. “I doubt I will sleep a wink tonight,” she muttered under her breath.
“I may not either,” Ian murmured with complete sincerity.
After a long delay, Tess emerged from the dressing room uncertain how to act. Fanny had advised her to let Rotham take the lead on their wedding night, but what the devil should she do now that he didn’t meanto consummate their union? She never would have envisioned such consideration
Ian bit back a smile. “You will turn my head with all your pretty compliments.”
“Adding to your conceit was not my intention, believe me.”
Instead of retorting, he stood and moved behind Tess to pull out her chair for her, bending to murmur in her ear.
“I’ve had no complaints about my lovemaking, sweetheart. But since you profess to have little knowledge of passion, I suppose you can be excused for your naïveté.”
“I will forgo the pleasure of ending my naïveté, thank you,” Tess snapped, rising to her feet.
His taunting had served to distract her, Ian decided as they climbed the sweeping staircase together. Yet he was somewhat distracted himself.
Tess did have a disconcerting way of keeping him off balance. Her earlier discussion of mistresses, for instance. Her implication that he would so easily commit adultery had stung him. He wouldn’t denythat he’d had several mistresses in the past—and more liaisons than he ought. But he’d never been intimate with a married woman. He drew the line at cuckolding another unwitting chap as his illustrious father had been so fond of doing.
And he would never be so liberal where his own wife was concerned, even discounting the fierce possessiveness Tess kindled in him. He was not about to let her give her body to any other man, certainly not now that she was his. They were joined in holy matrimony now and he intended for both of them to honor their vows.
It would require a Herculean effort, though, to sleep in the same bedchamber with Tess and restrain his desire for her. But for both their sakes, Ian pledged, he meant to try. For now he would keep his hands off her if it killed him.
When at last he escorted her up to the ducal apartments and closed his bedchamber door behind them, he saw Tess’s nerves visibly return. The suite was quite large, but Ian suspected it felt too small to her, having to be alone with him.
He noted how her gaze swept the room. The furnishings were done in burgundy and golds, with a massive four-poster canopied bed dominating one side. The covers were drawn down and someone—presumably her maid—had laid out her nightdress and dressing gown on the bed.
Despite the welcome fire in the hearth that took away any chill, Tess shivered, evidently still unsettled at the necessity of having to sleep with him.
“Do you need my help undressing?” he asked, keeping his tone placid.
“I can manage.”
“The dressing room is beyond that door.” He gestured toward the far side of the bedchamber.
Tess hesitated. “It occurs to me that we needn’t share a bed at all, even to keep up appearances.”
“Where do you propose sleeping then?” When she had no answer, he relented. “There is a chaise longue in the sitting room next door, where you may sleep if you wish. I advise you to take some blankets to ward off the cold. Although it seems foolish when there is a comfortable bed right here.”
He waited for her reply to no avail. “I could volunteer to be noble, but I have no desire to endure such discomfort myself. My bed is large enough that we can each sleep on our own side.”
When Tess still remained silent, Ian let out a breath in exasperation. “Your nerves are understandable, love, but I assure you, I won’t ravish you in your sleep. I am that much of a gentleman.”
“I believe you are,” Tess said grudgingly. “It is just I have never slept with anyone before.”
“That can be lonely.”
She gave him a quelling look. “I doubt I will sleep a wink tonight,” she muttered under her breath.
“I may not either,” Ian murmured with complete sincerity.
After a long delay, Tess emerged from the dressing room uncertain how to act. Fanny had advised her to let Rotham take the lead on their wedding night, but what the devil should she do now that he didn’t meanto consummate their union? She never would have envisioned such consideration
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