Handfasted (To Love a Governess Novella) (6 page)

A lamp burned low on the table beside the bed.
 
Katrina was asleep on top of the covers with an open book beside her.
 
He dearly wished she would have gotten into bed so he did not have to witness the thin nightrail that hid very little.
 
Even in the darkness he could see the shading of her nipples beneath the pale linen, as well as the outline of her curls.
 
The gown was also pushed up to the middle of her thighs. Any higher and her womanhood would be exposed to him.
 
Timothy grew hard at the vision of her and knowing how little effort it would take to push the gown up a few more inches.

He turned abruptly.
 
Katrina was an innocent young woman and had no idea, even if she were awake, what the sight of her did to him.
 
He splashed cold water on his face and wished he could submerge his entire body into an icy lake.
 
Sleep would be impossible tonight but he needed to at least try.
 
He pulled his cravat loose and tossed it onto a table before he sat and pulled his boots off.
 
He removed everything but his pants. Those would stay on until Katrina was far away from him.
 
It was a good thing they were comfortable because they would not be leaving his body until Middleton.

Timothy returned to the bed and contemplated whether he should tuck her under the blankets or let her remain on top and he would sleep under the covers.
 
It was probably best if they both weren’t under the covers.
 
He bent to pick up the book and glanced at the pages out of curiosity. He gasped at the sketch on the page. This was one of her father’s books.
 
He turned to bring it closer to the lamp and his toe struck one of her bags. It was open and inside
were
more books. He stooped to look through them. They were all the books that had once been hidden in her father’s store.
 

Katrina had known about them all along, but why was she reading them now?
 
He glanced up to her innocent face, hair splayed out on the pillow, thick lashes brushed her cheek and her plump lips parted for breath.
 
Did his wife want a real wedding night?
 

His cock jumped at the idea.
 

No. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t and for all of the reasons he had listed to himself over and over. He just wished he could remember what they all were now.
 

The page the book had been left open on was a picture of a man and woman.
 
He feasted on her breast while his fingers brought her pleasure.
 

Timothy flipped a few more pages. Each
were
various ways of enjoying each other’s body without actually joining.
 
Could he and Katrina actually engage in intimacy and still leave her a virgin?
 
He knew it was possible and had been satisfied before without entering a woman.
 

He closed the book and put it in the bag.
But, not tonight.
Katrina was sound asleep and he did not wish to disturb her. Besides, he wanted to give the matter some thought and they did have a few more days of travel in which to explore, if that is what they decided to do.

She shifted in her sleep and pulled at the covers. It was somewhat chilly in the room.
 
Timothy pulled the blankets from beneath her body to cover her before he crawled into bed.
 
The mattress dipped beneath them and he settled onto his back.
 
Katrina rolled toward him, finally settling with a hand on his chest and leg over his thigh.

It was going to be a very long night.

Chapter 6

Katrina woke and stretched as her eyes took in the strange room. For a moment she forgot where she was and who she was with.
 
She rolled to her side.
 
Timothy slept on his back.
 
One arm curved above his head and the other across his chest.
 
The blankets were shoved down to his waist and she snuck a peek beneath the covers only to be disappointed because he was clothed from the hips down.
 
Her eyes returned to his chest. Though relaxed in sleep she could still make out the muscles in his chest and abdomen. There was nothing soft about Timothy and it was a shame he had to hide such a desirable physique beneath clothing.
 

She reached out a hand to touch the flat dark nipple but stopped herself.
 
The time for intimacy had passed.
 
Daylight whispered through the draperies and she would have to wait until tonight. She would not let him out of her sight this time.
 
It was a shame people didn’t engage in such activity during the day because they had a whole day of riding in the carriage together.
 
All of those hours where she could explore would be wasted.
 
She overheard her aunt once exclaim that such things should only take place under the cover of darkness. Katrina would have asked why, but then her aunt would have known she eavesdropped on a private conversation. Maybe someone would explain it to her one day.

Katrina sat and flung her legs over the side of the bed, her toe connecting with the bag of books. She bit her lip to keep from crying out and waking Timothy.
 
She glanced over her shoulder to make sure he still slept but his piercing green eyes studied her.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.” He put a hand over his mouth and yawned.
 

She bent forward and quickly closed the bag.
 
What would he think of those books? What would he think of her?
 
She hoped he didn’t notice them last night.
 

Timothy threw back the covers, rose from the bed and stretched.
 
The ripple of his muscles across his back fascinated her. She knew she should move as well but couldn’t tear her eyes away from him.

“I will leave you to your privacy and request breakfast be delivered to the room.”

Before she could utter a word he was gone.
 

Katrina shook her head to clear her mind and quickly moved to dress for the day before he returned. It wouldn’t do to have him catch her half dressed in the morning. However, night was an entirely different matter.

* * *

Breakfast was a simple affair and as soon as they were finished, Timothy had their bags taken back out to the carriage.
 
When the coachman lifted her bag of books he stopped him. “My wife has reading materials in there to keep her entertained. We will keep those with us in the carriage.”

He glanced at Katrina over his shoulders and her eyes were about ready to pop out.
 
She was probably trying to invent several reasons why that bag could not be opened and he couldn’t wait to hear each and every one of them.

It was a risk he took.
 
Could he just taste and sample without taking everything?
 
He counted on being able to find enjoyment for himself, more than once, and give Katrina as much pleasure as he knew how and still leave her a virgin.
 
It would be difficult but he knew it could be done. He just hoped he was strong enough to stop himself from taking it all.

“We don’t need them with us.
 
I don’t really like to read on carriage rides.”

Timothy fought the smile. “Yes, but I do enjoy reading. Perhaps you have something I might enjoy.”

She grabbed the bag and put it back with the others. “I am sure there is nothing you would like.
Horrid novels and such.”

He certainly hoped she didn’t view the books as horrid or all plans he made would go out the window.
 
He grabbed the bag and started walking toward the door tthe carriage. “If you promise not to tell anyone, I enjoy horrid novels.”

Katrina took hold of the handle. “But these horrid novels are very horrid, as in horrible. You
really
wouldn’t like them.”
 
She yanked on the bag but he wouldn’t let go.

“Let me decide for myself.” He grinned at her.
 

The red began in her neck and crept up her cheeks and to her forehead.
 
It was interesting and lovely at the same time.
 
After a moment she let go of the bag and entered the carriage. He followed and placed it on the floor. He would address it and the contents once they were away from town.

* * *

I have to keep him from looking in the bag
.
 
Katrina brought her hand up and placed the back of it against her cheek. Yes, her face was hot as she imagined.
 
Goodness, what would he think of her?
 
It was one thing to read and look at them in privacy and imagine Timothy doing those things to her at night. It was quite another thing for him to look at those books in broad daylight. Such things were not done. Of that she was certain.
 
She would just have to keep him occupied and his mind off of reading.

“Where do you think we will stop for the night?”
 
Drat, she shouldn’t be thinking about night because night led to bed and hopefully led to what those books described, but she didn’t want him to know that.

“We probably won’t make it any further than Earlston.”

“Why is that?”
 
She could look at a map and pinpoint where any city was, but she had no concept of how long it took to travel from one place to the other.

“The books.”

Certainly he didn’t mean her bag of books. Did he know what was in them and planned on . . .? No, she dismissed the idea.
 
“What books?”

A half-smiled pulled at his lips. “Didn’t you notice a wagon following us, or maybe we are following it.”

“No.”

“I want all of those books with me so they aren’t lost between here and Middleton.
 
They are worth a small fortune and I don’t want to go to the trouble of trying to build my library again.”

“So a wagon travels slower.”

“Much slower, but I would rather it took us an extra day than be separated from them.”

So would I
.
 
“I will still make it to Willanton in time for my interview won’t I?”

“Yes, we have days left and I certainly don’t think it will take us that long.”

“Oh, good.”
She folded her hands on her lap.
 
If they could drag the trip out to four days she could hopefully seduce him and arrive in Willanton the day before or the day of her interview. It would be perfect.

Timothy turned his head and looked out the window.
 
Katrina remained quiet. He could stare the entire day, as long as he didn’t want to know what books were in the bag.
 
But if he showed interest she would need to think up another distraction.
  
She had better be prepared in case he became interested.

The gentle sway of the carriage was too relaxing by far.
 
Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, but she forced them open.
 
This was always a curse. The moment she settled into her seat, as long as it was a well-sprung carriage and the road had few ruts, she could never remain awake regardless of the amount of sleep she had the night before.
 

She stifled a yawn behind her gloved hand and forced her eyes open. She could not go to sleep right now.
 
She needed to be alert in case her husband wanted to read a book.