To Desire a Wicked Duke (Courtship Wars 6)

She relaxed a little when he changed the subject to discuss the servant staff at Bellacourt and her expected role as mistress here, but Tess visibly stiffened when he eventually announced that it was time to retire.

“Must we?” she asked, her tension returning.

“We are newlyweds and should act the part. Couples in love would not tarry at the dining table.”

When she fidgeted with her wineglass, Ian decided he’d had enough of her trepidation.

“For appearance’s sake, Tess, we must share the same bedchamber tonight, but we needn’t consummate our union just yet. If it will ease your mind, I won’t make any connubial demands until you are ready.”

She searched his face, looking cautiously hopeful for a moment … then nodded in relief, as if she believed his offer to postpone carnal relations. “I would much prefer to wait.”

Taking a fortifying swallow of wine then, she added more firmly, “It may be a long while until I am ready. And you should know that after the consummation, I don’t intend to share a marital bed with you. You said we could live separate lives, and I mean to hold you to your promise.”

“If that is what you want.”

“I do.”

Ian watched Tess over his own wineglass. He could easily take her declaration as a challenge. Her reticence both annoyed him and pricked his vanity, inspiring a fundamental male instinct to prove his worth as a lover.

His rational side, however, debated with his natural impulses. There was no question that he wanted Tess in his bed—tonight and every night—but it would be far easier to keep his distance from her if he treated their marriage strictly as a legal contract, just as she wished to do.

On the other hand, arousing Tess might be the quickest means of overcoming her fear of him. He was confident he could change her mind about sharing a nuptial bed once she understood the kind of pleasure he could give her.

Ian took a swallow of his own wine. It was ironic that he would have to woo his own bride. He’d never had to exert himself to win any lover he wanted. Women never refused him; indeed, they practically threw themselves at him. And to his knowledge, he had never instilled sexual fear in any of them.

Then again, Tess was utterly unique, he reminded himself. And provoking her was still the most effective means of arming himself against her.

“I am prepared to be patient for a time,” he deliberately drawled in that lazy tone that never failed to rile her. “But I trust you realize such forbearance reflects estimable gallantry on my part.”

Her gaze narrowed on him.

“I should also point out that you will miss out on an exceptional experience if we don’t become lovers.”

Her chin lifting, she stared at him. “It amazes me,” she finally said, “that entire minutes 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 deny that 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