If it hadn’t been for his desperation to have her as well as his father’s will, he’d have waited until she’d been fully investigated before putting his ring on her finger.
She’d signed all necessary prenuptial agreements without any concern to what she got out of the arrangement.
When she’d signed the forms relinquishing all rights to his fortune it had surprised him. Other women would have bargained for more out of it whereas Tess appeared to look forward to her freedom more than a credit card. Duncan was starting to see a whole other side to her. Her father had painted a very negative picture about her family. She was smashing all of his preconceived opinions about her.
Or are you hoping she’s different from all the others?
Duncan cut off all thought about his own feelings. He was tired of feeling in deep waters when it came to Tess. He didn’t need any more reminders of their time together.
He scanned through the short document as quickly as possible. There were no names as to who her mother was. Erik Williams kept all details of her maternal side a secret. His security couldn’t find a single thing on the woman who’d given birth to Tess. He wondered what it would have been like growing up without a parent. His mother wasn’t the best person—or mother—in the world, but she was still his mother. Tess’s mother remained a mystery. According to the details his security team had managed to dig up, Tess had never been married or even had a long standing boyfriend. She lived in an apartment, which he’d seen, in a reasonable area. The crime rate was reasonable considering her meagre income. She was a librarian up until a week ago. From all accounts of the people they’d talked to, Tess kept to herself. No friends and nothing of any great importance. The document was in fact useless.
Duncan leaned back in his chair staring at the photos they’d attached. Some were taken of her in her school uniform. She looked sad in most of the photos. He noticed she always stood on her own.
Her work had to stop. The press would have a field day if he let his wife work. She’d stay at home, keep house, do her nails, or whatever a woman of leisure did.
Her lack of boyfriend and life would have to wait until morning. The day had taken its toll on him. He needed his rest. The anger he’d felt when he’d first gotten home had disappeared. Tess didn’t deserve his anger. The more he found out about her, the more he realised she really was an innocent in all this.
Duncan closed down his computer then took the final swig of his whisky. He stood up and stretched out all his muscles. He was pleased Gerald approved his choice of wife. It was strange considering the man hadn’t met her yet. Introductions would be taken care of in the morning.
He turned away from his desk. There was nothing in that file to help him understand what Tess was like. He felt at a disadvantage. The only thing he knew about his wife was that she was extremely beautiful and her father had stolen money from him. Most of his women left a paper trail a mile long. Tess paid her taxes and spent most of her time alone. He didn’t get it. He had to be missing something. There was no way she was that perfect. He’d been around in the world too long to think otherwise.
Duncan made his way up to his bedroom not even bothering to knock on the door. He expected his house keeper to put Tess in a guest bedroom. They hadn’t gotten the chance to talk about sharing a room. He walked right in to see his wife drying her naked body on his towel.
His body went instantly alert. The blood went straight to his groin with a speed that shocked him. Within seconds he was fully erect. He winced. His arousal, quick to come, had caused him pain as his shaft tightened within the confines of his pants. Tess seemed frozen, not able to do anything. She looked fucking gorgeous. No matter what he had imagined the reality of her body was so much better. A chill must have swept across her. Her nipples were red, poking out. He noticed the large buds tighten as his gaze swept from the top of her head to her toes. She was perfection. Moments later she began to cover herself frantically. When the bath towel wouldn’t cooperate she charged into the en-suite bathroom. She slammed and locked the door behind her.
Duncan swiped a hand across his face. His wife had run from him. She was so beautiful. He ached to possess her. All of his imagination wasn’t close to the truth of the beauty of her body, the flush in her cheeks and the weight of her breasts. He wanted his hands on her. She had a body to die for.
He took a few deep breaths. There was no way he was letting her run from him. Tess was his wife, and he was going to make this marriage real between them. The passion they shared wasn’t something they could ignore. He walked to the bathroom door. Running his hands through his hair Duncan tried to gain his composure. The last thing he’d expected to see was his wife naked.
Get a grip of yourself.
You’re doing this for your mother.
Are you really?
Duncan knocked on the door.
****
He’s seen me naked.
Duncan James, multi-millionaire businessman, has seen me naked.
Tess closed her eyes cringing at what he must think. No man had seen her naked before. She sat on the toilet shaking from her nerves. Never before had a man’s eyes caressed her naked skin. Duncan hadn’t looked away. His gaze had roamed her body like a caress. How could a woman get turned on by a look? She’d read about it in books, but they were fantasy, weren’t they? She noticed his pants where his cock thickened. Duncan hadn’t turned away from her in revulsion. She glanced down at her body and saw her nipples tighten to unbearable points. They were swollen. Her body felt like she had molten lava inside her skin instead of blood.
Tess shouldn’t have noticed his physical response, but how could she not? Everything about the man who was now her husband forced her to take notice. Her heart skipped a beat whenever he was near.
His cock was huge. He’d gotten hard for you. No one else. Duncan wanted you.
She shook her head refusing to believe it. Her blush heated her cheeks. It would be too easy for her to forget about herself when he’d looked at her with so much passion.
Tonight was her wedding night. Many years ago a man would claim his wife on this night. Her virginity marked on the sheets for him to hang from his tower. She covered her cheeks at the thought of his possession. Would this be the night she finally lost her virginity?
Her virginity had been part of her for so long. She thought she’d die with it still intact.
She would never be able to tell him of her lack of experience. Duncan was used to women who knew what they were doing. All she knew was the stuff she’d read in books or watched late one night in an erotic movie on the television. Her virgin state had become precious to her. She’d made a vow when she was younger while all the other girls in her class were giving it up that she’d wait for the right man to give it to. When she’d gotten older and meeting people became harder, she’d become resigned to having no one.
Now, Duncan was taking over making her feel things she’d never thought possible for her. If her own father couldn’t love her, how could anyone else?
He knocked on the bathroom door. “Tess, open up.” She heard him pace outside the door. He kept stopping as he spoke. “Come on, Tess. Let’s talk about this. You’re my wife.” His voice went through the wood for her to hear. “Go away.” Tess wasn’t ready to deal with him. It was her wedding night, and she was telling her husband to go away. The whole situation was ridiculous. She shouldn’t be hiding in the bathroom. There was nothing for her to be embarrassed about. The housekeeper had placed her in this room thinking their marriage was a real one.
Do you want it to be a real one?
Think of those hands running all over your body. The pleasure he’d be able to give you. He’d drive you mad with wanting, Tess.
“Come on, Tess. It’s no big deal. It’s not like I haven’t seen it all before.” There was no sound from the other side. Tess knew he regretted what he said. The anger inside her built. Not only was this her wedding night, but he was reminding her of all the other women he’d slept with. Women with much more beauty than she had.
“Great, remind me of how many other women you’ve been with. What a perfect wedding night. Just what I’d imagined. I married a man I don’t even know. And within hours of our vows being said, you remind me of how many other women you have bedded. You definitely know how to make a woman feel special, Duncan,” she said. Her voice rose as she spoke every word. Tess knew the moment her lips closed she’d said too much. Her anger had gotten the better of her. What was it about Duncan that made her lose control? “Please, just go, Duncan. This is not fair. I signed up to be your wife, nothing else.”
She heard him sigh on the other side of the door.
“This isn’t how I believed our wedding night would go either, Tess. I watched you laughing and dancing with every other man at the reception, and I got jealous. You weren’t as free with me like you were with the others. When I got you into my arms you were determined to argue. You left me alone on the dance floor while you had plenty of time to flirt with Tyler Ward. I’m not used to being the person to stand and watch.” He stopped for a second before continuing. “The first time I see you, you lock yourself away because I’ve caught a glimpse of you naked. I don’t want you to run from me, Tess. I’m your husband whether you like me or not. I’m not going anywhere.”