“They will not stay,” he ground out. “The Black Widow is paying them to remain only as long as I do.” He picked up his cup.
“Why would she do that?”
“Can anyone plumb the depths of that woman’s mind or understand her machinations?”
Caroline raised her brows in concession. He was agitated, prowling back and forth across the room like a caged lion.
“You’re restless,” she said.
“I am used to more… compelling activity.”
“Holding a man at sword point and punching him is not compelling?” It had been to her.
He fell into a chair, the tea sloshing over the side of his cup. He cursed and patted at the droplets on his thigh.
She missed how that thigh felt, tight between her legs.
“It was”—the corner of his mouth twitched up—“invigorating.” His gaze flew to her—hot and heavy and…demanding. “I can think of more invigorating activities to do.Why do you run from me? We are husband and wife, and whatever we do is sanctioned by God and the king, I assure you.”
She floundered for words, settled on. “I do not wish to have children.”
“Ah. I thought that might be the problem.” He patted his thigh, the unsullied one. “Sit, wife.” He growled the last word as if it gave him great pleasure.
She should absolutelynotsit in his lap.
She sat in his lap. And he gathered her up with a great inhale that seemed to settle him, soothe him. His muscles relaxed all around her.
“I understand,” he said, taking her cup and reaching for the tea service on the nearby table. He refilled her cup and blew on it. “Not too hot, not too cold. You like it perfectly between belly-warming and scald-your-tongue hot. Yes?”
She nodded, taking the cup, sipping. “Perfect.”
“I know you well, Caro, but what I do not know iswhyyou do not want children.”
“You do not want them either.”
He shrugged.
“Why?”
Another shrug. “You would be an excellent mother.”
An evasion. “Everyone says that, don’t they? A wheedling way to convince women to become mothers.”
“Fine then. You’d be a horrible mother.”
She laughed. “I actually… I would rather like to have children.” She’d never told anyone that before. Not even Chloe. But it… felt right to tell Felix. Easy. “But it does not feel the responsible thing to do. I wouldn’t be able to give all of myself to them. I enjoyed my childhood, learned much from it, but… my father was not often my own. I should have liked to have more of his attention at times.”
“And you could not give children your attention in this big house all alone?” He squeezed her tightly, encouraged her head toward his chest, not satisfied until her palm and cheek rested there.
She should tell him.
He kissed the top of her head. “There are other things we can do in bed. Things that do not produce children. Were you aware?”
He wasn’t arguing, wasn’t trying to convince her out of her decision. How…refreshing. How… wonderful. “Yes, in fact, I am.”
“I have your father’s idea of an education to thank for it, I presume.”
“More my stepmother.”
