Part Time Marriage (11 page)

She did not feel better. It was almost nine when he answered the door to her ring. Noah, looking as stern as mostly always, invited her in. `Do you normally work this late?' he enquired levelly, indicating her briefcase. Then, to her relief, he ignored the stairs and took her into his drawing-room.

`I w-went home,' she stammered. `I-um needed to freshen up.' Oh grief, that was wrong; she didn't want him thinking she had showered for his benefit. `I-er-one gets grubby at work,' she added. `You know how it is,' she rattled on, her all-on- edge feelings making her tongue gallop away.

Noah stared at her. `Have a seat,' he suggested quietly, his eyes never leaving her face-she would have given anything to know what he was thinking. `What can I get you to drink?' he offered.

She didn't want a drink. Neither did she want to sit down. What she wanted was this over with all speed so she could race home to her own bed. `N-nothing,' she answered. `Thank you,' she added belatedly, jerkily. Standing about a yard away, he studied her still standing form. `You sound on edge,' he observed, in that same quiet tone.

Well, top marks for spotting that! He annoyed her. `It's not every day I-I-er-with someone I barely know,' she retorted-and soon found that he cared not for her tone.

`I'm your husband!' he rapped.

`I've never had one of those before either!' she flared unthinkingly, wanting to be pleasant, but nerves, his tone, causing her to fire back.

She saw his brow shoot up. `You're a-' He broke off, but was already discounting the notion, and did not utter the word. But he was in demanding frame of mind, she soon realised, when he abruptly challenged, `Just how many partners have you had?'

Her face flamed; she knew she must be scarlet. But she refused to be intimidated by anybody, and that included him. `If you behave yourself-I'll have a count of one!' Oh, he didn't like that, did he? Though which part, she was unsure. `Are you saying that you never have before?' he was back to demanding harshly.

`I've been busy!' she snapped.

`Hell's teeth-you're a virgin!' He didn't look best pleased.

'It's not a crime!'

`You misled me!' he accused harshly. She knew that she had, and had no defence. She had let him think that she hadn't had many partners, which she knew he had interpreted as her having had some. `You deliberately let me believe...'

She'd had enough of him. She didn't want to be here anyway. `Oh, shut up,' she cut him off-and saw his expression go from angry to one of being totally fed up.

`Oh, go to bed!' he gritted shortly, obviously unable to bear the sight of her. Who on earth did he think he was?she fumed, stung. `Like blazes, I'll go to bed!' she erupted. Who did he think he was that he could tell her pithily where to go! And imagine she would go! He knew what he could do with his dishonourable intentions! 'I'm going home!' she informed him spiritedly, and didn't wait to hear what he made of that, but went storming out from the room and down the long hall.

By the time she reached his front door, however, her fury with him had subsided a little. Sufficiently, anyhow, for her to realise that if anybody was acting dishonourably here, it was her. She stretched out a hand to the doorknob, but when she went to turn it she found that she could not. Physically she could, but-but honourably, she could not.

Elexa stayed like that for some seconds with her hand on the doorknob. Then slowly, defeated, she let her hand fall to her side. She turned about, as in all honesty she knew that she must. But when she looked back along the hall she saw that Noah had come out from the drawing-room and had been watching her.

She swallowed hard. She was the one who had started this. She was the one who had made that initial phone call. Slowly she began to walk back towards him. She paused for a second on the way to place her briefcase down upon the stairs that led to the upstairs rooms. Straightening, she looked to where Noah, his eyes on her every move, was still standing, and carried on walking towards him. She was but a step away when she halted. 'I'm sorry,' she mumbled, realising that he must be wanting all this over as quickly as she did.

Elexa was staring at a button on his shirt when he said quietly, 'No-I apologise,' and, when her head jerked up, `You're scared stiff-and I don't like being the one forced to wear the black hat.'

That surprised her. Surprised her that he was admitting to suchsensitivity, surprised her that he didn't like being forced to be the baddy. It made him less of the stern person she knew him to be. It made him warmer, somehow.

'Sh-shall I go-er-up?' she began. `I don't know which room. Um...'

For a second or two he just stood studying her face. Then, taking a step to her side, `I'll come with you,' he said.

`Fine,' she answered, somehow managing to sound far calmer than she felt.

With a guiding hand beneath her elbow, Noah steered her to the stairs, but let go to collect her briefcase. Together they ascended the stairs, but once he had shown her into his bedroom he went back to the door. Now, she realised, was not the time to panic.

`I've a few phone calls to make,' he excused himself, and left her.

At first her eyes focussed on nothing. Instinctively she seemed to know that the phone calls he had to make were non-existent. He was just giving her some minute's respite, perhaps to change and get in to bed, perhaps to calm down a little.

Picking up her briefcase, she took it into the adjoining bathroom and washed her face, cleaned her teeth and rapidly got changed. She did not want to be caught standing around in her cotton nightdress when he returned, so went from the bathroom to observe the dark mahogany of the bedroom furniture, the masculine look of the room.

She went over to the double bed but had no idea on which side he slept. Though she realised her feeling of tension must have scrambled her brain and that he probably didn't have a `side' but more probably slept in the middle.

Elexa went to climb into the side nearest to her, then realised the central light was on. There were switches on the wall by the bed head. She experimented. Out went the mainlight, on came a wall-light.

She got into bed and switched off the light shining above her. The darkness and the strange room combined to make her feel more jumpy than ever. With her breath catching in her throat, she turned the wall-light on again, then heard faint sounds that told her she was about to have company.

Hurriedly she turned her back to the doorwhich meant she was facing the middle of the bed. Swiftly she shunted over to the other side just as the door opened.

The door closed, then she heard the bathroom door open and close and, her ears sharp for every sound, she heard Noah taking a shower. Instinct made her want to pretend to be asleep. But that wasn't in the contract. Noah was an honourable man- he deserved the same from her.

Nevertheless, she tensed rigid when she heard the bathroom door open. She wanted to be nice about this, wanted to be pleasant. Oh, please help her not to let the side down.

Elexa was striving with all she had to relax when she felt Noah get into bed beside her. She was grateful to him that, as if appreciating she had left the light on until she was accustomed to her surroundings, he too left it on. But everything tightened up within her when Noah said softly, `Come here,' and, not waiting for her to comply, reached for her. She felt his hands on her shoulders and, when he manoeuvred her into his arms, she strove hard to be compliant.

Her bare arm touched his naked chest, and her skin felt scorched. She had an idea that the bed cover was all he wore-but she wasn't much into the business of wanting to find out for sure.

She started to tremble, but, strangely, as Noah moved her head on to his shoulder and she willed herself to co-operate, she discovered that there was nothing to co- operate with-because instead of starting to make love to her, Noah seemed more interested in having-a chat!

`What sort of a week did you have last week?' he asked conversationally.

'Er-average,' she sort of mumbled.

`No telephone calls?" 'The phone's always frantic. Oh!' She cottoned on. He meant calls from her mother. `You mean at home? It's been bliss, pure and simple,' she told him, and even found she was smiling. `What sort of week did you have?"

'Wherever possible I conduct meetings over a video link,' he replied. `When that isn't possible, or when I want to take a look around, I take a plane.'

`Like last week?'

`I spent last week mainly visiting some of our overseas people,' he confirmed, and for some minutes spoke quietly about some of the business he had conducted. Elexa very slowly began to fractionally relax.

Her trembling began to ease, but she was still very aware of him next to her. Aware of the firm shoulder her head was resting on.Aware of his skin against her neck.Aware of the clean smell of him. And more aware of him than ever when his other arm came across her and he began stroking her bare arm.

Nervously she looked up at him, her eyes searching his. He smiled encouragingly. `Are you going to throw a fit if I kiss you?' he asked lightly. Her heart thumped. `I wish you would,' she replied huskily.

His hand left her arm and gently he trailed the backs of his fingers down the side of her face. `I know you want this over with all speed-' he let her know he was alive to how she was feeling `-but this way will be better for you, believe me.' She stared up at him, her lovely brown eyes large and innocent. `Trust me,' he said softly.

She wanted to tell him thattrust him she did, but her throat seemed locked suddenly of further words. Then he was adjusting his position, and his head was coming down, blocking out the light.

`It will be all right,' Noah murmured softly, and Elexa felt the thistledown kiss of his lips against her own.

He pulled back, his eyes studying her face. She rather guessed he was looking to see how his kiss had been received. Suddenly she was liking him more than she had ever liked him that, when he could have quickly, perhaps roughly, taken her, the sooner to get it over with, he was making love to her at a pace that catered for her untried state. She smiled up at him. This was a mutual bargain here, and all at once she wanted to help all she could. `That was-nice,' she whispered shyly, and was rewarded with a smile.

Keeping one arm around her shoulders, Noah again kissed her, then gently kissed her again, his free hand stroking in tender movements over her shoulder and down her arm.

Elexa wanted to co-operate and placed a nervous arm over his shoulders, the feel of his naked skin little short of electrifying to her. Then bravely she reached up and placed her lips against his in a giving kiss.

When Noah next kissed her, there was a hint of the passion to come in his kiss. Yet it was still gently that he parted her lips with his own. Elexa felt hot all over, and Noah pulled back to look into her flushed face. `Try not to be afraid,' he instructed quietly.

She smiled-she had never dreamed he would be so gentle, so caring in his lovemaking. `I don't think I am-so much,' she answered, and felt all sort of funny inside when, after giving her one of his gently scrutinising looks, he kissed her again, something flickering into life inside her when she felt the tip of his tongue against lips. Again he moved her, but this time so that she was lying with her back flat against the mattress. When his body came halfway over her, she clutched on to him hard. Again he kissed her and, of its ownn volition, her other arm seemed to come up and around him, and she found she was experimenting herself, the tip of her tongue touching his mouth.

`You-um-taste-n-nice,' she said, and was held more tightly to him for a moment. Then great alarm bells were going off in her head when Noah began to caress her body, and his hand caressed closer, ever closer to her breast. Instinctively she knocked hishand ,iway when it came too close-but she was instantly apologetic. 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' she cried quickly, apologetically.

`Shh...' he quieted her soothingly.

She wanted to make amends, badly wanted to make amends. 'I'm ashamed of myself. Sh-shall I take my nightdress off?' she offered.

`My word, you really are sorry,' he teased, and she found she liked his teasing. When next his caressing hand and fingers neared her breast she did not flinch. `You're allowed to breathe,' Noah murmured against her ear, aware that she seemed to be holding her breath. She exhaled on a sigh of sound when his right hand sought and captured her left breast.

A fire started to ignite in her at his touch. `Oh,' she cried in a little thrill of sound when his gentle fingers caressed the hardened nub.

`Oh, yes? Or oh, no?' he questioned softly.

`You know,' she answered, and she was sure he did.

`Shall we try without this?' he asked, tweaking the cotton of her nightdress.

He would have helped her, but she discovered, fire or no fire, that she wasn't yet ready to totally do away with years of modesty. `I'll do it,' she insisted, and held the duvet close to her form while she wriggled out of her only garment.

She was still clutching the bed cover to her when she lay down again. Noah leaned over and kissed her and, his arm coming under the duvet, he placed his other arm around her. She felt his caress to her naked skin and could not help but tense up. Noah stilled for a few seconds, but the next time he kissed her there was a hint of more passion there, and as her insides becamea nonsense , Elexa could do no other than put her arms around him, drawing him closer.

He came farther under the duvet to her and she felt his hair-roughened chest against her naked breasts. She kissed him, giving herself up to his kisses as gently, tenderly he caressed her breasts, making yet more ofa nonsense of her when he bent down further and kissed the swollen globes, taking the tip of one breast into his mouth.

`Noah!' she cried in pleasure, her body moving involuntarily.

He raised his head and looked into her eyes. What he saw there she had no idea, but suddenly he moved briefly from her, and the next she knew he had plunged the room into darkness.

When he came back to her she hungrily sought his mouth. She wanted to cry his name again, but instead heard him groan hers. 'Elexa,' hemurmured, his voice kind of hoarse. Then he was kissing her with a passion she had never dreamed of, and she wanted him.