by Vikki Vaught
Alex raised her veil and lightly touched his lips to hers, then he raised his head and whispered, “Thank you for becoming my wife, Mrs. Hawks.” Then, turning around, they faced the congregation and made their way back down the aisle and outside into the beautiful bright, sunny day.
The food sat on tables behind the church and all the guests filed out onto the lawn. When they reached the tables, her eyes fell on a gorgeous three-tiered wedding cake, decorated with pale blue sugar roses. How Lucy had created such an amazing work of art astounded her. All the well-wishers gathered around, wanting to hug her and shake Alex’s hand.
Her new husband stayed by her side the entire time, holding her hand and bolstering her courage. With the food eaten and the cake served, they made their way to the front of the church. Someone had tied cowbells and old shoes behind the carriage. After everyone pelted them with rice and flowers, Alex helped her into the coach. They pulled away from the church amid the bells ringing and the guests calling out their best wishes behind them.
As they drove away from the church, Alex told her, “I’ve made arrangements for us to stay at the Willard Hotel in Washington City for our wedding night.” She stiffened when he mentioned the night to come. He took her hand. “I want to make today special for both of us. There is great passion between us. We might as well enjoy it. Please try to put your worries and concerns aside for the next couple of days. I promise—I will find a way for this to work out for both of us.”
“I shall try, but it is so overwhelming. How can you possibly resolve all the issues between us?”
“I don’t have the answers yet, but I’m determined to find them. Now relax and focus on enjoying yourself for a few days. All those problems will still be there when we return. We will deal with them then.” Pulling her close, he gave her a passionate kiss.
A thrill rushed through her at the thought of being with him again. At least now, they could explore their desire for each other within the bounds of matrimony. She relaxed and let her passion ignite, returning his kiss with fervor. Her breathing grew heavy and her heart thundered in her chest. Alex slipped his hand into the low neckline of her gown and her nipple grew taut as he gently squeezed it between his thumb and forefinger. Liquid fire swept through her veins as his other hand raised the skirt of her gown and touched her sex.
As he continued to stroke her wet heat, sensations came crashing down upon her, and she splintered into a thousand pieces. Her climax kept coming in waves and a soft moan escaped her lips. Alex stifled it with a deep, plunging kiss.
As she slowly returned to earth, her husband stopped his stroking, then removed his hand and lowered her skirts. “I’ll wager you feel more relaxed now. If ever a woman needs release, it’s you with all you’ve been through over the last couple of months. Now lay your pretty head back against my shoulders and take a nap. I will wake you when we reach the hotel.”
* * * *
While Alex watched his new wife sleep, a wave of tenderness rolled over him. He had to find a way to make their marriage work. His feelings for Anissa terrified him. Somehow, she had broken through the cement wall he had built around his heart. He could no longer deny it—he had fallen in love with her, and it scared the hell out of him. His feelings for her were much stronger than any he had ever felt for Pamela. Then, what he had believed was love had been mere infatuation for a beautiful woman.
Looking back on it all, there had been a hard, cynical look in his late wife’s eyes, but he had ignored it. Anissa was very different from Pamela. She would be true to her vows, even though she did not love him. At least she did not seem to hate him and after what he had done to her, that was a miracle. Perhaps, if he continued to show her deep respect and caring, she would begin to return his love.
Anissa felt immense attraction for him. Her earlier response proved that. She must trust him, because she certainly slept soundly in his arms. All this gave him hope that over time she could grow to love him, as long as he could resolve their issues. The carriage slowed down. He looked out the window and saw they had entered the city.
After gently nudging Anissa awake, she blinked her eyes open and asked, “How long have I been asleep? Goodness, I never meant to sleep like this.” Sitting up, she looked out the window. “We’re already in the city, are we not?”
“We should be at the hotel momentarily. We’re passing the president’s residence now, and the hotel is another block away.”
Anissa straightened her gown and put her hat back on, which had slipped off during their lovemaking. By the time the carriage stopped in front of the hotel, she had herself put to rights again. He opened the door, climbed out, and after pulling the steps down, helped her from the coach. He escorted her inside, and a porter came forward to take their luggage.
After checking in with the desk clerk, he led his new wife up the grand staircase to their suite of rooms on the second floor. The porter placed their valises on the floor in the sitting room and Alex tipped the man, then closed the door. “What do you think?”
“This is a very elegant hotel,” she replied, as she glanced around the room. “The sitting room is beautifully decorated. Alex, this must be frightfully expensive. You should not have gone to so much trouble.”
It was so like Anissa to worry over him spending money on her. He needed to reassure her that he could easily afford it. “It’s no trouble at all. I’m actually quite well off financially, so you need not be concerned over money.” Then he brought the topic of conversation back to the hotel. “This is the hotel where many of the senators stay when they are in session. At least the ones who don’t have homes in the city or nearby. I wanted the best for this special night. Here, let me put your traveling case in the bedroom. You can freshen up before we go down to dinner.”
After setting the valise inside the room, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and closed the door. The sideboard had a decanter of port on it, so he poured himself a glass and drank it while he waited for his bride to return. Taking a seat, he leaned his head against the back of the chair. His mind wandered to the romantic interlude in the carriage. That had been the first time he had ever pleasured a woman without seeking his own. With Anissa, he felt gratification from seeing her in the throes of passion. Her pleasure took precedence over his.
These unexpected feelings were new to him and opened up brand new vistas of understanding. Waves of peace and contentment rolled over him. Even though their problems were huge, he would find a way around them. All his efforts would be worth it, if it helped him earn his wife’s love.
The door opened and Anissa entered. He stood. “My dear, you look lovely. I’ll step into the room and freshen up myself, and then we will go down to dinner.” When he closed the door, he went into the water closet, took care of his needs and then dressed for dinner.
After rejoining her, he escorted her down to the formal dining room, an extravagantly elegant room. The waiter, dressed in a starched white shirt and cravat, showed them to a linen draped table, set with sparkling crystal goblets and fine, porcelain china. After helping Anissa take her seat, he sat in the chair across from her. Their waiter handed him the elaborate hand-written menu and told him he would return with their beverages shortly. After discussing the various menu choices, he placed their order when the man returned.
Once the servant served the salad course, Alex informed her, “I’ve made arrangements for you to meet President Jefferson on Monday. Since Mr. President is a widower, Dolly Madison, the wife of his Secretary of State, James Madison, serves as his hostess. She has kindly agreed to give us a tour of the President’s House. Dolly is a lovely woman. I’m sure you will find her very gracious.”
“I look forward to meeting her. I’m impressed you know your president so well. How did you meet him?”
“I met him while he served as Vice-President under John Adams. I had the honor of performing a service for him. To give you some background on him, President Jefferson wrote our Declaration of Independence and he and J
ames Madison formed the Democrat-Republican party.”
“I’m thrilled over getting to meet your president. I have actually read his Declaration of Independence. Kendall showed me a copy. As I explained to you before, he admired your nation’s principles.”
The waiter returned with their steaks, along with baked potatoes, dripping with butter and green beans almondine. The aroma from the tantalizing food wafted around him, and his mouth watered. The Willard deserved its reputation as a fine dining establishment.
Once the servant left them, he picked up the strands of their conversation. “Your husband was a smart man, I take it. Was he quite a bit older than you?”
“Kendall had recently turned thirty-six when he died. So yes, he was twelve years older. He came into his title shortly after he turned two and twenty. Thank goodness, he had reached his majority before his parents died. Lord Howard would have been his guardian if they had passed when he was younger. I think I told you he did not get along with his uncle.”
“I don’t understand why your husband didn’t appoint a guardian for Harry in his will. If he didn’t want his uncle to be his guardian, there’s no way he would have wanted that for your son. Why didn’t you object?”
The waiter brought them their dessert and after he left, Anissa replied, a bit testily, “I do not know why Kendall did not. As I already told you, he died unexpectedly. He was far from old. He had no reason to believe Harry would ever need a guardian. When Kendall died, I became terribly distraught. Traumatized, really. I woke up to find my husband dead beside me. The shock took at least a month to ease a bit. When I did become more aware, it was too late. Lord Howard had already been appointed.”
Realizing he had upset her, he apologized. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought this up. Please forgive me. I wanted you to forget your problems, not bring up painful memories. Since we’re finished with our meal, I’ll pay the bill and we can go upstairs.”
After they entered their suite, Anissa turned to him. “I’m going to take advantage of the lovely bathing room. I think a hot bath will relax me before bed. Give me an hour, then you can come to me.”
The thought of Anissa in her bath curled his toes. “Of course, darlin’,” he replied, trying to keep the eagerness from his voice. “I’ll change into my nightclothes out here. Why don’t you take a glass of sherry with you? It may help you relax.”
Nodding, she accepted a glass. After handing it to her, he watched her go into the bedroom. When the door closed, he flung himself down in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace.
Damn, what a stupid thing to do.
Why in God’s name did I bring up her late husband?
Now, he would be lucky if she let him touch her. At least she did tell him he could come to her in an hour. Sometimes he did not think before he spoke. Stewing over this, he got up, went over to the sideboard and poured himself a glass of port. The sultry night enveloped the room, making it unbearably hot. He went to the windows and opened them wider. While the breeze hardly moved the curtains, it did cool his face. Too anxious to sit, he paced back and forth between the windows and the door. He stopped at the sideboard and drummed his fingers on the surface.
The anticipation of actually making love to her had him wired tighter than a drum. He could imagine sinking between her lovely thighs, driving his cock all the way to her womb. Refilling his glass of port, he sipped on it as he continued to dream of the wedding night to come.
At fifteen minutes before ten, he changed into his nightclothes. Finally, the clock on the mantel chimed the ten o’clock hour. Putting down his glass, he went to the bedroom door and stood there with his hand on the knob.
Should I knock or just enter?
After contemplating this for several seconds, he did both, first knocking, and then immediately opening the door. Looking around the chamber, he saw Anissa curled up on the chaise, fast asleep. His heart dropped to his bare feet.
Now what should I do?
Should I wake her up?
On the other hand, perhaps he should carry her to bed. Glancing over, he decided Anissa would be more comfortable there than on the chaise. Perhaps she might awaken when he picked her up. He walked over and turned back the covers. Striding back to the chaise, he carefully picked her up, carried her to the bed and lay her down. She snuggled against the pillows and, with a peaceful smile on her face, continued to sleep. It became clear to him he would not be making love to his wife tonight after all.
Hanging his head, he went around the room and blew out the candles. Then removing his dressing gown, he crawled into bed beside his wife, edging as close to her as possible without disturbing her. He must have lain there for at least an hour, bitterly disappointed, before he finally…fell asleep.
Chapter Sixteen
Stretching, Anissa slowly opened her eyes. A slight wave of nausea rolled over her, but not as bad as the last few days. At first, she could not remember where she was, and then it all came back to her. They had spent their wedding night at the Willard Hotel, and this was the following morning. She turned on her side, taking in the dented pillow and rumpled sheets next to her, but no sign of her husband. She remembered sitting down on the chaise to wait for him after she had finished her bath, and then nothing. She had no knowledge of coming to bed.
Oh, Lord, I must have fallen asleep while I waited for him.
He must have carried her to bed. He had to be terribly disappointed and angry that she fell asleep on him. This pregnancy made her so tired all the time. What with the babe, the glass of sherry, and then the bath, it had all made her so drowsy. She had chosen to sit on the chaise instead of getting into bed, because she had not wanted to fall asleep.
Where could Alex be? Climbing out of bed, she pulled on her dressing gown and went into the sitting room. She found no sign of him there either. Glancing at the clock on the mantel, she noticed the time, already after nine o’clock. Oh, dear, they had planned to go to St. John’s Episcopal Church this morning. Unless Alex came back soon, they would not make it in time. She hurried into the bedchamber, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. After pulling her hair into a top knot, she took a yellow, sprigged muslin gown from her valise and dressed.
A door opened in the next room. She hurried into the sitting room and there he stood, in all his sheer male beauty. She could barely catch her breath and her heart beat triple to its usual rhythm. He looked so handsome with his thick chestnut hair combed back from his forehead, his black eyes gleaming, and his clean-shaven, chiseled jaw. He wore a dark brown morning coat and buff trousers that clung to his muscular thighs. Her new husband truly was a remarkable sight, and he belonged to her.
Taken aback by this possessiveness, she could not imagine where it came from. She had never felt this way before, not even with Kendall, whom she had dearly loved. She stood frozen in place, and then realizing she was staring at her husband, she looked away as her cheeks grew warm.
“Good mornin’, sweetheart.” Alex laughed, while gazing over at her. “I began to think you planned to sleep the day away. There’s some plain toast and a pot of tea on the table. If you hurry, we should still make it to church.”
She stammered, “I-I’m sorry a-about last night. I d-did not mean to fall asleep. I sat down on the chaise to wait for you, and that is the last thing I remember.”
Coming over to her, he raised her face and looked into her eyes. “It’s all right, darlin’. You must have been exhausted, I’m sure. Between finding out about the babe and me leaving you the way I did, that’s probably the first full night’s sleep you’ve had in the last month.”
“But…but, Alex, it was our wedding night.”
Smiling gently down at her, he whispered, “There’s always tonight. You can make it up to me then, can you not?”
Still feeling slightly embarrassed, she averted her eyes. “Y-yes, of course I can.”
“Go eat your breakfast before it grows cold.” While smiling, he lifted her chin and touched her nose pla
yfully.
His attitude surprised her. She thought he would be mad. Instead, he laughed, and even teased her. Just as her heart gave a little flip of joy, the thoughts of all they had to overcome rushed in, drowning out the happiness in her heart. With a bittersweet smile, she went to the table and managed to eat a piece of toast and drink a cup of tea, even though her appetite had deserted her.
By the time they made it to church, the pews were full. Alex managed to find two seats near the back. She had trouble concentrating on the service, since her mind kept wandering back to the problems their marriage faced, and what could possibly be done to make everything right.
When the service ended, Alex took her back to the hotel, and they had luncheon. That afternoon, he had Rufus drive them around Washington City and over to Georgetown, where many of the senators had homes. He told her stories regarding some of the mischief he and his brother used to get into when their grandfather would bring them into the city.
Alex tried so hard to entertain her; she made up her mind to quit worrying over all the problems and enjoy their time together. Her worries could not fix them anyway. She would spend the next eight months storing up as many wonderful memories as she could. That way when they were no longer together, she could pull them out on cold, lonely nights and remember this time with love.
At dinner that night, she kept the conversation light and cheerful. She told him about growing up in Kent and all the fun she’d had with her brother. She talked of her first season and her presentation at court—how scared she had been when she had tripped over her train as she backed out of the queen’s drawing room.
She found out Alex enjoyed the opera, but rarely had time to attend. They shared many common interests, including a love of Shakespeare’s sonnets. He assured her that while Washington City did not have Covent Garden, they did have the theater and an opera house, and this winter, he would take her to both.
When he escorted her upstairs to their suite, shivers ran up her spine when he placed his hand at the small of her back. By the time they reached their rooms, she trembled in anticipation of the night to come. This time she suggested he undress in the bedchamber while she used the bathing room.