her husband washed his face and hands from the water in the porcelain bowl. 'You're washing before you have your bath?' she asked in bewilderment. 'That's being a bit meticulous, isn't it?'
Bradford smiled. He came over to the bed and sat down beside his wife. 'On your knees, wench,' he stated in a growl.
Caroline was surprised by the order. 'You want me on my knees?' Her spine was beginning to stiffen. 'Now look here, Bradford, I don't know what Milford told you, but-'
'Help me pull my boots off, sweetheart.'
'Oh.' Caroline showed her exasperation. She didn't get on her knees but straddled his legs instead, giving Bradford a delightful view of her backside. When she was finished with the task, she turned, hands on hips. 'Now will you listen to me?'
'After our bath.'
'Our bath?'
Bradford nodded, laughing at Caroline's blush. He slowly removed her clothes. Caroline noticed that his hands shook and was surprised by the show of emotions, for her husband's face didn't give a hint of what he was thinking now.
He picked her up, fighting the sensations her softness caused, and settled himself in the tub with Caroline on his lap.
'You're blushing like a virgin, wife,' Bradford commented with a calculated leer. 'See to my bath,' he commanded. He handed her a clump of soap and Caroline began to wash her husband's chest.
Neither said a word during the next breathless minutes. Caroline lost the soap when she began to rinse the lather off his chest. She couldn't concentrate on anything, heard herself whisper that he would have to stand up so that she could wash his legs, and thought her voice sounded as harsh as the wind circling the walls outside.
'I don't think I could stand,' Bradford told her. His wife was staring, quite intently, at his chest, and he forced her to look up at him. 'You do that to me, you know,' he said in a husky voice.
'Do what?' Caroline whispered shyly.
'Make me weak with desire. I wanted to go easy this time, to savor the moments before I touched you, to build the anticipation…'
'If you don't kiss me soon, I think I will die,' Caroline whispered. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers.
He gave her a teasing, nibbling kiss but Caroline was too impatient. She tugged on his bottom lip with her teeth.
Bradford couldn't tease any longer. He kissed her fully then, and his mouth was so hot, so hard, and Caroline responded with her own heat, her own need.
Her tongue mated with his and Bradford turned her until she was straddling his hips. Her breasts drove him wild, rubbing enticingly against his chest, and he couldn't quit kissing her, touching her.
Caroline clung to his neck, assaulted by the passion that ignited between them. His tongue tormented her; she couldn't seem to get close enough to him, feeling the raw burning need overpower her.
He whispered words of love, erotic, titillating words, but the haze of passion was so thick, so consuming, that she couldn't concentrate on anything but the building fire.
His hands stroked her back, kindling the flame of desire, and then he was caressing the very core of her and she heard herself cry out in agony and building ecstasy. 'Jered!' It was a demand.
Bradford thrust into her, again and again. Caroline arched against him, tightening her hold, and welcomed their shared release.
She collapsed against his chest, exhausted from the pleasure of his impatient lovemaking, her impatient response.
Bradford's heart sounded as if it was about to explode, and Caroline waited until the pace had slowed before she moved.
'I had forgotten that we were in a tub,' she whispered with a shaky laugh. She sighed, cuddling her head against the side of his neck, and closed her eyes. 'I love you, Bradford.'
'I'll never tire of hearing you say it,' Bradford whispered.
Caroline nodded, her only reaction to his words. And then she started to cry, and heaven help her, she was as loud as Charity.
Bradford let her sob against his chest, tenderly stroking her shoulders, and when she had slowed down and could hear him, he said, 'Caroline, listen to me.'
'No,' Caroline said. 'You must listen to me first. I understand you can't love me yet. I've been too impatient and demanding,' she continued with another loud sob. 'You haven't allowed yourself time to know decent women and I've placed demands on you that you can't possibly meet. I'm going to put up with you and accept you as you are.'
If she believed that her fervent speech would soothe her husband, she was mistaken. Bradford frowned. 'That's noble of you, wife. Are you giving up then?'
Caroline glanced up and saw the amusement in his eyes. 'What? No, I'm only accepting, Bradford,' she replied.
'And just how long do you plan to be patient, love?' he asked, smiling.
'You're confusing me, Bradford,' Caroline remarked. 'I thought you'd be moved by my decision and instead find that you think it's amusing. And just what am I to think about that?' she asked herself more than her husband.
She stood up and used his stomach as her stepping-stone to get out of the tub, satisfied when she heard his loud groan of protest.
'Serves you right for being so arrogant,' Caroline announced. 'Milford told you I wanted to come home, didn't he? That's why you're so happy, isn't it?' Caroline said with growing exasperation.
'I'm happy because I've just made love to my obedient wife,' Bradford returned, grinning.
'There isn't an obedient bone in my body,' Caroline contradicted. She knelt down beside the tub, fished the soap from the water, and began to scrub her husband. 'Unless I give my word, of course. Then, I guess you could say I'm obedient about keeping it.' She signed and added, 'You think you've won, don't you?'
Bradford wasn't sure she even realized what she was doing. She looked like she was getting as worked up as the lather she was building on his right leg and he started laughing again.
'I think you've taken the skin off,' Bradford remarked. 'Don't look so perplexed, love. Are you finished with your apology or is there more?' he asked with lazy interest.
'I didn't apologize, but I'm not going to argue about it.'
'Then I believe it's my turn,' Bradford announced. 'I'm sorry, Caroline. I know it hasn't been easy, loving me, and I've caused you a lot of distress. My only excuse is that I love you so much that I've behaved like a fool. I-'
Caroline had dropped the soap and stood up during his speech. 'Don't you dare tease me, Bradford.' Tears coursed down her cheeks and she brushed them away with the back of her hand. 'Are you telling me the truth? You really love me?'
Bradford was out of the tub and holding Caroline in his arms before she could move. 'Have I done that to you?' he asked, his voice filled with pain. 'God, Caroline, I love you! I think I always have. And now that I'm finally about to say the words, you cry! I've never lied to you, Caroline. Never!' His voice was so fierce and Caroline could hear the agony.
She cried into his chest and Bradford stood there, feeling completely helpless. He dripped water all over the floor while she dripped hot tears all over him.
'You can't take it back.'
Caroline's voice was muffled and he had to ask her to repeat what she had just said. She was sniffling and hiccupping but she finally got the words out. 'I said you can't take it back.'
Bradford started to laugh, and surely that was the reason for the tears in his own eyes. He dragged his trembling wife to the bed and hugged her under the covers. He kissed her, a long, satisfying kiss, and then told her again and again how much he loved her, until he was certain that she believed him.
'I'm waiting to hear the rest,' Caroline told him. She drummed her fingers against his chest for a full minute before she realized that Bradford wasn't going to say anything else. And then she started to laugh. 'God, but you're
