by.
Sara wasn't offended by his rudeness, and she wasn't worried about her aunt any longer. When she had seen the color of Nathan's complexion she'd known immediately, of course. Her fierce Viking husband looked as green as the sea.
Could it be possible? she asked herself. Was the invincible, ill-mannered marquess of St. James afflicted with seasickness?
Sara would have laughed out loud if she hadn't been so exhausted. She went back to bed and took a long nap, getting up only briefly to eat dinner with Nora before returning yet again to her bed for more badly needed sleep.
The air inside the chamber cooled considerably during the night, and Sara woke up shivering. She tried to pull the quilt up around her shoulders, but the blanket was caught on something quite solid. When Sara finally opened her eyes she found the cause. The blanket was tangled up in Nathan's long, naked legs.
He was sleeping next to her.
She almost had heart failure. She opened her mouth to scream. He clamped his big hand over half her face.
'Don't you dare make a sound,' he ordered.
She pushed his hand away. 'Get out of my bed.' The command came out in a furious whisper.
He let out a weary sigh before responding to that command. 'Sara, you happen to be sleeping in my bed. If anyone's going to leave, it's going to be you.'
He sounded sleepy to her, and mean. Sara was actually comforted by his callous attitude. She guessed he was so exhausted he only wanted to sleep, and her virtue was therefore still safe.
'Very well,' she announced. 'I'll go and sleep with Nora.'
'No, you won't,' he answered. 'You aren't going to leave this cabin. If you wish to, bride, you may sleep on the floor.'
'Why do you persist in calling me bride?' she demanded. 'If you have to call me something other than my name, then call me wife, not bride.'
'But you aren't my wife yet,' he responded.
She didn't understand. 'I most certainly am your wife… aren't I?'
'Not until I've bedded you.'
A long silent minute passed before she responded to that statement.
'You may call me bride.'
'I don't need your permission,' he growled. He reached out to take her into his arms when she started shivering again, but she pushed his hands away.
'My God, I can't believe this is happening to me,' she cried out. 'You're supposed to be kind, gentle, understanding.'
'What makes you think I'm not?' he couldn't resist asking.
'You're naked,' she blurted out.
'And that means I'm not-'
She wanted to hit him. Her face was turned away from him, but she could hear the laughter in his voice. 'You're embarrassing me,' she announced. 'On purpose.'
His patience was at an end. 'I am not deliberately trying to embarrass you,' he snapped. 'This is just how I sleep, bride. You'll like it, too, once-'
'Oh, God,' she said on a groan.
She decided she was through with the shameful conversation. She scooted down to the bottom of the bed so that she could get out, as one side was blocked by the wall, and the other side was blocked by Nathan. It was too dark inside the cabin to find her wrapper. Nathan had kicked one of the covers off the bed, though. Sara grabbed it and wrapped it around herself.
She didn't know how long she stood there glaring at his back. His deep, even breathing indicated he was sound asleep.
She was freezing in no time. Her thin nightgown offered little protection against the chill in the room.
She was miserable. She sat down on the floor, tucked her bare feet under the blanket, and then stretched out on her side.
The floor felt as though it were covered with a layer of ice. 'All married couples have separate chambers,' she muttered. 'I have never, ever been treated so poorly in all my days. If this is your idea of how you plan to cherish me, you're already failing, Nathan.'
He heard every word of her whispered tirade. He held his smile when he said 'You're a quick learner, bride.'
She didn't know what he was talking about. 'And what is it you think I've learned so quickly?' she asked.
'Where your place is,' he drawled. 'It took my dog much longer.'
Her scream of outrage filled the cabin. 'Your dog?' She came to her feet in one swift action, then poked him in his shoulder. 'Move over, husband.'
'Climb over, Sara,' he ordered. 'I always sleep on the outside.'
'Why?' she asked before she could stop herself.
'For protection,' he answered. 'If the cabin is breached, the enemy will have to get through me in order to get to you. Now will you go to sleep, woman?'
'Is this an old rule or a new one?'
He didn't answer her. She poked his shoulder again. 'Have there been other women in this bed, Nathan?'
'No.'
She didn't know why, but she was immensely pleased with that surly denial. Her anger dissipated when she realized her husband really meant to try to protect her. He was still an ogre, but he would do his best to keep her safe. She got into bed and squeezed herself up against the wall.
The bed soon began to shake from her shivers. Nathan's tolerance was gone. He reached out and roughly pulled her into his arms. Sara was literally covered by his warmth. And his nakedness. He draped one of his heavy legs over both of hers, immediately warming the lower half of her body. His chest and arms took care of the rest of her.
She didn't protest. She couldn't. His hand was clamped over her mouth. She snuggled closer to him, tucked the top of her head under his chin, and closed her eyes.
The instant Nathan removed his hand from her mouth, she whispered, 'If anyone is going to sleep on the floor, it's going to be you.'
His low grunt of irritation was his only response. Sara smiled to herself. She was feeling much better. She let out a yawn, moved even closer to her husband, and let him take her shivers completely away.
She fell asleep feeling warm and safe… and just a little bit cherished.
It was a nice beginning.
Chapter Four
Sara felt much better when she awakened the following morning. She'd finally caught up on her rest, and she felt ready to take on the world. More directly, she felt strong enough to talk to her Viking husband again.
She had come up with a wonderful plan during the night, and she was certain that once she'd explained exactly what she wanted from her husband, he would agree. Oh, he'd probably grumble and growl, but in the end he'd see how much it meant to her, and he would give in.
There were several issues that needed to be discussed, but she decided she would get the most worrisome one over and done with first.
