After a moment, he lay all sweaty on top of her, hugged her and gave her little kisses on her neck. “Sonia, you’re extraordinary.”
She sighed. “Thank you for giving me such a beautiful moment.”
He looked at her tenderly. “No, wife. Thank you.”
She thought it felt strange to hear him say wife with such certainty when they both knew it was not true, but she simply didn’t have the strength to think much about it. She fell asleep peacefully in Robert’s arms, until the next day.
Back in the present, Sonia sighed. Her honeymoon had been splendid. She had no complaints about Robert's treatment of her. He was gallant, considerate, and loving. She almost came to believe that they were really a couple of newlyweds in love enjoying their wedding trip.
CHAPTER 7
Robert sat in the library reading some documents while having a drink. He took advantage of a moment of tranquility to read some letters where they urgently asked for improvements that had to be made in the homes of the people who lived on his lands. Fortunately, the money he had obtained from his wife’s dowry had helped him pay off debts and hire people to make improvements to both the house in the city and the country house, which were not few. However, he also needed to take care of the tenants on his land at this time.
The only thing that worried him about all this was the time when Sonia found out that her marriage was completely legal. They had been married for a month and soon they had to leave for London. Her father was leaving in two weeks and then the hard part would come. She had tried to speak about the subject on several occasions. However, thanks to her parents still being in London he could convince her to wait. In addition, her parents spent a week with them in the country house and Sonia was distracted by her mother, all the time. That helped him to think about what to do later. Her father had commented that they should go on another trip, but Robert had many obligations to fulfill and could not leave again.
His only hope was that she became pregnant. It was a possibility because he tried to make love to her often. It was no sacrifice for him because he desired her more and more. Sonia was a temptation for him. He found her refreshing in a world of hypocritical people concerned only with appearances. He liked her surrender during intimate moments and her imprudent comments. They went out for walks. She accompanied him when he went riding and he felt with her in a way he never had with anyone else. Although, he was not a man to fall in love, that only complicated things in a marriage. Though he was in favor of coexistence between them. His father told him that one thing would not come without the other and when he least realized it, he would be hopelessly in love. It had only been a month, and he did not think that was the case but he did think about Sonia’s reaction to their scheme and how he could lose her. Robert felt a strange anxiety and pain in his chest.
I will not think more about it, he thought, when the time comes I will think about what to do, something will occur to me.
*****
In the afternoon, Sonia arrived home after spending some time in the church, talking to the vicar. She asked about her husband and they told her he was in the library so she went to see him there. When she opened the door, she saw him reading some documents. He immediately looked up and smiled at her. “I did not think you’d arrive so early from your outing.”
“I wanted to see you.”
He looked at her suspiciously. “Yes? Why?”
“I just wanted to see you. I don’t need a special reason.” Sonia walked over and gave him a quick kiss.
Robert was not satisfied so when she walked away he took her by the waist. “This is a kiss.” He proceeded to show her by taking her mouth avidly and kissing her until he took her breath away.
She pulled away on trembling legs and sat down. “Are we going to say farewell to my parents?” She asked trying to change the subject.
“Yes, dear. Of course, we will be there to say farewell. We will leave next week.”
“I want to see them and spend some time with them. I don’t know when I will be able to see them after they return to New York.”
“You will see them soon, dear. It will not be long before you are with them before they depart.” Robert caressed her cheek. “Do you want to do something this afternoon? We could play chess and see who wins this time.”
“You know very well that I always win when I play with you.” Sonia laughed.
“But this time I will be much more motivated to win.” He gave her a wolfish smile.
“Why is that?”
“Because each time one of us loses, we will take off a piece of clothing.”
She laughed. “Are you sure? You know that I always win.”
“Not today. Today will be
