The Man's Outrageous Demands (14 page)

Marabeth shook her head, looking him straight in the eye this time and he saw the mischief immediately. “Not really. I did as much as I could to discourage that,” she laughed.

Sam felt the tension leave his body with her answer. He didn’t discount her musical laughter either. “How did you do that?”

She smiled and Sam again noticed the deviltry in her eyes. He’d always thought she was more sedate and controlled but he was discovering that she wasn’t as passive as one might think. “I would wear awful clothes so he wouldn’t want to be seen with me around his friends. And since he always wanted to be around his friends, that helped limit our time together significantly.”

He raised one eyebrow, then his glance swept over her simple, chic outfit, admiring the way the sweater hugged her curves. “What do you mean? You dress beautifully.”

Marabeth was looking down at her plate so she missed his glance or she would have blushed. Thankfully, she was blissfully unaware of his lascivious thoughts as she explained, “I would intentionally wear bright pinks or loud reds. Anything that would bring out my freckles and clash with my red hair. And anything that wasn’t very fashionable or something that was extremely faddish. George was very conservative and didn’t like anything trendy. He was an important member of the British Parliament so image was everything to George. His political aspirations were strong and he’d intended to run for Prime Minister at some point. So I’d go to great lengths to make sure I was at the very height of fashion no matter how garish it looked on me or if the occasion was inappropriate,” she laughed.

“Sounds malicious. I guess I should be flattered that you aren’t sporting a beret or something?”

Her eyes widened at his misassumption. “Oh, no. I just haven’t figured out how to push your buttons,” she teased. “George was easy. You’re more complicated. I don’t think you have any buttons to push. But I’m still searching!” she laughed.

He considered letting her live in ignorance, but he liked the way she was finally sharing with him so he decided to share a little something with her back. “You’ve found them,” he grimaced.

”I have?” she asked, surprised. “What were they? I must have missed them.”

He chuckled at her excited expression. He would only share so much. She’d have to work to figure out more if she really wanted to push his buttons. “Well, if you didn’t notice, then I’m definitely not going to tell you,” he joked.

She looked at him for a long moment then shook her head. “You’re lying. You don’t have any buttons,” she said.

“Depends on what kind of button you’re pushing.”

Marabeth knew he wasn’t referring to his temper now so she self-consciously dropped the subject. “I think it is your turn for a question,” she said.

“I can’t think of anything right at the moment so I’ll defer to you, with the option of taking back the lead later,” he said and nodded towards her as if he were giving her points.

As he ate another bite, Marabeth considered her options carefully. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him but she wasn’t brave enough yet for those questions. They would be questions such as could he ever love her? Would he be happy being with her and not any other woman no matter how much prettier they were? Instead, Marabeth chose the benign “What were your mother and father like?”

Sam took a sip of wine before answering, trying to figure out how to define his parents which also meant defining his childhood which he’d never taken the time to do until now. “I guess they were normal parents.”

“They couldn’t have been too normal. They raised you to be pretty ambitious. What did they do for a living?”

“My mother was a doctor and my father a military man, just like me.”

“I knew that, I suppose,” she replied, having read about his father at least and his military career which was distinguished in the Cordova Air Force. was an airman, why did you choose the Army? It is more difficult. woman who dedicated her life to saving lives allow you to go into that kind of career in the first place?”
“But if your father

And why would a

Sam laughed. “I guess you need to know a little more about my parents to understand the answer to that question.” He talked about his parents, about their love for each other but that they were separated much of the time. His mother was on call or working late with her patients while his father was out on missions with the Air Force. That was one reason why he was brought up in boarding schools. Also the reason why he was an only child.

“Was it a lonely childhood?” she asked, instantly sympathetic of the small boy who seemed to have been abandoned by parents who were more interested in their careers than in raising their son.

“I don’t think so. Although I have nothing to compare it to. Most of my friends in boarding school were in the same situation so I didn’t know any better. We had fun, ran around when we weren’t supposed to but as long as I got good grades, my parents didn’t punish me too much for my misdeeds. Or at least those I got caught at doing.” He winked at her, “I became pretty good at stealthy missions in high school.”

She knew he was trying to make her feel better but the idea of him living a solitary life with only his friends and without his mother’s loving arms to comfort him when things got tough seemed to break her heart a little. For some reason, she wanted to wrap her arms around him and give him all the love and comfort he’d missed as a child. It was a ridiculous feeling, she told herself. The man was sitting across from her, obviously well adapted as an adult which wouldn’t be the case if he’d been too neglected as a child. “Is that the way you want to raise your children?”

Sam smiled, looking at her intently, feeling warmed by the look in her eyes. “Since they will also be your children, why don’t you answer that question first?”

“I think I want to know your position before I answer.” “Well, since it is my turn for questioning, I’m taking the prerogative to demand an answer first.”

Marabeth laughed but shook her head in response to his original question. “No. I won’t let
my
children,” she started, using the possessive pronoun since she wasn’t able to think about having children with him yet, “be raised in a boarding school. I want my children here with me until they are ready to go off to university. Until then, they will be raised with other children around the palace or community and with lots of hugs and kisses and understanding.”

“And discipline,” he pointed out.

“Of course,” she replied. should laugh and play. about protocol so often.” “But that won’t be the primary focus of the day. I think kids

They should be outside enjoying themselves and not worrying

He was thoughtful as he looked across the table at her. “Was that what your childhood was like?” he asked softly.

Marabeth hadn’t meant to reveal something about herself and she felt awkward before she self-consiously laughed it off. “I had a fine childhood,” she said.

He knew better. He could tell she was hiding something because her eyes were now shielded from his in a way that spoke volumes. He understood what she wasn’t telling him. “But it was filled with protocol?”

Marabeth moved the food around on her plate, avoiding eye contact with him. “There were many reporters taking our pictures wherever we went. Sometimes it became awkward. But that’s the life one leads when you’re a royal, I suppose. It was difficult to avoid.”

“Don’t you think that’s going to happen with your,” he said and smiled briefly, “I mean,
our
children?” He’d heard the possessive pronoun when she was using it but wanted to make a point of the fact that they would be having children together. The sooner she accepted it, the faster they would move on to the better part of their relationship. He wanted her in his bed and just the thought of her there was making him ache.

Marabeth wriggled in her chair slightly. “First of all, I haven’t agreed to have children with you,” she said primly. “And secondly, I hope I can protect them from the press a little more. My father liked to show off his children. But I think I’d prefer a more private family life.”

Sam wasn’t having any of that. He wanted complete agreement on their marriage. Her words indicated she was still trying to wriggle out of their agreement. “You agreed to marry me,” he said sternly. “Who do you think you’re going to have children with if it isn’t going to be me?”

Marabeth smiled. “I guess I found one of those buttons, haven’t I?” she teased.

He didn’t rise to her teasing, too frustrated suddenly to respond. “Yes. Now answer the question, Marabeth.”

Marabeth put her fork down, fearing that he would see her suddenly shaking hand. “Sam, I still don’t really know you. I don’t know what you want from our marriage or what you’re like when you’re not being a commander. So no, I’m not going to answer your question. I don’t know what the future holds and neither do you.”

“He stood up and came around the table, watching Marabeth’s eyes get bigger as he pulled her up and out of the chair. “I think you need a demonstration of what our marriage is going to be like,” he said moments before his mouth descended onto hers.

Marabeth tried to evade his mouth but there was no time. His lips were hard at first but when she shivered with fear, he relented instantly and softened the kiss.

“Tell me you want me,” he ordered.

“Sam…” she said, trying to think but his hands were holding her so closely that she could feel his reaction on her stomach. The hard confirmation of his erection both scared and excited her.

“Tell me,” he said. “And don’t play games, Marabeth. I can feel it in your body,” he said and bent down to kiss her again. He nibbled on her ear lobe, then moved to her neck. “Tell me,” he said, more softly this time.

“Sam…” she started again and this time, her arms wrapped around his neck and she sighed her surrender. “Yes, I want you but…” she wasn’t given a chance to finish her sentence.

Sam picked her up and carried her down the hallway. “What are you doing?” Marabeth asked, horrified that someone would see them like this.

“I’m taking you to your apartment,” he said and shouldered his way in. Leaning against the doorway, he looked down at her face again. “Tell me that again,” he ordered.

Marabeth was too afraid of the look in his eyes. “I don’t think I can when we’re here.” She said, her whole body trembling at the desire she saw in his eyes.

Sam noticed the fear and let her legs slip down his body. “Don’t be afraid of me, Marabeth,” he said and dipped his head to gently kiss her. His hands soothed her back, barely touching her as he controlled the urge to toss her onto her bed and make love to her with all the passion he was feeling. He knew she was feeling it as well. He could sense it buried deep inside her and knew it would just take patience to teach her how to let it go. But if there was one thing Sam was very good at, it was patience. He knew she hadn’t seen very much of that so far, but he would take it slow tonight even if it killed him.

They stood there at her door, Sam leaning against the thick wood and Marabeth leaning against Sam. He didn’t move other than to kiss her lips, his tongue moving inside her mouth, teasing her, enticing her to touch him back with her own tongue. When he felt her relax against him and her arms were finally around his neck, he slipped his hand underneath her sweater. He captured her gasp in his mouth, loving the way she felt in his arms. Her skin was so soft, so perfect, he thought, finding a small spot on her back that made her whimper in reaction and grip his shoulders harder.

Marabeth was feeling lightheaded and out of control. She wasn’t sure what was going on with her body. All she knew was that he was making her feel hot, and wishing he would touch her. She reached up and her fingers found his neck, her fingers sneaking into the hair that barely touched the collar of his shirt.

Sam was having none of that. He quickly unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt then slipped her hand inside, groaning as her fingers touched his overheated skin.

He lifted her up and carried her to her bedroom, kissing her the whole time, unable to pull away for even a minute. He lowered her to the bed, then stood up and pulled off his shirt, wanting her to touch all of him.

Once he was naked from the waist up, he bent down over her again, picked up her hand and placed it in the center of his chest, loving the way her fingers splayed out and gently touched his skin. “This is the way I want you to touch all of me,” he said hoarsely.

“Really?” she asked, amazed that he would want that. She didn’t have much experience about these things. Where most girls talked to others in school and learned such things, she had only had her sister. And neither had discovered much except through some books. So she honestly didn’t have anything to go on except her imagination. “What next?” she asked, wanting to know more, feel more. Understand what was happening with her body. It felt like she was tightening up into a coil, ready to spring out and explode with the feelings developing inside her.

“This,” he said and bent down to cover her with his body. His hands quickly divested her of her shirt, then her bra, then his naked chest covered hers. She gasped initially, having only felt this kind of contact once before and that had been too hurried and much too short before that phone call from her mother. This time, with Sam leaning over her, patiently waiting for her to explore and touch, feel, she was in awe. She loved these feelings and wanted to experience more.

“Now what?” she said, hearing her ragged breath. “Show me,” she said, looking up into his eyes and pleading with him to show her what came next.

“This,” he said and slowly unzipped the zipper to her slacks. He stood up and slid her shoes off, then her slacks, leaving her in just her panties. He stood, looking down at her, his eyes on fire for her slender figure. “You’re beautiful,” he groaned before putting a hand to his belt. He noticed her eyes widen and the fear came back. He leaned down and kissed her. “Marabeth,” he said, looking deeply into her eyes. “Do you want me to stop?” he asked. He wasn’t sure if he could at this point but he would try if she said no.