The Sheik's Son (26 page)

She would not have her father burdened with purchasing a new gown from Madame Darbonne, and in truth, the sooner she was married, the sooner she would begin to feel safe.

She knew her father was a powerful lawyer but she felt a husband would protect her better, which was why she had ambushed Sebastian.

She would make sure that she did not add any stress to his life and allow him to live as he had before they married. She would not hurt the one man who had placed himself in peril to protect her.

***

A week later, Sebastian and Sophie married in a small ceremony on the outskirts of Paris. The priest had been paid to perform the ceremony and Sophie wore the gown of cream and gold while Sebastian wore a dark coat and breeches of royal blue.

Her grandmother, father and Lizette were in attendance, as well as Leila, Etienne and Sebastian’s parents.

The tiny church was filled with flowers and incense, while Leila had laid laurel leaves outside the church for the bridal path.

The vows were simple and the couple exchanged rings. Afterwards they returned to Jean Pierre’s home for refreshments and toasts.

Leila teased her brother about his new status as a bridegroom and Etienne said not to worry, that he would be joining him soon as a married man.

The couple toasted each other with a two-handled cup and everyone enjoyed the
croquet-en-bouche
, a mound of bun-like pastries stuffed with cream and shaped like a pyramid.

Katharine was gracious to her new daughter-in-law while Mohammed kissed her hand and welcomed her into the family.

Jean Pierre had already engaged the footmen to send all of Sophie’s clothes and belongings to her husband’s home so that she would be comfortable with her surroundings. She had asked her maid, Marie, to accompany her in her new home, and she had agreed.

Eugenie had been first shocked and then delighted to hear the news of her granddaughter’s impending marriage. Though Luc had seemed interested in Sophie, there had never been a formal engagement. Eugenie was more than happy with the choice of Sebastian, who was handsome, of a good family and could provide for Sophie. Now that the day was upon them, Eugenie spent much of it dabbing at her eyes with a lace handkerchief and sighing.

As the well-wishers departed, Sophie and Sebastian made their way to their new home. To give the newlyweds time to themselves, Leila had joined her parents in their rented home while the new couple had Sebastian’s house to themselves.

Chapter 20

Sebastian had ordered the fireplace in the front salon lit for their return home. It was a warm, comfortable room with several bedrooms upstairs. He had not chosen a room for Sophie but instead left the decision up to her.

The day had been long, with the small ceremony in the mid-morning followed by the wedding reception at Sophie’s father’s home. The long rounds of toasts from everyone had been exhausting and he could tell she was fatigued.

Sebastian removed the long cape from Sophie’s shoulders and handed it to the butler. She shuddered and he ushered her to sit before the warm fire.

“Come. You’re cold,” he said.

She felt his hands upon her neck, massaging it gently, and she closed her eyes. She was tired. Today had been a long day. Though they had married for convenience, everyone around them had been thrilled for them so she had had to fake an excitement she had not felt. It had been draining. The day had lacked the joy she had hoped one day to feel on her real marriage day, and it saddened her.

“Thank you.” She looked up at him; his eyes were dark and his face devoid of emotion.

He turned to stoke the fire and then poured two small brandies, handing her one glass and taking the other for himself.

“Well, today is over,” he said with finality, sipping his drink.

“Yes.”

He watched as she began to take out her hair pins, one after the other. As each coil of auburn hair fell down her back, he remembered that morning at the chateau when he had touched her hair with his fingers. The texture was soft as silk. He swallowed and looked into the fire.

“Are you happy or sorry it’s over?” he asked absently. It was suddenly sinking in that she was his lawful wife.

“Happy or sorry?” She pondered the question. “I’m neither. I’m grateful.”

“Grateful?” he asked, startled.

“Yes. Not many men would marry a woman to keep her safe, receiving nothing in return.”

Sebastian smiled. “Your safety is my reward. And it won’t be forever, Sophie. Only until the madness with the inspector dies down.”

She smiled at him. “Yes, I know.”

“Come. I’ll show you the rooms and you can pick the one you like best.”

They made their way up the staircase from the downstairs foyer and onto the landing of the second floor. The house was quiet, as early evening had set in. The shadows along the walls from the sun reminded Sophie of the days she had spent at the chateau and the night she had accidentally spent with Sebastian.

“Do you ever think of that night at the chateau?” she asked him.

Sebastian almost smiled, as he had just minutes before remembered it. “Yes,” he said, but didn’t elaborate, and she didn’t ask him to.

One room was decorated in cool blue tones and another in gold. A room at the end of the hallway was decorated in peach and green, which was pleasant, but she liked the blue room the best.

“The blue room,” she said.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes. Why?”

“No reason.”

Sebastian’s room was next to the blue room and the rooms had an adjoining door between them. He had Sophie’s trunks brought into the room.

“This room adjoins with the next room. You can lock the door easily.”

“Do I need to lock it?” She looked puzzled.

“I’m in the next room,” he said simply.

“Do I need to lock you out?” she asked. “I trust you.”

You shouldn’t
, he thought.

“Good night, Sophie.”

“Good night, Sebastian.”

***

Sebastian slipped into bed naked, his warm skin a sharp contrast against the cool bedclothes. He was a bridegroom and this was his wedding night. But he would remain alone in his bed and Sophie would remain untouched in the next room. He was not bitter. He had not married her to gain a bride in the traditional sense.

Still, he keenly felt the sense of wanting her yet not being able to have her. He had not visited Juliette in some time, so the desire for Sophie was high. It was a strange sensation to be a married man yet be completely removed from his bride. He knew the attraction between them was strong but he knew equally that Sophie had set the terms and he must abide them. He also felt strongly that their attraction went beyond the bounds of mere sexuality. He wanted her, but he also wanted to claim her as his own and protect her.

He knew that as long as the inspector eventually learned that she was married and that she was not to be trifled with, she would be safe. That was all that mattered.

***

Sophie changed into her simple linen shift with a drawstring neck and sat before her vanity table. She gazed into the mirror as she combed her hair free of tangles. She glanced briefly at the door that separated her room from Sebastian’s but she heard nothing. He would not come into her room without knocking, and he had no reason to visit her.

She had been completely up-front about the terms of their marriage and he would not expect anything more. She set the brush aside and moved toward her bed. Once she settled under the bedclothes she turned on her side to face the door that connected her room to her new husband’s. What would he do if she entered the door and went to him? She almost laughed at the thought. What would
she
do? She watched the door silently for what seemed like an hour before she drifted off to sleep.

***

The next morning, Leila and Sophie went shopping. Leila spent much of the time chattering about her upcoming wedding while Sophie listened. She was happy for her sister-in-law, whom she found to be lively and easy to talk to. She knew that she was in love with Etienne and that they were marrying to create a life together.

“You seem out of sorts, Sophie. Is my brother that demanding at night?” Leila asked.

“Leila!” Sophie gasped in outrage.

“Oh, Sophie. I’m not an innocent. My father breeds horses and I’ve been with Etienne.”

“You have?” she asked, shocked.

“Yes. I always wanted Etienne. Since the first time I met him, I loved him. I knew if I compromised myself that I would have him. I didn’t dare hope that he loved me as well. But he did.” She smiled happily.

“I’m very happy for you, Leila.”

“Don’t let my brother bully you. He’s been raised to rule after my father. But he can be kind and generous.” Leila spoke fondly of her brother.

“He doesn’t. And he is very generous,” Sophie assured her.
More so than anyone will ever know,
she thought.

“Good.” Leila linked arms with her new sister as they strolled through the street.

***

That evening, Sophie and Sebastian enjoyed a pleasant evening alone by the fire. She was reading and he was playing a game of solitaire.

“Sebastian?” Sophie asked quietly.

“Hmm?” he responded as he set a card down.

“I spent the day with Leila. She asked me about last night.”

“Yes?” he said, half listening.

“She asked if you had been demanding at night. What does that mean?”

“What?” He turned to stare at his wife, who looked especially lovely in the firelight.

“Demanding at night?”

Sebastian cursed. Since when had his baby sister become so worldly?

“She’s talking about men’s appetite. In the bedroom.” He placed another card down and wondered since when marriage had become so difficult.
Since the groom was unable to touch the bride
, he answered to himself.

“I see.”

“I’ll try not to be too demanding at first. Shall I show you?” Sebastian teased, his dark eyes meeting hers.

Sophie smiled. “No. That’s all right.” She returned to her book.

But suddenly Sebastian realized he wasn’t teasing. He wanted to show her everything there was between a man and a woman. He wanted to take her right there in the salon and then take her upstairs in every bedroom.

Damn
. He would have to visit Juliette sooner than he had anticipated.

***

He didn’t have to invent a reason to leave the house the next evening. Sophie was dining with her father and grandmother, so he took the night to visit Juliette.

It had been some time since he had last seen her and she welcomed him. He wasn’t interested in foreplay or conversation at first. He pressed her up against the wall and she was wet already. He pressed her back into the wall, and as he filled her with his thick shaft, she moaned in his ear. Later, on the bed, she straddled his waist and moved up and down on his shaft as he filled his hands with her breasts.

Afterwards as they lay together in the darkness, he made his confession.

“I’m married.”

She was startled but remained quiet.

“It’s a marriage of convenience.”

Still she said nothing.

“I married her to keep her safe. It was at her request,” he explained.

“She’s in danger?” Juliette was intrigued.

“Yes. We’ll annul the marriage when the danger has passed,” he said softly.

“But you want her,” she guessed.

“Yes.”

“And what does she want?”

“There’s a chemistry between us. But I think more than anything she wants her independence.”

“Very novel in a woman,” Juliette said, though she was just such a woman.

“It must be this way. The man after her is dangerous.”

Again Juliette remained silent. Then she said, “It’s admirable. To help her and seek nothing in return.”

Sebastian thought on the words. Was he admirable? Had he married her expecting nothing in return? Certainly her safety was the most important thing. But he knew the more time he spent with her, the more he was in danger of losing himself.

***

Eugenie and Sophie sat beside the fire enjoying each other’s company as they had always done when she had lived there. Eugenie had watched her granddaughter throughout dinner and when Jean Pierre excused himself to attend to work-related matters, she took the moment to speak to Sophie about married life.

“How was last evening?” Eugenie asked matter-of-factly.

“Fine,” Sophie said.

“I meant the evening,” Eugenie said carefully. “With Sebastian.”

“Fine,” Sophie repeated.

“He was not rough?” Eugenie wanted to make certain Sophie was being treated correctly.

Sophie frowned. “No.”

“He didn’t hurt you?”

“Why would he?” Sophie asked.

“Some men can be very amorous in their attentions. Some even enjoy roughness,” Eugenie explained to her, though the conversation involved some delicacy.

Sophie realized she was referring to what Leila had been asking about. Since when did the sexual act become a rough and demanding act? It sounded most unpleasant. She must speak to Sebastian. She must be able to answer these questions correctly.

“No,
Grand-mère
. He was a gentleman.” She remembered the passion that she had always felt with Sebastian and she blushed lightly.

Eugenie scoffed at that. “A gentleman? Perhaps at the theater, but a woman wants a little bit of a scoundrel in the bedroom.”

“
Grand-mère
!” Sophie squeaked.

Eugenie grinned. She had finally shocked her oh-so intelligent granddaughter.

***

When Sophie arrived home, Sebastian was in the front library reading. She was pulling off her cape as she entered.

“You look lovely,” he commented. “That color suits you.”

She wore a lavender-colored silk gown with a square neckline. “Thank you.”

She bit her lip and rounded the room several times admiring the books, the small bar he kept, the painting on the wall and the windows that looked out onto the street.