The Duke's Masked Wife

198 The mask comes off (4)

“Let me get this straight. When I want to come outside the rain starts to fall but when you do, there is sunshine, butterflies, and birds singing. Tell me the truth, Edgar. Who did you have to pay for the world to give you such good luck?” Alessandra questioned, once again jealous of her husband.

“No need to pay when I was born with good luck. The world was simply trying to tell you to stay inside and be with your husband. I don’t see why you’re so fascinated with this garden when the one back home is much better.”

“That is true but we soon have to leave so I want to enjoy every inch of the house. There are so many things I want to paint in this backyard. I should have brought along canvas and paint. Maybe next time when I return,” said Alessandra.

“The next time we go on a trip it will just be the two of us and it won’t be in this town. That’s my spot,” Edgar laid on Alessandra’s lap before she could place the plate with cake there. He closed his eyes to hopefully fall asleep and let time go along faster.

Calvin had gone the extra mile by preparing a blanket for them to sit on the grass with a basket of food instead of using the bench that was already in the backyard.

Alessandra looked down at Edgar on her lap. “Edgar, it’s a bit scary how you have fallen for me to be like this.”

“You’re thinking too much into this, Alessandra. I want to sleep but there are no pillows here. I am not going to lay flat on the blanket. You must be feeling yourself now that you know you hold my heart,” said Edgar.

Alessandra shook her head as she was far from feeling that way. “I am not,” she replied.

“Well, you should. Wake me up when the rest of the time has passed.”

.....

“Certainly not,” Alessandra pushed him off of her lap. “I am not going to let you get out of this so easily. I have like twenty minutes left. Feed me,” she held out the plate with cake to him. “If you don’t, I’ll order you to do something embarrassing in front of the others.”

“Had I not added the rule about nothing sexual, I wonder if you would be having your way with me right now instead of this,” Edgar said as he took the plate from her.

Alessandra’s face quickly turned red. “I-I would not take advantage of you.”

Edgar took a bite of the cake and said, “I smell a lie in the air. You cannot convince me that you have not thought of exploring every inch of me while I quietly sit there. I can strip off my clothes for you now if you wish.”

“Please do not do such a thing. How on earth did you switch the conversation to this so casually?” Alessandra was amazed by it.

“It’s a skill I picked up over the years. If at any point you started to lust me, you would tell me right?” Edgar asked before taking another fork full of the cake.

“As your wife, I should be comfortable informing you of such a matter. Can you please stop eating my cake and feed me!” Alessandra exclaimed. Edgar was the same one who said he did not feel like eating a slice of cake.

Edgar sliced into the cake with the fork and offered some for Alessandra to eat. “But you are shy when it comes to the intimate side of our relationship. Can I touch more of you now that there are no boundaries between us?”

If he had to lay on a blanket and talk about something, Edgar would rather talk about their relationship and where it would go from here. Edgar had a lot of self-control but it was becoming harder as the days went by.

“We have not kissed each other,” he added.

“Well, I did say we can after I took off my mask. I thought you would have jumped to kiss me right after but you did not.” Alessandra was a little disappointed he had not kissed her by now but quickly got over it. She realized that instead of waiting on him, she could have kissed him. It was not always up to him to make the first move.

“Don’t take that as me not being interested. It did not seem to be the right moment to jump at the chance to kiss you after you shared a painful memory. The moment suited a hug or encouraging words,” he clarified so that she may not misread his reaction.

“I see. In the future, I would not be against it if you wish to kiss me. I am even open to us taking our relationship further. I have made you wait long enough.”

Edgar didn’t like how it sounded like she was only thinking about him when it came to intimacy. “I don’t want you to do anything with me because you think I have waited long enough, Alessandra. I’m not saying I want to jump straight to making love to you. My intentions were always to take things slow with you.”

Alessandra felt confused hearing this because a moment ago he had been asking to touch more of her. “So what do you mean when you say you want to touch more of me?” She asked.

He had touched her breast before and partially seen her naked before. If not for going to the final step, what more could there be?

“Ha!” Edgar ran his tongue along the bottom of his top teeth. It might not be the best situation for him to be the one to explain this to her when he was already craving her but who else was she to hear it from? He’ll be damned if he brought in one of those ridiculous tutors or let her go to Erin for advice. “There are many things we can do before consummating our marriage. What we did in the tub was an interrupted beginning for it.”

Edgar enjoyed the fact the cook had not gone into full detail about this though he was still concerned about her being told of men pleasing themselves.

Alessandra was curious to know what would have happened if she had let him kiss her since they would not have gone all the way. “What would have happened? Would you have to keep touching my breast?”

“Yes. I would have done things to give you pleasure and prepare you so that it would not hurt when we finally go all the way. We should go slow and steady so you know what you like and don’t like me doing. It would help you to get accustomed to this side of your body and emotions you have never explored before-”

“If that is so, we should continue where we left off,” Alessandra cut in.

Edgar felt like there was something thrown on him for a moment because of how easily she wanted to try going to the next step. The mask came off and all of a sudden she wasn’t afraid to be intimate. “Are you certain?”

“Yes,” Alessandra nodded her head. “What happened in the tub was strange but felt good,” she admitted in a shy tone. “I also want to be closer to you and not shy away. Is there anything I can do to also make you feel pleasure?”

“Oh dear,” Edgar said as he realized the hole he had opened up with this conversation. He had meant to tease her at first but now they reached this point. “This is something that needs to be explained when we are not in an open backyard. I will better inform you tonight but for now, enjoy your cake.”