A Cold Wife, Sweet Husband

―What? ―My name is Leo. If we are to begin as friends, then you must refer to me by my first name. His voice was so soft that it was if he was c.a.r.e.s.sing her with it. She shook her head. She didn't understand why he persisted in believing that he loved her.

He couldn't possibly love her. They didn't have enough in common to sustain a marriage that would be a happy one. She had to put a stop to his madness before it was too late. ―I do not believe we are suitable for one another, she finally stated. He sighed. ―Why do you persist in resisting me? Have I proven myself to be brutish in your presence?

―Oh, I can hardly imagine you to be a brute. You are kind to everyone. ―Then I will be even kinder to you. He took her hand and led her back to the other parlor and sat close to her. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her even closer to him. ―There is plenty of room on the couch, she reminded him. ―We do not have to be this close.

―No one is watching. We have the moment to ourselves. Before she could protest, he continued, ―Tell me about yourself. I know you were born on June 10, 1871, in Richmond. Your family moved here when you were fourteen. I know that you volunteer to help at the church, the orphanage, and the nursing home. In your spare time, you try your hand at cooking, which I hear you're decent at, and you make minor alterations to the costumes for the plays in the town theater. Her eyes grew wide in surprise.

―How can you know so much about me? Especially when I know so little about you? ―Brad filled me in on some of the details. She should have known. Her brother had been unusually joyous of her marriage to Leo, so naturally, he filled Leo in on her many virtues. An idea came to her. ―There's more. ―I suspected as much.

―Yes. I am not a morning person by nature. In case you haven't noticed, I am cranky in the morning. ―So when I touch you in the morning, you like it but are too cranky to properly enjoy it? She blinked. This wasn't quite the response she had hoped for. She cleared her throat. ―I have been known to snore in my sleep. I only know this since my mother informed me that it is true.

―If you want a second opinion, then you can sleep with me tonight and I'll tell you if your mother was telling you the truth or not. The way he smiled at her made her blush. She cleared her throat. ―Mr. Monroe-

―Leo. She sighed. ―Leo, it is not appropriate for us to converse like this. ―I wasn't talking about s.e.x. We can be in the same bed and just sleep. It might even be fun. ―You expect me to believe that a man and a woman can share the same bed and not have s.e.x?

―I believe you'll still be my wife after the month is up, so yes, I believe that can happen too. ―I don't share those beliefs. There was no way she could be in the same bed with him and not respond to his closeness. She was already light-headed by sitting with him on the couch. Who knew what she'd do in his bed? Forcing her mind off the intriguing thoughts of his bedroom, she blurted out,

―Sometimes I chew my fingernails. Look at how gross they are! She shoved a hand in his face. He laughed and took her hand in his.

―I crack my knuckles, he confessed. He examined her hand. ―I notice you file down the ones you chewed so they look presentable. You have soft and delicate hands. He brought her hand to his cheek.

―You feel wonderful against me. His words and actions unnerved her. She was acutely aware of how masculine he felt for she could already detect the stubble that was quickly growing back on his face. She tried to bring her hand down but couldn't. When he kissed her, she found that her hand betrayed her by pulling his face closer to her.

She was thoroughly enjoying the kiss despite her best efforts not to. Constance came into the room and announced that dinner was ready and quickly left when she realized that she had interrupted them.

Jessica put her hand down in her l.a.p and pushed off the couch with her other hand. She stood up and took a deep breath to settle her nerves. Why did he have to feel so wonderful? It wasn't fair. And he wasn't playing fair by awakening d.e.s.i.r.es in her that she hadn't even been aware of before they married.

―I suppose we should eat, she said once she trusted her voice not to show her distress over being caught by Constance. She figured that she shouldn't be embarrassed for the woman to catch her and Leo kissing. After all, they were married. It was proper for them to show affection to each other in their own house.

―I'll be there in a moment, he replied. The way he looked at her caused her heart to beat faster. She had to get away from him before she leaped back into his l.a.p and kissed him again. She nodded and swiftly exited the parlor.