In Pursuit of His Wife Read online

  That much she knew. “What did that illness involve?”

  Sebastian shaded his eyes and focused on the horizon. “I believe I see the creek ahead.”

  Sebastian’s behavior was a certain sign of emotional avoidance as far as Nasira was concerned. “I assume it must be painful to discuss the particulars, but I would like to know.”

  “It doesn’t matter how or why. It only matters that she left her only son orphaned.”

  The comment gave Nasira pause. “Is that why you’ve avoided having a child of your own? Do you fear you will somehow desert them?”

  “No. I’ve spent a lifetime having the importance of an heir crammed down my bloody throat.”

  Denial or not, Nasira sensed she had touched on the crux of his reluctance. “Have you ever considered the absolute joy fatherhood brings?”

  He continued to stare straight ahead. “Most people I know pawn their children off on the nanny for the sake of their sanity.”

  Her husband was either terribly misguided or overly cynical. “Not the Shakirs. You would have realized that if you noticed the way Darin looked at his daughter.”

  “I noticed.” Sebastian’s tone was oddly laced with sadness.

  Nasira wanted so badly to reach him. To uncover the secrets he harbored in his soul. “And you have no desire to experience that love?”

  He attempted a smile that did not quite reach his eyes. “I desire to find out if Studly can fly.”

  When Sebastian and the stallion took off, Nasira remained behind for a few moments, pondering his need to escape. The behavior was so unlike Sebastian the businessman. As long as she had known him, he had always been a take-charge man. A man who had never avoided any challenges. A man who had been inclined to run from all things emotional.

  Before her husband put too much physical distance between them, Nasira spurred the gelding into a gallop. She did not catch up to Sebastian until she reached the tree-lined ribbon of water where he had dismounted. She found him standing on the bank, the stallion’s reins secured to a low-hanging limb. She climbed off Gus, tied him to the tree opposite Studly and went to Sebastian’s side.

  “Why do you always do that?” she asked when he didn’t acknowledge her.

  He picked up a stone and tossed it into the muddy green water. “I find speed exhilarating.”

  Her frustration over his evasion began to escalate. “That is not what I meant, Sebastian.”

  “I know.”

  The acknowledgment surprised her. “You promised me you would make an effort to be open about your feelings.”

  He finally faced her. “I would prefer to have a nice, relaxing afternoon with my wife, not to dredge up past history and events that cannot be changed. Could we possibly do that and leave the serious talk for a later time in a place that is not quite so serene?”

  She recognized that her husband responded better with gentle persuasion. “All right. We shall postpone the conversation for the time being.”

  “I’m glad you see it my way.”

  When Sebastian took a seat on a large stump and began to remove his boots and socks, Nasira worried he had other activities in mind. “Surely you are not going to take Cappy’s suggestion about going swimming naked in the creek.”

  He glanced at her and winked. “I will if you will.”

  “I will not.” Though admittedly she would under better circumstances.

  “I thought as much,” he said as he rolled up his pants legs. “Never fear, my dear. I’m only going to put my feet in the water. Would you care to join me?”

  Nasira eyed the muddy green stream and wondered what lurked beneath. “Should we be afraid of reptiles and man-eating fish?”

  Sebastian stood and shed his shirt, revealing all the wonderful planes and angles of his chest that Nasira had always appreciated. “Reptiles and fish would be more afraid of us.”

  “I thought you were only removing your boots.”

  He hung the shirt on a tree limb and swiped a palm over his nape. “It’s rather warm out. Feel free to take yours off, too.”

  She claimed the spot on the stump Sebastian had vacated but only bared her feet. “You are so amusing.”

  “You are so gorgeous.”

  She rolled up her pants legs and stood to find the grassy earth remarkably soothing beneath her soles. “You are such a flatterer.”

  “I’m sincere in my compliments.” He held out his hand. “Let me assist you as we explore the murky depths of an uncharted Texas crick.”

  As much as she wanted to assert her independence, Nasira thought it best to hold on to her husband for support in the event something unknown attacked her toes. She clasped his hand and allowed him to guide her down the sloping bank and into the water. “It is much cooler than I expected,” she said, her words followed by a slight shiver.

  “I think it’s rather nice,” he replied without releasing her. “And not a sea creature in sight.”

  “Not any we can see. We have no idea what might be lurking beneath the surface.”

  “I shall protect you, fair maiden.”

  No sooner than he had said it, Nasira lost her footing and began to fall backward, inadvertently wrenching her hand from Sebastian’s grasp. She landed on her bottom in the shallow water, sending a spray of moisture into her face.

  She sputtered and wiped her eyes then looked up to find her husband standing over her. When he offered his hand, she swatted it away. “What were you saying about protecting me?”

  He executed a bow. “My sincerest apologies, but you took me by surprise. You are normally very coordinated.”

  She came to her feet and slicked back her hair. “The bottom is as slippery as glass. And heavens, the smell.”

  “How can I make this up to you?”

  She glared at him. “Help me out of this awful creek.”

  “I have a much better idea.” Apparently, it included Sebastian immersing himself in the water and surfacing with a smile. “Now we are both wet and smelly.”

  “Lovely.”

  He surveyed the area a moment. “Do you know what this reminds me of?”

  “I haven’t a clue.”

  “Our trip to Tahiti.”

  Her mind whirled back to that grand adventure during a time when they could not get enough of each other. “If I recall, that involved a secluded cove with a waterfall, not a narrow cesspool.”

  “The scent isn’t that foul. It’s the moss.”

  “It has to be the cod.”

  “I could be mistaken, but I believe cod is a saltwater fish.”

  “You and your trivial facts.”

  When she playfully pushed at his shoulder, he swept his hand through the water and splashed her again. The battle then commenced, each trying to best the other with liquid bombs until they were both winded with laughter.

  Nasira could not recall how much time had passed since they had acted with such wild abandon. How long it had been since they had shared so much laughter. She felt so connected with him, yet somewhat cautious. They still had quite a bit to resolve.

  “I believe it is time to retreat,” she said, but before she could evade Sebastian, he reached out and pulled her to him.

  “Isn’t this much better than arguing?” he asked as he guided them farther into the creek until the water lapped at her waistline.

  Unable to resist her sexy, damp, shirtless husband, she draped her arms around his neck. “I suppose it is somewhat better.” And welcome. And wonderful.

  He feathered a kiss across her cheek. “This is the part I remember about Tahiti.”

  “Only we were not fully dressed, although at least you had the foresight to remove your shirt today. I highly doubt I will ever be able to get the swampy scent out of my blouse.”

  “We
could simply remove your blouse now.”

  When he reached for the buttons, she wagged a finger at him. “Now, now. We have an agreement. Conversation first.”

  He managed to slip open the first button and parted the placket. “What would you like to discuss?” he asked as he traced the top of her bra with a fingertip.

  A topic that would ruin the mood. “Nothing at the moment. We should return to the stable with the horses since your mount seems rather restless.”

  He glanced at the stallion now pawing the ground. “Could I at least kiss you before we leave?”

  “You usually do not ask permission.”

  “I’m only following the rules, per your request.”

  That alone should earn him a reward. “I suppose a small kiss would be all right.”

  Clearly her husband did not know the meaning of small, as if she expected him to give her anything less than a thorough kiss. Yet when he lowered his lips to hers, she found the gesture to be more tender than deep. Soft and somewhat restrained...in the beginning. And then the passion took hold. A passion she could not fight. Yet if she did not stop him now, she might not be able to stop at all.

  As unwise as it seemed, at that moment she simply did not care to resist him.

  Five

  Before Nasira could prepare, Sebastian opened her blouse completely, unfastened her bra and lowered it enough to pay attention to her breasts. He knew precisely how to use his tongue to bring her to the point of no return. He used the pull of his mouth to great effect, causing her to tremble slightly. She clasped his head to follow his movements as he shifted from one breast to the other and closed her eyes to immerse herself in the feelings. In spite of the voice telling her to resist, she felt needy and powerless and completely under his control as he worked the clasp on her jeans, slid the zipper down and slipped his hand into her panties. And suddenly her no-sex vow went the way of the prairie wind.

  Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, she knew she should tell him to stop and regain control. “Sebastian,” was all she could manage in a winded voice that she barely recognized.

  He raised his head and whispered in her ear, “Remember Tahiti.”

  She could barely remember her name in light of Sebastian’s intemperate strokes between her thighs. Yet Sebastian seemed bent on teasing her into oblivion, slowing his sensual caressing as if he wanted to prolong the process. She wanted to hold off the release, and oh how she tried, but her body would no longer allow it.

  In a matter of moments, she feared her legs would no longer support her as she bordered on a climax. As if her husband could sense her predicament, he tightened his grasp on her, yet he did not let up until the orgasm began to build and build. He simply told her in a low, sensual tone how she felt, what he wished to do to her. What he would do to her when the time was right.

  Nasira stopped thinking, practically stopped breathing as she let the heady sensations take over. She rode the release wave after wave until it had subsided. And then came the regret and remorse.

  “You promised me,” she said as soon as she recovered her voice.

  He redid her jeans and bra then buttoned her blouse. “I apologize but I could not help myself. You’re very alluring when you’re wet. In every sense of the word. And you have to take into account that I presently require nothing in return, therefore it’s not exactly sex.”

  “Good grief, Sebastian, that is semantics. We were not playing tiddlywinks.”

  “Definitely not. No squidgers were involved.”

  A litany of choice words ran through her brain, yet she could only think of one ridiculous provincial phrase. “Bite me, Buck.”

  He had the gall to grin. “We will explore that after dinner, Beauty.”

  “You are...you are...such a—”

  “Skilled lover?”

  “Plank,” she said, repeating the slang she had learned in London.

  “I’ve been called worse than a jackass,” he said as he took her by the shoulders, turned her around and patted her bottom. “Let’s go, old girl, before Cappy labels us horse thieves and sends out the guard.”

  She trudged out of the creek, squeezed the water from the bottom of her blouse and twisted her hair into a braid. After they had donned their boots and Sebastian had put on his shirt, they mounted the horses and started back to the stable in silence.

  “Are you angry with me, Sira?”

  Was she? “I am not happy that I’ve been so weak.”

  “You’re not weak, sweetheart. You’re a woman and you have needs.”

  She thought back to Fiona’s declaration earlier. “You are correct. I do have needs. I simply do not care for you using that as a distraction from our real problems.”

  “First, you’re miffed because I haven’t paid enough attention to you, as you pointed out so succinctly before you left London. Now that I am attempting to make up for lost time, you no longer want my consideration. Which is it, Sira? Hands on or hands off?”

  She wanted to scream from frustration. “Ignoring me isn’t only about withholding lovemaking, Sebastian.”

  “Forgive me for facilitating your orgasm. All three of them, if my memory serves me correctly. Should you require another, you’ll have to ask.”

  Nasira glanced at Sebastian to see if he appeared as angry as he sounded. “I will not be asking until I am assured we are on the right path to mending our marriage.”

  “That is your call.”

  Without warning, Sebastian took off again and this time, she immediately followed. Yet the gelding was not as fast as the stallion and her husband arrived a few paces ahead of her. After Sebastian dismounted and headed into the barn, she soon followed suit and led the Gus inside.

  When Sebastian did not afford her a glance, Nasira tied the gelding to the stall’s railing and faced him. “I know you are upset with me, but—”

  “Upset?” He loosened the girth strap, pulled the saddled off and turned toward her. “Why would I be upset when my wife seems bent on rejecting my attempts to recapture some intimacy?”

  She bristled at his hypocrisy. “Now you understand how I have felt the past six months.”

  He set the saddle on the nearby stand a bit harder than necessary. “I see. Your actions and words are based on retribution.”

  Something about his observation rang true. “As I have said several times, I refuse to have my libido cloud my judgment.”

  He released a cynical laugh. “I do not recall any refusal when I had my hand down your pants earlier.”

  The comment brought about a searing heat between her thighs, causing her to shift from one leg to the other. Before she could retort, Cappy came down the stairs and when he reached the aisle, gave them both a long once-over. “Did you two not understand the nekkid swimming part?”

  The heat shifted to Nasira’s face. “Actually, we were wading in the water and I slipped.”

  “I had to rescue her from the creek’s clutches,” Sebastian added. “My wife can be quite clumsy at times.”

  Cappy sported a skeptical look as he loosened the girth strap on Gus’s saddle. “In case you’re hungry, the missus put a roast in the oven for the two of you. She said it should be ready in about an hour and she’ll be back later to clean up.”

  “I can do the dishes,” Nasira began, “although I would like to meet her and tell her thank you.”

  “Annie’s a stickler for giving people their privacy, and I’m thinkin’ that’s exactly what you two need, so I’ll tell her you’ll handle the cleanup.”

  Nasira didn’t want the man getting the wrong idea. “We truly do not require privacy, Cappy. She is welcome anytime.”

  “If you say so.” He pulled the saddle off Gus’s back and grinned. “By the way, ma’am, you missed a couple of buttons.”

  Too mort
ified to offer an explanation, Nasira turned to retreat to the house without looking back, the sound of the men’s laughter following her for the next few meters.

  She was so angry, she practically stomped up the path. If her husband thought he would escape her ire, he was sorely mistaken. As soon as she took a shower, she planned to confront Sebastian over his amusement at her expense. Until that point, she would simply avoid him.

  “Sira, wait up.”

  Nasira quickened her gait in response to the directive. “I am not speaking to you.”

  “Actually, darling, you just did.”

  Infuriating man. “Go away, Sebastian.”

  “Not until you give me the opportunity to apologize.”

  “I am not in a benevolent mood.”

  The comment seemed to encourage Sebastian’s silence, or that was what she thought until she heard, “Damn my leg.”

  Only then did she turn around to discover her husband bent at the waist, both palms resting on his thighs. She could leave him standing on the path in pain, or she could see about his injury.

  Nasira turned around, strode to him and hovered above him. “Did you suffer a wound?”

  “Only to my pride.”

  Then he raised his gaze to her, grinned, grabbed her around the waist and tossed her over his shoulder caveman-style. “Let me down, you brute!” she said, to no avail.

  “Not until we arrive at our destination.”

  “I cannot believe you lied to me about your leg.”

  “Actually, I did have a slight twitch of momentary pain.”

  “I have trouble believing that. Granted, you will have several pains if you continue to carry me like a bag of grain.”

  “Sira, you are many things. Weighty is not one of them.”

  She supposed she should consider that a compliment.

  Once they reached the deck, Sebastian climbed the stairs and put Nasira down, yet kept her hand clasped in his. “I beg your forgiveness for my inconsiderate laughter in the stable. However, I did defend your honor after your departure.”

  She folded her arms around her middle. “Was that before or after you morphed into a Neanderthal?”