WANTED

Chapter Fifteen

      Nickolas had never felt more content, and yet he felt like he was starving for more. He watched Elizabeth's fascinated look as she trailed her delicate finger across his skin. Her cool touch left a trail of gooseflesh in its wake. It was nearly enough to make a grown man tremble.
  The sight of her when he woke before down had captivated him. Her small frame curled into him, barely concealed under a thin white nightdress.  Long thick lashes rested on her cheeks, and red curls spilled in every direction like wildfire. She was beautiful, but as beautiful as the sight of her sleeping peacefully in his arms was, it was nothing compared to the curious fascination in her eyes now. There was no fear or mistrust in those big green eyes of hers, she explored freely, letting her curiosity take the lead.
    When she stopped and looked up at him, the fear and mistrust were back clouding her beautiful face. "What do y-you w-want me to do?" Nickolas realized much too late the awkwardness of the situation.
"How about we scrounge up some breakfast?" He smiled, hoping to reassure her that she had no obligation to do anything. She looked confused.
"Don't y-you w-want me to.." She blushed and looked away.
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want you. But I won't push you to do anything you don't want to do. I told you, sweetheart, you're safe here, that includes sex. It's your decision, when you're ready." He'd ment to ease her mind, but if anything, she seemed more confused by his response.
"Isn't that a w-woman's job to p-please her husband?" She looked guilty, like she was denying him something he had a right to.
"Well, I'd say it's a husband and wife's privlage to please each other. I've no doubt I  would thoroughly enjoy pleasing you, but that can't happen while you're afraid of me. It wouldn't be fair to either of us."
"I-i don't understand." She looked at him now.
"You don't trust me, you're afraid. And from the little I've seen you have good reason to be."
"W-what does that have to do with s-sex?"
"Everything," he reached out and stroked her cheeks with his thumb. "What, what do you know, about sex?"
She got a far-off look in her eyes, like she was somewhere else entirely. It was several minutes before she answered. "P-p-p pain."
Rage rose in Nickolas, and he was glad she wasn't looking at him. Slowly, gently, he took her by the shoulders and pulled her into his chest. Stroaking her back, he lowered his voice, trying to hide the anger swelling inside him. "Sex can be a lot of things, but it's not supposed to be painfull sweetheart, never painful. It should feel good for both of us, sometimes passionate and intense and sometimes soft and sweet.  It's something you should crave from your spouse and miss when they're gone. Fear and pain don't mix with romance and intimacy." He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Elizabeth, sweetheart,  who hurt you? Who made you so afraid?" She buried her face in his chest and didn't answer. Silent tears rolled down Nickolas' cheeks while Elizabeths rolled down his side.

    Long past breakfast, Nickolas rolled to face Elizabeth, her cheeks puffy and eyes red rimmed, and he pushed her damp curls from her face. "I don't know about you," he said and kissed her forehead. "But I'm starving. Let's go to town for lunch."