Bewitching The Recluse [BOOK 2 of Price Family Saga]

43. Chapter (Famished For You)

As Travis roused from his slumber, he discovered, once again, that he had dozed off on his writing desk in his study chamber. He murmured reproachfully to himself and stretched his stiff limbs, his gaze falling upon the window. The moon held sway in the night sky, yet he dared not hazard a guess at the hour. Arden Price had long withdrawn from Marlborough after indulging in a few hours of repose, and though Bella appeared indifferent to his departure, Travis observed a fleeting gleam in her eyes, accompanied by a momentary shadow of melancholy on her countenance.

Bella. She resided far from the bosom of the family she held dear, all in her earnest endeavour to aid him with young Teddy. She staked everything on the card bearing his name, though she had initially obstinately asserted that she harboured not a smidgen of care for him any longer. Simultaneously, she grappled with every conceivable means to extricate him from her heart for eternity, given her prior convictions he hopefully managed to disperse for eternity. But Bella also professed a firm resolve never to marry or bear children—a notion that arched Travis' brow. Even though he himself had reconsidered, had she undergone a similar transformation? It was unquestionably a matter he would need to discuss with her. And, why had she not come to rouse him, so they might retire together?

He henceforth proceeded directly to her bedchamber, situated not far from his study, and a sixth sense impelled him to enter without the formality of knocking. Unaware of what spectacle awaited him, he certainly did not anticipate the scene that greeted him when he abruptly swung open the door and crossed the threshold. Bella lay nude on the bed, holding a familiar grey book in one hand, the other pinned down as she pleasured herself, lips parted. She winced at the sound of doors creaking, the book falling from her hand, and swiftly covered herself with the bedcover to conceal her modesty.

"Well, well, well," Travis intoned with a touch of mirth in his voice, "so you'd leave me to endure an uncomfortable slumber upon my desk while you attend to your own pleasures. Is this the manner in which you comport yourself with the victor of the day?! Furthermore, I have beheld your form in a state of undress so frequently that there's truly no need for modesty in my presence."

Even beneath the glow of candlelight, he could discern the blush that graced her countenance.

"I sought to acquaint myself with my womanhood, and, truth be told, you did startle me," she replied shyly.

Drawing nearer to the bed, he swiftly uncovered her to behold her nudity again.

"And might I not be invited to partake in this journey of exploration? I am keen on discovering more about you," he remarked with a genteel smile, "the door was left unlocked, leading me to ponder if you wished for someone to enter and discover you in all your beauty and audacity."

Seizing her by the knees, he drew her closer. A glint of desire sparkled in her eyes, and her lips curved into a coquettish smile.

"I would be delighted to explore novel realms with you," she whispered, inching closer and placing her hand upon his lap, "perhaps we could conclude what we commenced this morning."

Even this delicate touch elicited a soft quiver in his core. "Not so hastily, my dear," he responded with a smirk, "attire yourself in a nightgown – we shall retire to our chamber."

She heeded him in silence, and presently they stole through the nocturnal residence without incident. Bella entered the spacious bedchamber first, taking her seat on the bed with a sense of thrilling expectancy. Travis, in the dimly lit room, ignited a few candles before intermittently casting a mischievous glance at Bella, who observed his every move with rapt attention. He then approached the nightstand, opened its drawer, and retrieved a piece of dark fabric.