A Dove's Tale

Chapter 165

The rain's light tapping at the windows had stopped by the time I woke the next morning, replaced by chirping birds and bright sunlight streaming into the room. In the hearth, the fire had burned down to ashes. I lay there, warm and comfortable in Chevalier's arms, listening to his slow, steady breathing. He'd probably sleep a while longer, which meant I could take my time cleaning up the dirty dishes on the coffee table and in the kitchen, tidy up the bathroom, and then start breakfast.

Just a few more minutes, I thought.

I needed to plan how I'd surprise him with that red negligee, anyway, although the mere thought of that slinky silk garment brought a wave of embarrassment and a rush of heat to my face. Just seeing me wearing it would be surprising enough for him, wouldn't it? But after my first tentative foray into teasing him yesterday, I wanted to go a little further this time. Maybe I could put it on before he got up, so when he walked into the kitchen for breakfast, he'd find me wearing it? He liked the chase, though. Maybe it would be better if I strung him along for a while, acting normally and waiting to spring it on him at the right moment.

Normally. What was normal behavior for me now? Every day of this honeymoon had been a new adventure into pleasures I'd never imagined before.

But Chevalier had agreed to let me plan everything today. Maybe I could talk him into reading for a while, and then, when I left to start lunch or dinner...I could make beignets instead.

A shiver ran down my spine. That was it. Ever since the day he'd teased me with a beignet when I was still his maid, just mentioning the pastry was enough to put a mischievous sparkle in his crystal blue eyes. Until now, I'd only made them on baking nights, so his brothers had always been around to keep him in line. But now...

The embarrassment vanished amidst a flurry of excited butterflies.

Now too eager to stay still, I tried to ease myself from his arms, but they immediately tightened and pulled me closer. He made a soft sound, something between a sigh and a groan, and nuzzled into my hair. I held my breath for a moment, unsure if he was still asleep, before I tried leaving again.

"Stop moving," he mumbled.

Well, if those were his first words, he was too tired to make love. Maybe talking him into spending a day relaxing and reading would be easier than I thought.

"I'm just going to tidy up a bit and start breakfast," I told him.

He sighed again, a burst of hot hair across my scalp. "Servants will clean after we leave."

I rolled over to face him. His sleepy blue eyes were open and on me, a soft smile gracing his lips. I smiled, too, and brushed his messy blonde bangs back from his face to give me a better view. "You don't like an untidy room any more than I do. Just go back to sleep and let me take care of it, okay?"

He made that sound again, a sigh and a groan blended together, and traced a light finger across my cheek. "Am I allowed to know your plans for today?"

"No," I said teasingly. "All you need to know is that today is a day for relaxing."

I gave him a quick kiss and slipped free from his embrace. His hand caught mine as I stood, a light hold, easily broken and hard to release. I gave it a squeeze and let it go, promising myself it would be worth it later.

The morning passed uneventfully. I hid the red negligee in the bread box, and Chevalier slept in, as I'd expected. After he awoke, he followed me around until midafternoon, when he finally retired to the sofa with a book at my suggestion. I sat down to read, too, knowing the next part was the trickiest. He would notice me leaving the room no matter what I did, so I read for a while, and then I got up, changed the sheets, and left, acting as casually as possible, hoping he would assume I was about to make dinner. He didn't follow me.