Lady Valentine's Affair

Chapter 4

Four

"Wake up!"

Oh, hell... There were those two bloody words again. "I'm awake," Anthony croaked, trying to pry his eyes open. Hadn't he established that last night? That he'd bloody well woken up in regard to Gwen and marriage. Why did the fates seem so adamant to keep reminding him of the need? Were a few more minutes of sleep too much to ask? He'd been shot last night after all!

"Get off me!" A hard shove to the chest sent him rolling from his side to his back.

"I'm awake," he mumbled again. "What's going on?" Disoriented he opened his eyes a crack and spied Gwen scrambling off the bed.

"Why are you in my bed?" she demanded.

Blinking against the morning sunlight Anthony grappled for his bearings and tried to focus his sleep blurred vision.

Gwen stood at the side of the bed in a rather sheer shift, fists planted on her hips, glaring at him. "Why are you sleeping with me?"

Anthony shoved himself up on his good arm. "There was only one bed. Did you expect me to sleep on the floor?"

Her gaze flicked to the bandage secured around his arm. "Well, I fell asleep in the chair. Why did you move me?"

"You looked uncomfortable. I wanted you to rest well." He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat facing her. "Like it or not, Gwen, we are married. It isn't unheard of for married couples to share a bed now and again."

Red bloomed in her cheeks and her eyes flashed. "Really? I wouldn't know as my husband is much more inclined to share beds with opera singers."

Anthony exhaled, trying to temper his mounting frustration. He wasn't even out of bed and they'd picked up sparing right where they'd left off before the highwaymen last night. "And my wife would rather sneak about at London parties with a known womanizer."

The crimson in her face deepened. "Only because you've ignored me for the last two years. More than two years!"

Anthony clenched his fists. "I know," he snapped. "I was wrong. Is that what you want? For me to admit fault? Well, I'm doing it. I admit I was wrong, and I'm trying to make it right."

Gwen stared at him hard, her eyes burning straight through him. "Why? To avoid a scandal?"

"Yes," he replied simply and honestly.

"So you admit to having no real interest in me." She shook her head, and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.