Bowstrings & Velvet (Spellbound #1)

Chapter 5: There's Only One Bed

Shae lay deadly still, trying not to move, lest she might brush up against Felix who was lying on the other side of the bed. It wasn't overly large, and it was difficult to lie comfortably without touching one another. Especially since her husband was not only a fairly large man but also liked to sprawl. Which left her lying as far out on her side as she could without falling off the edge, and keeping her arms and legs perfectly straight.

Even with several inches separating them, she could feel the heat radiating off his body, and it was nothing if not distracting. He was breathing deeply, obviously having no issues falling asleep with her in the bed, while she was wide awake, unable to let sleep claim her. It wasn't fair.

"For the love of the Gods, Shae!" he suddenly growled, making her jump. Turning her head, she saw he was lying on his stomach, facing her, his eyes drowsy but definitely awake. "Relax, please. It's impossible to sleep with you lying like a log in the bed."

"You're welcome to sleep on the floor if you prefer," she replied stiffly, which only made him chuckle.

"No, but thank you for the kind offer. Why don't you just relax? I promise I won't bite."

"I'm not used to having someone in the bed with me," she muttered.

"Well, whose fault is that?" He yawned as he turned around and nestled into his pillow.

She stared at the back of his head for a moment, anger sparking to life inside her. She may have stipulated the boundaries of their marriage, as she had no intention of falling in love with her husband, but he had quickly agreed, offering no resistance. Everyone knew about his love affair with Sorceress Isobel. How could he ever believe she would allow herself a regular marriage under those circumstances? Unable to control her ire, she kicked out with both feet and pushed as hard as she could.

Felix went careening off the edge of the bed and landed on the floor with a satisfying yelp. Sitting up, he ran a hand through his tousled hair and stared at her. "What was that about?"

"Sorry," she said, her voice deadpan. "Leg spasm."

She turned her back to her husband, suddenly feeling much better. Maybe she'd be able to sleep after all.

The next morning, she woke up to find herself lying on her side with her back against Felix's chest, his arm around her and his hand cradling her breast. With their legs entwined and his breath fanning her neck, she was quite trapped. Carefully trying to move, she only succeeded in making him pull her closer, his lips now against the sensitive skin of her shoulder.

"Felix?" she ventured quietly but received no answer. From his breathing, she suspected he was still asleep, and since any attempt at extracting herself only seemed to make him pull her tighter, she gave up and allowed herself to relax in his embrace. As much as she hated to admit it, lying against his warm, strong body felt nice. He was only wearing his undergarments, and she could feel one part of him, that was decidedly more awake than he was, resting against the curve of her bottom.

Closing her eyes again, she enjoyed the unusual feeling of having his arms around her. It made her feel safe, at peace. A worrying thought; she didn't want to feel like that. Not with him. Felix mumbled something in his sleep she couldn't quite hear, but she could definitely feel the hand on her breast massage gently. His lips travelled across the skin above her shift, placing feather-light kisses that sent shivers down her spine.

"Felix?" she tried again, a little louder this time. Still no reaction. This was not good. His hand and lips were doing strange things to her insides. Her skin tingled where he kissed her, and when he nibbled at a sensitive spot below her ear, a low moan escaped her. This really wouldn't do.