Trepidation

Chapter 5

Xavier's fingers halted on his buttons.Intense irritation spiked through the burn of desire rushing through his blood.All he could see was the woman standing before him, her pale shoulders bare, gleaming in the dim light.The delicate swells of her breasts were tantalizingly visible just above the bodice of her dress.Something caught his eyes and he looked down to see her twisting her hands.

He breathed deep, sensing a delay in having his needs met.His suspicion that his wife was playing the game of a tease made him grind out.

"Alisha, what is it?"

The confidence and fiery bravado that he had become used to was gone, and suddenly,she looked very beautiful.... very untainted.

Something clenched in his gut but he quashed it.She was acting..... testing her control over him.That was all.He certainly wouldn't give her any reason to think that he desperately wanted her....because desperate was a strong word to him.

Amanda bit her lip,her eyes darting to Xavier and then away again.

More concerned than irritated now, despite himself,he said,"Alisha....."

She blurted out."I just.... I really want to go to bed alone.This has all happened so fast.I mean I always knew that I would end up being your wife but I never expected that it'll be this soon..... it's a lot to take in"

Amanda forced herself to look at Xavier,her hands wringing together even tighter, knuckles showing white.She couldn't do this... couldn't just let him take her to bed like this.For so many reasons... not the least of was her response to him and how it confused her.... and how she had to get it under some kind of control so that she could cope.She was terrified he would touch her and scramble all her thoughts.He'd done that in the church earlier with his kiss.And then when he'd kissed her again in her bedroom,she had nearly lain back and given herself up completely.

Xavier just looked at her,his face unreadable in the shadows of the dark room.Eventually he let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair.Tension vibrated off him in waves, enveloping Amanda.

"I'm not in the habit of forcing unwilling women into my bed, Alisha, and I have no intention of starting now with my wife.I'm giving you a week to come to terms with your new life so enjoy your space while it last."

Amanda looked at him warily, suspicion coiling deep within her that he was giving in too easily.There had been an element to his voice she hadn't missed but couldn't place..... almost as if he wasn't entirely surprised.He stuffed his hands into his pockets and his face was as blank as before, but a muscle twitched in his jaw.

Sensing that she was on a very short leash, Amanda backed away towards the connecting door.

"Thank you"

But when she reached it,she realized that it was still locked from when she had locked it earlier.Flushing with embarrassment,she stalked and passed Xavier to go out through his main door,she heard him say mockingly."You really don't need to lock me out, Alisha.Soon enough, you'll be welcoming me with open arms."

Amanda's hand was on the doorknob,she tensed when she realized he was right behind her.Panic nearly made her sway.Had he changed his mind?

She started to turn around,to plead if she had to but every word died on her lips when she felt his hands at the top of the back of her dress.She couldn't move.

"I don't think you're going to be able to get out of that by yourself....let me help"

Speechless and feeling as though she was burning up from the inside out,she felt Xavier take the zip and slowly pull it down.....all the way until the knuckles of his fingers touched the bare sensitive skin just above her buttocks.She still had a hand in the knob of the door, and her other hand held the now gaping dress to her chest.Burning all over,she managed a strangled sound of something vaguely coherent and pulled the door open.

All she heard as she fled to her room was a soft,dark chuckle.She shut her bedroom door behind her, resting against it for a long moment before a curiously unsatisfied ache down low in her abdomen registered.It was an ache that she didn't want to think about, and resolutely ignored it as she undressed and crawled into the bed.

Before the week ends, Alisha would be back and she wouldn't have to be in this difficult situation anymore.

The morning came with a somewhat calm awakening.She slowly sat up, not knowing for a second where she was.It all came flooding back when she saw one of Xavier's maid drawing back the heavy curtains and allowed sunlight to flood the room.

"Good morning, ma'm"

"Good morning"Amanda replied, faintly.

"Sir Xavier is in the dining room.He is waiting for you"The maid said, curtly and walked away.

She looked sideways and saw a tray which contained a glass of orange juice on the bedside table.

As much as she would like to just drink this and stay in her room all day,she knew he might just come up to her bedroom for ignoring his summon.She definitely didn't want to be in this room alone with him.

After a quick shower,she ransacked the closet looking for something simple to wear.She finally found an outfit which was not too far off the mark from what she would have chosen herself.Blue jeans and a check shirt.

She went down the stairs bringing the tray down with her.She found the dining room when she saw another maid emerging through a heavy oak door.The maid took the tray from her and walked away.

Amanda went in and saw Xavier's impressive back facing her.She slipped into the seat to his right,at the end of the table.

He was reading a paper and sipping coffee from a mug.Amanda avoided his eyes and shook out her napkin."Good morning"

She reached out for a soft-looking croissant."Your workers don't talk much,do they?"

Xavier tutted and shook his paper."They have been trained well enough to be strictly formal with their employer,I see no need for you to associate with them"

His voice was dry,he turned back to his paper leaving Amanda seething with a tumultuous mix of emotions in her chest.Her stay here would be so dull.She took a bite out of her croissant and chewed,as the delicious taste registered on her taste buds,she focused on the meal, eating hurriedly.

Xavier put down the paper and fixed those dark eyes on her.Before the wedding,they had met up in a restaurant,she hardly touched her meal, saying that she doesn't eat much and was watching her weight..... Wasn't she watching the weight anymore?He had not even started eating but she was almost through with hers.

Amanda looked up."What?I can't eat in your house too?"She asked, sarcastically.

He smirked."It's almost funny, you keep doing weird things"

She frozed.She knew Alisha was a picky eater and hardly finished her meals but she couldn't miss eating good food because of her sister.

"What's weird in eating, I don't eat much in public, can't I at least eat to my satisfaction at home?"

He shrugged, chosing not to make a big deal out of it.

He ran his eyes over what she was wearing and Amanda flushed.

"I didn't know these kind of hideous clothes were among your trousseau"

She swallowed."They're....."

"We're leaving for our honeymoon in a couple of hours.I'll have one of the maid select the clothes that you'll take with you. I told you before, you'll wear what I want not what you want"

"Honeymoon?"Amanda croaked out.She had totally forgotten about that part.Trepidation laced through her, visions of deserted beaches and vast villas and just the two of them flooded her mind.

Trepidation and something much more scarier.