Page 3 (1/1)

Knowing that a big part of why he washer was so that she could provide heirs for the Scorsolini throne, she had agreed without argu had conancy and she was as fertile as any other woest surprise for her had been his desire to wait to have children for a while She hadn’t understood it, still wasn’t sure why he had requested they wait, but now she knew that whatever chance they had of ether was over

Unable to stand any level of intimacy in the face of what she kneas to come, even such a sier filled Claudio as Theresea libido that ached for her night and day He wanted to grab her back and deer acceptable, but that would be the act of a primitive man and the crown prince of Isole dei Re was in no way primitive

Besides, physical rejection fro for months now, but each time she turned away from a physical connection, it still shocked hi an incredibly passionate response on every occasion when he touched her, he could be forgiven for finding it nearly ie of heart

Prior to the last few months, he would have sworn that Therese loved him She’d never said so, but for the first two years of their e, she had shown in many subtle and not so subtle ways that she felt more for hie well contracted Her love had not been one of his requireone

It was not that he needed the e where it had gone and why she no longer seemed to want him with the latent passion that had drawn him to her in the first place

Her physical rejections had started a month or so after she went off the pill so they could try for a baby At first, he had thought that maybe her hormones had been at fault After all, he’d read about that sort of thing happening, but in the intervening otten worse, not better

Then sometimes she would make love with him the way she used to and all his concerns on that score would disappear Only to reappear when she turned hiain He was not a man who had suffered much rejection in his life, particularly from a woman he desired physically For it to come from his oas totally unacceptable

And it had been happening un to wonder if deep down, she did not want to get pregnant “Do you not want htened of ill happen?”

She flinched as if he’d slapped her, her face going unnaturally pale “Yes, I want your baby More than anything I don’t kno you could believe anything else”

She was so fervent he could not doubt her “Then there is nothing about this situation that should upset you”

The look she gave hied on, certain of his own conclusions “Soon enough you will be able to silence busybodies with the reality of a pregnancy As for today, you will simply play the scenario differently next tiie”

She spun to face thebrown hair up into a twist on the back of her head with deft fingers, securing it with a clip “And that makes it all okay, does it?”

“It should,” he said with so so strongly to this You have dealt with far ed her delicate shoulders and headed toward the door She was so beautiful, almost ethereal in her appearance despite curves that proclaimed her one hundred percent woman And at times like this he felt as if she was as untouchable as a spirit But she was his wife, it was his right to touch her

He did it, taking her arm as she walked by

She stopped and looked up at hiaze filled with a vulnerability he did not understand and liked even less It implied an unhappiness he did not want her to feel

“What?” she demanded

“I do not like to see you like this”

“I know You expect everything in your life to go smoothly, every person to fulfill their role without question Your schedule is regiree and surprises are few and far between”

“I take great pains toa woated, tested and then tested me yourself to be sure of my fit as your principessa and future queen I am certain you never expected me to be a source of frustration for you”