Free His Contract Bride by Rose Gordon

words faster than a rabbit being chased by a dog.
    “ Would you like for me to write that down for you?”
    Edward paused in his writing then shook his head. “No, no. You sew. You've done enough for me already today.”
    A smile took her lips. “Stubborn man.” She set her sewing in the wicker basket beside her chair and stood. “I'll be right back.”
    He looked up. “Is there something you require?”
    “ Yes, and I'll be right back after I find it.”
    His brows knit in confusion. “Have you run out of things to sew?”
    Had she actually been sewing these past three and a half weeks, she certainly would have run out of things by now. She tucked a tendril of loose hair behind her ear. “No. You're out of paper in your desk. I'm going to your study to get some, so I can take notes.”
    “ You don't have to do that, Regina,” he said.
    “ I know. I want to.”
    “ Well, as long as you want to... But, you can just ring a servant for paper.”
    She flicked her wrist. “It's of no account. Your study is but a few feet away. It'll be much quicker this way.”
    ***
    Edward could not have found a better Lady Watson had he spent ten years at the proverbial Marriage Mart attending boring balls and ear piercing musicales. And, he shuddered just to think of what paying calls would entail with the rumored horrendous poetry and false flattery. He grimaced. Neither of those things held an ounce of appeal.
    He leaned back in his chair. His father, though not done intentionally, had certainly done him a great favor by unknowingly matching him up with such a wonderful young lady. Perhaps one day, he could make such a fortunate match for his own son.
    Of course, Father, being so rigid in his belief that Edward only marry as a result of an arranged marriage to avoid the mistake he'd made, had no idea everything would have turned out this well.
    A grin took his lips. Yes, everything had turned out perfectly, indeed. Nearly a month into their marriage and Regina didn't seem bored with him, which was a direct contradiction to John's prediction. Instead, she still conversed with him about his plants and would answer silly questions he'd ask her with answers that were so far from possible that he'd have to bite the inside of his cheek so not to embarrass her by laughing.
    And as for their nighttime activities...
    There was no use in denying it. He enjoyed visiting her bed most of all. Though he managed to hold to his father’s advice and only visit her once a week, he looked forward to those visits all week long. Sneaking peeks at the skin just above the bodice of her gown or the “accidental” brush of his body against hers only served to excite him more. But alas, he did not wish to scare her. Not to mention that momentary feeling of shame that washed over him just as they'd finish and she'd snuggle up against him and say—
    “ Hell and damnation,” Edward shouted as he nearly faltered while shooting to his feet. Regina was about to start digging around in his other desk.
     
     

 
     
    ~Chapter Eight~
     
     
    Edward had no idea which was louder: his heavy footfalls on the floor or the pounding of his heart against his chest.
    “ Regina,” he rasped, rounding the door of his study.
    Regina didn't answer. But she didn't have to. The faraway, lost look in her eyes was enough. She knew.
    Edward cleared his throat. What did one say to a lady who just found out that her love match was actually an arranged marriage?
    Silence engulfed them.
    Keen observation was one of the most useful tools a scientist had in his laboratory. But just now it seemed as if it was the most useless. His eyes searched her face. But with each slow sweep he did, he learned nothing new. Her brown eyes looked as dry as they always did, if not a bit wider set. Her pink lips were slightly parted as they usually were, exposing the lower half of her front teeth. Her skin, though not what he'd have considered pale in the first place, was still colored the