Nicholai Makali Russo
♠Ðuke Θf Řichmond♣
♠Ðuke Θf Řichmond♣
Strong feelings do not necessarily make a strong character. The strength of a man is to be measured by the power of the feelings he subdues not by the power of those which subdue him.
[William Carleton]
- Nicholai looked at his wife with a blank stare on his face. He was not through teasing her, yet. “ A wife is not the one that has to maintain interest in her husband. I think you have the concept of marriage confused in your mind wife. It is and has always been the husband that has maintained the interest.” Nicholai himself knew that to be foolishness, especially considering he was a man who had enjoyed the pleasure of many disinterested wives. No, that was not so true, it had always been the husbands that lost interest first. Then he made the wife interesting and when the husband came back around the woman was no longer interested. It was a vicious cycle where no one won and no matter the amount of manners someone always seemed to loose interest. Nicholai decided he had done enough teasing. Squeezing his wife’s waist he smiled behind her hair, “ we won’t have to worry about that now will we wife? I don’t think you will ever loose interest in me.” Nicholai made no mention of the idea that he would loose interest in her. That went without saying. While she had his attention now, he did not believe she would forever hold his attention. It was only a matter of time before he became bored with her.
He did not know how much times he would admit it but he did enjoy the quick wit and banter between him and his wife. Nicholai would never have joined her in her bath if he did not enjoy her wit. Any other woman he would have simply allowed him to bathe. There would be no battle of the wits and he wouldn’t be sitting with his woman so stiff in his arms. She really did need to relax. Nicholai had already promised her, he would not touch her until she wanted him to, and he would not break his word to her. Unless, she really did want him to.
Listening to his wife he wondered what sort of man she believed him to be. “ I would never be so cruel to a child.” His arms feel from around his wife’s waist. She had obviously forgot what his own father had been like. He would never treat a child the way he had been treated. Nicholai vowed he would not be like his father. While he could not truly be mad at his wife for her insult because she did not know that she was insulting him. It still did not remove the irritation that lingered at her words. She made him seem like some sort of b*****d that would only treasure her if she bore him male heirs. Times had change, people changed. “ I will only tell you this one more time wife. Your child will be well cared for and will be treated like my own. The only thing your child will not get is the title of The Duke of Richmond. That title will go to my first born. I will ensure however, that your child is never under nor over looked. I have spoken to you on this before. Perhaps this time you will take head and listen to what I am saying to you. I do not believe I shall ever repeat it to you again.”
Maria thought there marriage was a mistake she was making for her baby. The thought upset Nicholai. It should not have because she was being honest with him. That did nothing to sway the feelings in his chest. He would swore he was hurt by her words if he understood just what he had been feeling. His wife was flirting with the devil even if she didn’t know it herself, “ you never know what I can deal with unless you give me a try. I may handle it better than you believe wife. If there is one thing I enjoy doing, it is surprising people.” Nicholai planned on constantly surprising his wife. She did indeed think she had a hold on everything around her. She would soon learn there was no way to cage an animal that thrive on freedom.
Nicholai was more than content with his wife settled comfortably in front of him. Oh she called him some vile names but that didn’t bother him much. He already had her in his arms and so there was no need for worry. “ Ah my darlin’ that is the reason you do enjoy my company . I am not like the other men in your life swooning over you or falling at your feet. Nor did I agree to your every word like a pup. I may be indeed be arrogant, ” Nicholai didn’t comment on the other adjectives she used to describe him. “ If I had been any other way you would have walked all over you. I do believe you enjoy me handling you this way. You enjoy m taking charge.” Maria had never had anyone take care of her before. Instead, she had always been the one taking care of others. Nicholai believed that was also part of why she agreed to marry him instead of going to her friends. Yes, she needed something different and that something different was him. She of course would not admit it, but Nicholai felt as though he knew the truth. She needed someone different who offered her more. Just as he had, which explained why he remained single for so long.
“ This move was only partially about your comfort. Do no be stubborn this is much more spacious that both of us fighting for space at opposite ends.” He didn’t mention how nice her body did feel against his own. Nicholai didn’t think she would appreciate that sort of honesty at least not yet. Resting his chin on top of his wife’s head he smiled. The woman was already learning his wife. She must have realized he liked a good deal of chance, a good game of luck. And, here she was offering him a chance an opportunity to take what he wanted for her simply so that he would let her bathe. The prospects and ideas were limitless.
Trust, you are trying to earn her trust. It was a soft voice that knocked on the stubborn stone walls of his mind. This time he did answer the door and perhaps right in time. Nicholai had been primed to give the perfect retort to his wife’s comment. But, ‘common’ sense found him at the right moment. “ I’m sure there is nothing you are willing to currently give me that I would be able to take you from your current position. If you just relax a bit I’m sure you will be as comfortable as I am. There is no harm in you sitting with your husband letting him bathe you. Since this is indeed the only contact I am to have with your body I will indeed enjoy the pleasure of your skin against my own.” Nicholai leaned down and kissed her shoulder.
“ Come now wife, hurry and let us bathe our skin so that we can be on with the rest of the day. If you would be as kind as to wash my legs I will wash your back.” Nicholai grinned. She would not fully agree, not this Spanish wife of his. There was too much fire in her, too much rebellion. He did enjoy the feel of her in his arms. Her skin was the softest he felt in a while. The woman was heaven to touch. Taking in a deep breath, he basked in her scent. Grabbing the soap he lathered it on the cloth. Without much ceremony he set the cloth to his wife’s shoulder and began to wash her skin. She might have thought he was simply being annoying. The cloth touching her skin would prove those thoughts wrong if she did indeed have them. “ Your skin is so soft,” his mouth touched the shoulder that was not being washed.
Nicholai took his time with washing his wife’s shoulder and back. It was like a pilgrimage along her skin. Strength, he had to call upon it to keep him from continuing his journey. Holding the cloth in his hand, he reached down for Maria’s hand, opened it and set the cloth in her hand. His free hand turned her face back so that she could look at him. Before a word of protest could escape he was kissing her. It was a kiss of persuasion, meant to soften and woo her. He meant to have her surrender to the moment.
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