Chapter 327: The restless plan.
The price for spending most of the day sleeping arrived in the night, when Sienna found herself sleepless. Her mind was riddled with thoughts of Lina and Mija’s troubles. She was worried about Mija doing something stupid, and Lina marrying a scum to please her family and strangers in the empire.
The night was thick with silence, broken only the occasional howl of wind outside. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind refusing to settle. Another reason for her unease was her husband, who had not stopped brushing his fingers lightly against her arm, her hair, her cheek, her thighs. The man’s hands were simply restless. The touches were feather-soft, teasing and definitely deliberate. They were gestures of a man absentmindedly reaching for a woman he wanted; they were the calculated strokes of someone who knew exactly how to stir her.
Sienna’s patience thinned when his thumb touched her bottom lip, pushing into her mouth just a bit before pulling away. At that exact moment, Elias moaned and turned. Sienna turned her head sharply, eyes flashing in the dim light.
"Hey," She kicked him, "Are you trying to drive me mad?" she growled, her voice low and edged with frustration.
Elias’s eyelashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes. The eyes seemed innocent, but the smile on his face carried mischief and affection in equal measure. He leaned closer, brushing his lips near hers but not quite touching.
He did it again and again, whispers of kisses and promises that he didn’t seem to keen to fulfill, until Sienna lost her restraint. She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss, fierce and demanding, pouring her restlessness into the press of her mouth against his.
In response, his arms tightened around her, all thoughts of teasing forgotten in a wave of desire. His hands swept up and down her spine, tracing every curve of her upper body.
For a moment, the world narrowed to the heat between them. Sienna’s heart raced, her body alive with the spark he ignited. She had regained her self esteem, and she didn’t care if he stripped her naked and saw all of her.
But just as the fire threatened to consume her, he pulled back. His hand lingered on her cheek, his eyes soft yet unreadable. His breathing was unsteady. "I have some work to do in my office," he murmured, rising from the bed.
Sienna sat up, stunned. "Work? At this hour?" Her voice carried disbelief, tinged with irritation.
He didn’t answer directly. Instead, he slipped from the room, leaving her with the echo of retreating footsteps.
Elias did not go to any office to work, though Sienna believe he had. Instead, he walked quietly down the hall, turned into Sienna’s home office bathroom and twisted the shower knob until icy water cascaded over him. The shock of the cold was intentional. He closed his eyes, letting the chill bite into his skin, grounding him against the temptation that had nearly undone his resolve.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want her--he did, deeply. Their relationship was better now and it seemed like their future was set. But, he had made a choice, one born of strange, possessive tenderness. He wanted Sienna to fall madly in love with him, that she never thought of leaving again. He wanted her so attached to him that she didn’t go a second without thinking of him. That the thought of his absence in her life was torture. He wanted her to hunger for him, to crave him so fiercely that the thought of ever being touched by another man was impossible. To him, desire was not just passion; it was a tether, a bond stronger than any vow. And so he cooled his own fire, denying himself for the sake of their future.
When he came out of the bathroom, Timothy was waiting with the doctor.
"My Lord, you forgot to take your heat suppressant tonight." Timothy said slowly.
Elias stretched his hand, and the doctor gave him a shot. An injection worked better than a pill.
"You have a wife, why torture yourself like this?" The doctor asked.
Elias looked at the comfortable couch where he would be spending the night. "You will never understand," he whispered.
Back in the bedroom, Sienna tossed beneath the sheets. Her body still hummed from the kiss, her lips tingling, her heart unsettled. She replayed every touch of his lips and hands in her mind. She thought of his work excuse and felt a flare of annoyance. Work could wait. He was the one that decided to get handsy in the dark, made her want him, need him, and then walked away! The rejection was not cruel, but it was deliberate, and that made it sting all the more.
She rose from the bed, pacing the room. The moonlight spilled across the floor, tracing her restless steps. She pressed her hand to her chest, trying to calm the storm inside. Yet the more she thought of him, the more the storm grew. His teasing touches, his smile--it was all too much.
Sienna groaned and sat down, exhaling slowly. "Breathe, think if anything but sex."
She pulled in her stomach, holding her breath for as long as she could. And then she let go, and did it all over again. But it didn’t work. All she could think of was storming into his office, confronting him, demanding an explanation.
But something held her back. Pride, perhaps. Or the fear of appearing too desperate. Still, her mind whispered: Why should I be ashamed of wanting my own husband?
The ache within her burned hotter than she expected, so she laid back on the bed and closed her eyes, moving her hands between her legs. If Elias wasn’t going to take care of her, she would do it herself.
After he calmed down, Elias returned to the bedroom. He pushed the door open just slightly, and froze. A whisper of his name came from Sienna’s lips. Like a careless wind, it caressed his ears, making the tips burn.
He closed the door and hurried down the hall as if he was being pursued. The plan was working, she was restless, unsettled, hungry. But, why was he filled with regret now?