My Once Handsome Husband - Chapter 268

Delaney stood in what had once been the bedroom she shared with her husband.  He stood in front of her still as handsome as the day she had been forced to leave him.  They were both soaked from their time out in the rain and she smiled as she looked at his black hair swept across his forehead.

Stepping closer to him, his eyes were intent on her.  She felt the warmth coming off of him when she was standing close enough.  When she reached up to brush his hair from his face his breath caught for a moment.

“Delaney…”

Her sea glass eyes met his and he trailed off, not finishing whatever he had intended to say.  She studied him again now that they were inside where it was warm and there was enough light.  She noticed his cheekbones seemed more defined and his eyes were more… tired.  She wondered if the second part was only because she’d woken him in the middle of the night.

“You’re thinner,” she commented, taking his cheek in her hand.  He closed his eyes and turned into her touch, reveling in the feel of her skin against his again.

“And you look tired,” she continued, “Are you getting enough sleep?”

A smile tugged at his lips and he opened his eyes to look at her again.

“You’re wet,” he said instead of answering her, “You should change before you catch a cold.”

Delaney frowned, “Should I speak to the kitchen instead?”

He chuckled and moved then to take her hands in his.  When he did however he caught her injured wrist and she gasped and pulled back.

“What is it?” he asked in concern, stepping away, “I’m sorry did I… did I hurt you?”

“No,” she bit her lip and cradled her wrist against her chest, “I fell earlier and landed wrong and now my wrist hurts when I move it.”

Vincent frowned and stepped forward again, reaching out and very gently taking her hand in his so he could examine her injury.

“It’s swollen… We should have Harris look at it but I think it’s just a sprain.”

He let go and moved to ring for his servant.

“Wait do we really need to call for him now?  He might be asleep.”

Vincent looked over his shoulder at her with an amused smirk.  “We should… It won’t take long.”

Delaney smiled bashfully and he chuckled, turning back and ringing for the man.  Once he’d done that he got his robe from its hook and brought it over to her where he draped it over her shoulders and pulled it around her.

“Come sit by the fire,” he said, taking her hand and leading her there.  She sat lightly on the couch, feeling the fire’s warmth, and watched her husband as he moved back to his dresser.

His back was to her but she watched in awe as he pulled the wet shirt up over his head before letting it drop to the floor.  She bit her lip and felt her heart race as she watched the muscles move in his strong back and shoulders.  He lifted a fresh shirt and let it fall into place over him like the curtain going down at the end of a performance.  She felt a bit sad to see it go.

When he turned he caught her staring and she blushed, dropping her gaze.  An amused smirk curled his lips but fell away when a knock came on the door.  He called out for Harris to come in.  The valet looked at Vincent with concern first and a frown of annoyance flashed over the duke’s face.

“Delaney’s hurt her wrist,” he said pointing towards the woman, “Please look at it and see what you can do.”

Delaney looked between them in confusion.  They both seemed very tense and she wondered if they had gotten into some kind of fight since she left.  Harris wasn’t his usual cheerful self as he walked to her and kneeled down in front of her.

“May I?” he asked quietly before gently taking her wrist in his hands and examining it.  She winced when he pressed it here and there and Vincent’s frown deepened upon seeing her in pain.

“Is that necessary?”

Harris looked up at him with a frown of his own, “When someone has something wrong with them Vince I want to do everything I can to try to help them… even if they don’t like it.”

Delaney looked up at her husband and saw his green eyes flash with anger as he looked down on the other man.

“It’s alright,” she said quickly, not sure what was going on but wanting it to stop, “I’m fine Harris.  Is… Is my wrist going to be alright?”

The man looked at his master for a moment longer before turning back to Delaney and letting his face relax.

“It’s just a sprain,” he said with a little smile for her, “I can wrap it for you tonight and if the swelling is still bad in the morning you can soak it in cold water.”

“Alright,” Delaney sighed, “If you will just wrap it we can deal with the rest tomorrow.”

Vincent and Harris didn’t speak and hardly even looked at each other while Harris took care of her wrist.  He was very gentle as he wrapped it and once he was done she thanked him.  It was only when he was about to leave that he stopped and turned to Vincent again.

“Here,” he said, pulling a bottle from his pocket, “It’s Opal’s medicine.  I got more of it.  If… If Delaney has much pain there’s plenty in here to help take care of it.”

Vincent reached out to take it but Harris didn’t immediately release it.  The men glared at each other, each with a grip on the bottle before Vincent finally gave a quick pull and the other man let go.

“Thank you.  You may go.”

Harris nodded and walked to the door but paused before leaving.

“Good night Lady Adair,” he said with a small smile, addressing her in a formal way, “It’s been very good seeing you again.  Good for Vince too.”

“Th-Thank you, Harris.  Good night,” Delaney smiled but felt uncomfortable.  Like there was a secret message being passed to her she wasn’t understanding.

Vincent was very tense as he glared after the other man until he left and the door closed behind him.  When he turned he found Delaney studying him with concern.

“What’s going on between you and Harris?” she asked, “You’re angry with each other.”

Vincent dropped his gaze and walked over to take a seat beside her on the couch.  He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and letting his hands dangle between them.

“It’s nothing,” he sighed, “He just… He just worries about me.”

His words caused Delaney to stiffen, “Is something wrong?  Should I be worried about you?”

Vincent didn’t answer right away which made her concern grow.  He stared at his hands and swallowed hard.

“No,” he answered, at last, looking up at her with a reassuring smile, “No you shouldn’t worry about me.  You’re probably right and I could stand to eat more though.  Tomorrow I can have the kitchen bring us anything you want for breakfast and you can make sure I eat enough.”

Delaney smiled as she gazed at his handsome face.  Something still seemed not quite right but looking at him now she was just so happy to be there with him she pushed anything unhappy from her mind.

“Alright,” she agreed, reaching up to brush her fingertips over his cheek, “And you have to get plenty of sleep too.”

He chuckled and caught her hand.  He brought it to his lips and didn’t kiss it right away but held it there and closed his eyes.

“I’ve missed you so much,” he murmured against her skin.

Delaney felt her heart leap at his words and happy tears sting her eyes.

“I’m so… so happy to hear you say that,” she whispered, “I was so afraid you would be angry when you saw me.”

“Seeing you makes my heart pound in my chest and everything wrong in my life disappear,” he said softly, “I will never be angry about that.”

Delaney bit her lip and felt the warm tears slip down her cheeks.

“Kiss me,” she whispered then, “Please.”

Vincent looked up at her at last and with his jewel-green eyes on hers, pressed a gentle kiss to her hand.  Then he moved it and pressed another to the inside of her unbandaged wrist.  Then another mid-way up her arm and another above the inside of her elbow.

He moved very slowly leaving a trail of hot, tender kisses against her cool skin.  When he got to her shoulder he pulled down the straps there and kissed where they had been.  His lips touched her throat and she inhaled sharply.  She closed her eyes and felt his breath warm against her cheek before he kissed by her ear.

And then at last his lips found hers.  His kiss was slow and sweet and she felt herself getting lost in it.  “Come with me,” he murmured against her lips and she did as he said.

Vincent led her away from the couch.  His gaze was full of longing as he met hers before he looked down so he could unlace her top.  She stood still, her breath coming quick as he undressed her until she stood naked before him.  He took a deep breath in as he looked at her beauty.

Without saying anything, he stepped forward and swept her up into his arms.  She wrapped her own arms around his neck and kissed his scarred cheek as he carried her to their bed.  He laid her gently down before moving to pull off his shirt and then his breeches.

Delaney saw her husband naked before her for only a moment before he joined her in their bed and pulled her in against his chest.

And then they were together again as if they had never been apart.