Free Web NovelChapter 199: Chapter Hundred And Ninety Eight
A gentle, warm feeling spread through his broad chest. He liked hearing her hum. It meant she was happy. It meant she was relaxed.
He walked slowly over to the other side of the room, near his own dressing table. He wanted to freshen up before she came out.
Damon raised his hands. He slowly pulled off his riding gloves, crease by crease, and dropped them onto the wooden table. Then, he unbuttoned his military coat, pulled it off his broad shoulders, and hung it carefully over the wooden stand.
Next, he reached for the collar of his white linen shirt. He unbuttoned the shirt quickly, pulled it off his arms, and dropped it onto the chair, leaving his broad, heavily muscled, and scarred chest completely bare. The cool evening air felt good against his hot skin. He picked up a soft white towel, ready to wash his face.
Suddenly, the door of the bathing room clicked open.
A thick, warm cloud of white steam rolled out into the bedroom, carrying the sweet, clean scent of lavender soap.
Camilla stepped out of the steam.
She had a large, clean white towel wrapped tightly around her chest. The towel was tucked securely over her breasts, ending mid-thigh, leaving her shoulders, her collarbones, and her legs bare. Her thick, red curly hair was slightly damp, with a few wet strands clinging beautifully to her neck. Her skin was flushed a soft, pretty pink from the hot water.
Camilla took two steps into the bedroom, wiping her face with her hand.
She slowly raised her eyes. She saw Damon standing near the table. She saw his broad shoulders. She saw his bare, muscular chest.
Camilla completely froze. Her hazel eyes widened to their maximum limit in sudden shock.
She jumped backward violently, her bare feet slipping slightly on the smooth floor. She grabbed the edges of the white towel with both of her hands, holding the fabric tightly against her chest to ensure it did not slip.
"What the fuck?" Camilla burst out loudly, her voice high and sharp with panic. "Why do you always scare the shit out of me?"
She was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly under the tight towel.
Damon stood perfectly still by the table. He blinked his eyes slowly. He looked at her flushed face, and then he looked down at the floor, trying to be a polite gentleman.
Damon spoke. His deep voice was slow, calm, and slightly confused.
"Sometimes," Damon said, his jaw tightening just a tiny bit, "I truly do not understand the words you say."
He had never heard a noble lady use such rough, strange language. It confused his strict mind, but he was also secretly pleased that she felt comfortable enough to speak her mind around him, even if she was saying something strange.
Camilla let out a long defeated sigh. She dropped her shoulders, relaxing her tight grip on the towel just a little bit. She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. freёweɓnovel.com
"Forget about it," Camilla murmured softly, waving her hand in the air to dismiss the topic.
She turned her body away from him and walked slowly into the bedroom, heading toward the large wardrobe. Her soft, bare feet made almost no sound on the floorboards.
Damon stood by his table, his bare chest exposed to the cool room. He watched her walk away.
Damon thought to himself, his mind analyzing her tense posture.
"I didn’t understand the words she spoke," Damon thought. His dark eyes searched her face. "But her emotions are speaking to me very clearly. She looks angry. Her eyebrows are pulled together. Her shoulders are so stiff."
A sudden, sharp sting of worry hit his chest.
"Is she truly angry at me?" Damon’s thoughts continued, feeling a wave of guilt. "Did I do something wrong by coming home early? Or did I upset her by picking up her clothes? She is so difficult to understand. I think... I think I should apologize to keep the peace."
Damon cleared his throat softly to get her attention. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Ahem.
He took a slow step forward, keeping a respectful distance from her.
"I apologize," Damon said. His deep voice was very soft and carried a genuine, quiet sincerity. "For whatever I did wrong."
Camilla reached the large wardrobe. She pulled the doors open. She did not turn her head to look at him. She kept her back turned toward his bare chest. She began to search through her rows of heavy silk day gowns, looking for a soft nightgown to wear for the evening.
"It’s alright," Camilla said. Her voice was calm and soft. "I am about to dress. If you want... you can leave."
She reached her hand out, pushing her green and blue traveling dresses aside. She spotted a beautiful, light pink silk nightgown resting on the very top wooden shelf of the wardrobe. It was just slightly out of her reach.
Damon heard her words. He knew he should be a gentleman. He knew he should turn around, open the door, and step out into the hallway to give his wife privacy to dress herself. It was the proper, polite thing he has always done.
He wanted to leave. He tried to force his legs to move.
But his feet were rooted to the floorboards. He could not take a single step backward.
Damon stood still in the center of the warm bedroom. His dark brown eyes were fixed entirely on her bare, smooth back. He watched the elegant curve of her spine. He watched the soft skin of her waist. He felt his heart beating so loudly in his chest that he thought she could hear it in the quiet room. He was completely, utterly mesmerized by her beauty.
Camilla did not pay any attention to his silence. She wanted that pink silk nightgown.
She saw the nightwear she wanted. She raised both of her hands toward the top shelf.
As she reached up, the sudden movement loosened her hold on the towel.
Camilla dropped the white towel to the floor.
The white fabric slid smoothly down her body, falling into a soft heap around her bare ankles.
Damon’s breath left his lungs. His eyes widened, staring at her bare skin in the pale yellow lamplight.
Camilla did not look back. She stood on her tiptoes.
She stretched her small body to her absolute limit, reaching her delicate fingers upward to grab the edge of the pink silk gown on the high shelf. Her body looked graceful, and beautiful in the warm light.
Her fingers finally caught the soft silk. She pulled the pink nightgown down from the top shelf.
Holding the gown in her hands, Camilla slowly turned her body around.
She stood there, completely naked in the center of the room, facing him directly. She did not look embarrassed. She did not try to hide her body with her hands. She held the pink gown loosely in front of her, her eyes looking straight into his wide, shocked eyes.
A very small, teasing smile touched the corners of her lips. She raised a single, delicate eyebrow at him.
"You are still here?" Camilla asked smoothly. Her voice was soft and carried a distinct, teasing edge. "That’s a first."
