Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

Darkness was quickly approaching before Silas and Charlotte were able to slip up to their room. Charlotte's stomach was a mess of nerves as she laid a sleeping Grace into the chest drawer they'd lined with blankets.

Charlotte felt her heart swell and her body heat as Silas's strong dark arms wrapped around her waist from behind and his chin rested on her shoulder. His warm breath breezed against her neck, tickling her ear.

"She looks so peaceful. So unaware that there is any evil in the world and perfectly content in the knowledge that her mama and her pa will be here when she opens her eyes."

"And we will be." Charlotte vowed, trembling when Silas's full lips brushed tenderly against her ear and she felt him smile as his arms tightened around her.

"I love you, Miss Charlotte."

She thought about telling him that he didn't have to call her 'Miss Charlotte' any longer but she liked the way it sounded when he said it. Some men called their wives honey or love but 'Miss Charlotte' was Silas's love name for her and it made her heart swell each time she heard it.

"And I love you." Silas pulled her back several steps and stood with her in front of the window, her back pulled firmly against his chest and his chin still resting on her shoulder.

"The sunset is beautiful." Charlotte whispered, as she gazed out at the pink sky. Silas nodded and then Charlotte felt as if she'd been struck by lightning when Silas's full, warm lips were pressing against her throat, sliding across her skin before moving to her ear. She clung to his arms and leaned into his embrace when his mouth moved to her ear and she felt his teeth gently grazing against her skin, as his tongue tasted her.

"Silas...." Charlotte gasped and his warm, comforting voice vibrated against her skin.

"I want to feel your skin against mine, Miss Charlotte."

Charlotte wanted that too, she wanted it so badly, but what if she was still sore from the birth of her daughter? She knew that love making could cause her pain and yet she did not want to turn him down. What if turning him down angered him....?

"Silas..." she began uncertainly and he loosened his hold, turning her in his arms and smoothing the loose tendrils of hair from her face.

"I know, Miss Charlotte. My pa was a doctor, remember?"

Charlotte flushed red with embarrassment and looked at his chest, picking at the buttons of his shirt. "I don't want to disappoint you..."

"Impossible. You could never disappoint me."

"But you said you wanted..."

"To feel your skin on mine." Silas finished, putting his finger beneath her chin and tilting her head up so that her eyes were once again looking into his. The love shining out of those deep, soft brown eyes stole her breath and made it impossible for her to speak. "All I want is to lay in that bed with your skin on mine and hold you in my arms."

"Are you sure, Silas?" Charlotte questioned. Turning Jackson down for love making would have had the man turning violent and taking what he wanted... but Silas was nothing like Jackson and Charlotte knew that.

"I'm sure, Miss Charlotte. When you're ready to take it further, you let me know. Until then just let me hold you. That's all I need."

Charlotte smiled up at him and then her shaking fingers began to undo the buttons of his shirt. Silas pulled it out of his pants and Charlotte finished undoing the buttons before sliding the shirt off his broad shoulders.