The Duke's Masked Wife

"Wait!" Alessandra stopped him before their lips could meet.

"You don't want to?" Edgar released his hold on her in case she had reached her limit.

"It's not that. My mask will make this uncomfortable."

"How? It does not block your lips," Edgar replied, not seeing how her mask would be a problem. He was talented enough to kiss her without the mask getting in his or her way.

"It's not that either," she looked away from him for a moment to think about how to explain what she felt. "It feels uncomfortable for me because I am wearing this mask," she said. "You have not seen my face and I am worried that when you see what it is covering you will not want to kiss me again or do any of the things you spoke of."

Alessandra didn't like that she would have her first kiss with Edgar while still wearing the mask and he had never once seen her face. She could ignore that and simply enjoy the moment to experience her first kiss with a man like him but she could not stop thinking she should show her face first.

Edgar did not care about what lay beneath the mask but it was not the same for her. She did not love her face enough to show it to anyone but she wanted to show it to Edgar and finally have his reaction. Would it be different compared to anyone else who had seen her face before? Would he still want to kiss her? It was easy for him to say those things in her eyes because he had not seen her face yet.

Alessandra could not push herself to completely believe Edgar's opinion would not change until she showed him and got his reaction.

Alessandra finally thought of something that would work for the both of them, she faced Edgar once again and said, "Please give me until the end of this trip to take off my mask for you, and then we can continue from here. In one of the four days that we are here, I will take it off for you. I guess in a moment like this I should have the courage to take it off now," she mumbled.

"I will wait," Edgar rested his arms along the side of the large tub. He was a bit disappointed they had not kissed after all that he told her but she was pushing herself to reveal what made her so insecure. He could only be supportive and wait at a time like this.

He wasn't in her shoes to understand exactly how hard it was for her to take off her mask and be willing to show her face to someone after the ridicule she endured from her family but he knew she must be dealing with a lot of emotions to bring herself to do this.

He anticipated the day she would show him what happened to her face as it would be a big step for her to heal from her scars along with his support. After that day, the two of them might be closer than they were now.

Though Edgar said he would wait, Alessandra could see he was disappointed. "I'm sorry," she apologized for ruining the moment. "I probably should have just kissed you."

"Don't apologize. I'd rather you enjoy the moment and only think of us kissing rather than having something else on your mind. I suppose it will be more meaningful with your mask off. I'm glad you're willing to take it off for me soon."

"I will make it up to you!" Alessandra declared. "That day, I will be the one to kiss you first."

"Is that so?" Edgar replied, enjoying the image of her being the one to initiate something. There was nothing for her to make up to him but how could he allow a sweet offer to fly by? He reached for his glass of wine to take a sip to help cool down his sexual tension now that he was getting nothing out of the two of them being alone.

"Should I get off your lap now?" Alessandra asked as Edgar was most likely not going to try anything else after they did not kiss.

Edgar almost dropped his glass when picking it up. She had already stopped them from kissing, must she ruin his other fun? "Why would you do that? I am enjoying the feel and view of you on my lap," his eyes darted down to her chest for a split second. "Do not ruin all the fun."

"More like do not ruin that fact you are taking advantage of my undergarment being translucent due to the water," she covered her chest with her hands to hide her breast from his prying eyes. "You are shirtless before me but I am not sneaking glances at your chest."

"I would enjoy it if you did. You can even touch my chest if you wish. It would be a shame not to enjoy a body like this," said Edgar.

'His confidence irritates me,' Alessandra thought. To steal some from him, she roughly rubbed her hand against his skin.

"Are you trying to erase my existence or is hurting me honestly something that gets you going?" Edgar questioned, completely ignoring the pain where she was rubbing him.

"Neither of them. I'm trying to steal some of your confidence. You have too much, don't you think?"

"One can never have too much confidence unless it makes them cocky. If you bruise my skin, you will have to kiss the pain away," Edgar said and almost snickered when her hand immediately stopped.

"I need a drink," Alessandra sat up from his lap to lean forward for her glass and then sat back down. Just as she brought the glass to her lips, there was a familiar feeling of something throbbing and becoming harder between her legs. The source of this feeling came from Edgar.

"There is only the material of our undergarments between the two of us where you are sitting," Edgar quickly held her waist once again before she could try fleeing. "It would be best for you to limit how much you move around. It will die down eventually."

"You," Alessandra sighed. She seriously saw it as much better if she moved and sat beside Edgar. Any more of this and she will embarrass herself in front of him because of what she was feeling. A thought came to mind on how to get out of this. "Edgar, can you hand me a pastry from the basket?" She asked.

Edgar tightened the grip he had on her waist to stop her from making a grand escape. He turned slightly to the side to place his glass back down on the wall and reached to open the basket.

Alessandra took this opportunity to slide backward to be sitting more on his thigh where she did not have to feel anything. This action caused Edgar to sit up more because she had pulled his hand back with her. "I prefer to sit here inside if I am to remain sitting on you."

Alessandra had a triumphant look on her face but Edgar knew she had forgotten about one thing.

"So you've opted to give me a better view of your chest with this position?" He stated the problem she had been meaning to hide.

Alessandra covered her chest once more, now remembering her issue with the water.

"You can get off of me now, Alessandra. I'm starting to enjoy this too much," he released her waist. The feeling of her right above his member was nice but it was a dangerous game when at a time like this, he could not even kiss her.