Page 90 of The Dangerous Lord

“Lissy? Is that you?” Georgie cried through the door. “Hurry up! It’s Christmas!”

A curse erupted from Ian’s lips. He glanced from her to the door handle and back to her as she headed for her dresser at the other end of the room. She could guess his thoughts. Open the door and order the boys to leave? No, they might dash in, putting an end to anything. Leave the door and search for the key? Then she would run out.

She chuckled to herself. This ought to repay him amply for his little maneuvers in the carriage yesterday and his taunts and caresses last night. She drew out a fresh chemise, drawers, and stockings, then chose a front-closing gown she could put on easily, since she doubted Ian would let the maid enter and she certainly didn’t want his help. She started for the privacy screen, but froze as a wicked thought started into her head.

She had an even better way of repaying him for his taunts.

Feeling daring, she faced him and removed her dressing gown as casually as if he weren’t watching her with hooded eyes from his position at the door. She hesitated a moment, unsure of the wisdom of her plan. But he had one shoulder braced against the door and couldn’t move. She would be safe.

Besides, it was time to remind him what he’d be missing as long as he considered her a brood mare and not a wife. Slowly, she untied her chemise and shrugged off one sleeve, then the other.

His eyes widened. “What the bloody hell are you doing?”

“I’m changing clothes, of course. I have to dress.” With a teasing smile, she dropped the chemise to the floor, baring her breasts.

His gaze raked her hungrily. “Come here, and I’ll help you,” he said in that thrumming voice that scrambled her insides.

Oh, she was tempted. Sorely tempted. But she wouldn’t cave in, especially after he’d been so sure of himself yesterday. “I don’t need any help. Besides, you have to keep the door closed. You never know when the boys might try to come in.”

She reached for the ties of her drawers, and he growled, “Don’t you dare!”

Enjoying the feeling of power over him, she untied them very slowly, remembering his bold caresses yesterday and the taunt that had followed them.

His eyes blazed at her. “This is not amusing, Felicity.”

“No? Are you worried that you might not have your heir ‘by Martinmas’ after all?” she said saucily. Then she shimmied out of her drawers.

With an oath, he shoved away from the door.

“Boys?” she called out loudly.

They tried the handle outside and Ian slammed back against the door. “Go away!” he hissed at the door, but his eyes ate her up.

And she reveled in the wicked thrill that shot through her as his gaze raked every inch of her naked body. This was reckless, audacious in the extreme. She ought to be ashamed of herself. But she wasn’t. It served him right to suffer a little of the torture he’d put her through yesterday.

“At least have the decency to use the screen,” he bit out.

“All you have to do is close your eyes.”

“I can’t,” he said hoarsely.

In truth, he seemed frozen, the very picture of a frustrated male as he leaned against the door and drank up her every move, the rest of his body as rigid as the thing inside his small clothes. Raising an eyebrow, she held up one stocking, then lifted her foot and propped it on the bed so she could put the stocking on. From his vantage point, he had to have an excellent view of a certain area of her anatomy.

A strangled noise, a cross between a groan and a curse erupted from him. She tied the stocking with a garter, then put down her foot and reached for the other stocking.

“Enough!” he roared. When she lifted an eyebrow at him, he straightened. “Two can play this game, you know. Continue displaying your assets, querida, and I will describe exactly what I wish to do with you. Loudly. We might as well give your brothers an education as long as they’re listening in on the other side of the door.”

She hesitated. Indeed, it had become very quiet out in the hall, and she knew her brothers too well to think they’d left. “You wouldn’t.”

His eyes narrowed. “That little patch of skin above your garter? I want to take my tongue and run it up⁠—”

“All right, all right!” Scooping up her clothes, she darted behind the privacy screen.

His sigh of relief echoed in the room. She dressed quickly, and when she came out from behind the screen, it was to find him donning his shirt and pantaloon trousers with a scowl. He’d propped a chair under the door knob, but had clearly relinquished any further plans to bed her this morning, especially since the boys were making such a clatter outside the door that it was clear neither of them would get any peace until it was opened.

As she hurried past him, however, he caught her by the arm and pulled her close enough to whisper, “Tonight, my teasing wife, there won’t be any boys pounding on our door.”

A shiver skittered along her spine. Perhaps her method of revenge hadn’t been such a good idea after all. “Tonight, I’ll have my own bedchamber.”