For three days, the four of them explored Bath, walking the neighborhoods around the two apothecaries Althea chose as her first and second choice to partner with. At breakfast, Evan helped her run numbers for various partnership scenarios, with different stores, levels of inventory, and product lines. Althoughhelpedmight be exaggerating. He felt more like an audience than an adviser, as she seemed to have the matter well in hand. At dinner each evening, they hashed out pros and cons of partnerships. They tried to guess what any concerns or requests would be and formulated responses.
At night, he gave Althea a tally of his recommendations and informed her of his expected compensation. Sometimes, he demanded full access to her body, others he preferred that she return his attentions as he reclined and enjoyed.
For all his worldly past, he was continually shocked at how new everything felt. Each time was more explosive, more elevated than the last. Afterward they lay facing each other and talked until sleep pulled them under. They’d taken turns peeling the layers of their lives away.
The third night, he dared confide in her about his mother.
“We spoke briefly about my mother’s memory. Her condition is hereditary. Her father suffered from it also. And she likely passed it on to me. I have roughly another decade or two safely.”
“I cannot imagine the difficulty of living with that knowledge.” Reaching for his hand, she squeezed it, the simple connection feeling more intimate than the acts they’d engaged in for the last hour.
“Given my struggles with Mama, I cannot find it in myself to put a wife or children through that.”
“I understand.” She nodded against the pillow, her hair a blot of black ink against the pillow in the dark room. “But what of the earldom, given what you told me of your cousin?”
“I do not know yet. I have my solicitors looking into it, and as I said, I have a decade to solve that issue.”
They were silent for a few minutes.
“On a lighter note, will you tell me about your membership to Sarah Potter’s club?”
He chuckled, relieved at the change of subject.
“I like trying new things. New foods, new places, new positions. When we found that after our wild university days, it was a great way to learn new ideas from professionals. And it has certainly helped enhance my party games.”
“But you’ve never seemed interested in spanking me…” She trailed off uncertainly.
“Is that something you’d like to try?” Evan asked, running a hand down her cheek.
“I am not sure. I guess I’ll try anything once, but it does not hold a particular appeal. I assumed it did for you, given your membership.”
“My membership there is more about networking and finding new people, new interests, even new business ventures. You’d be surprised how much work gets done there. Sometimes more than White’s.”
“So no spanking will be required. I must say I am relieved.”
“Mayhap ’tis something we should try. If you find you enjoy it, I’d be happy to oblige. Everyone has their favorite parts of sex. Mine is discovering my partner’s preferences and then finding new ways to deliver those.”
“You don’t have particular tastes of your own?”
“You misunderstand. I get more pleasure out of delivering a new experience, but one still tailored to the tastes of the woman—or man—I’m with.”
Her eyebrows ticked up. “You’ve been with men?” At his nod, she continued, “But as you are here with me, does that mean you prefer women?”
“Honestly, I’ve never cared. It was more about the individual and the fun to be had. But”—he shrugged the shoulder he wasn’t lying on—“now, I find I simply preferyou.” He leaned in and sipped on her lips until she pulled free.
“What do you think my favorite parts of sex are?”
“Are you ready to admit you like to watch?”
She ducked her head, and he knew she was blushing despite not being able to see her skin pinken in the dark. “’Tis shameful.”
“Not if those you are watching prefer to be watched. Hence that last ball.”
“Oh.” Her breath gusted in a sigh over his throat. “Now I see what you mean about your taste. That experience was titillating on its own, but you built on it and made it even more exciting. For me, at least.”
He heard a quiet giggle, and the bed shook. “You find it funny that I gave you three orgasms before I got any, do you?”
She laughed harder.
