“Chocolate makes everyone feel better.”
He glanced into the saucepan; more than enough remained to bring Lily a mug. “You’re a smart lad.”
“I know,” Reggie said with a shrug, then took his and his brother’s mugs to the washbasin and fixed Philip with a perplexed stare. “Well? What are you waiting for?”
“Right.” He poured the remaining liquid into a fresh mug, the contents warming his palms. “Thanks for the advice.”
He took the stairs two at a time—a risky choice, considering the hot mug—but he needed to be with her, to give her this small offering. He rapped twice on the door with his knuckles.
“Come in!” Lily called, breathless. He slipped inside, closing the door behind him.
What he saw made him nearly drop the mug to the floor.
With the curtains drawn over the windows, the room was dusky, like the dawn was only now pressing into the bedchamber. Flames licked greedily at a fresh log on the fire, but the chamber still held a chill. Her back was to him, her plait messy and damp against her skin. Her jacket lay discarded on the chair beside her bed, but she was tugging at the buttons and ribbons holding her soaked skirt in place.
Her shoulders dropped with relief. “Thank goodness you’re here. I managed my petticoats, but I—I can’t get my skirt unfastened.” Finally, she peered over her shoulder and held his gaze. “The knot is so wet I can’t untie it, and my fingers are still cold. Would you help me?”
She hadn’t called for a maid or a sister to help her, but waited for him.Interesting. “Of course.”
When he reached her, he wrapped an arm around her front to hand her the mug. She stiffened as she took it. “For me?”
“Should help warm your hands.” He examined the ties holding her skirt in place and set to work untangling them. Her short stays, still tightly laced, wrapping her rib cage, and his eyes kept darting to the paper-thin chemise that brushed under the wings of her shoulder blades, the bare skin on the muscles of her upper arms. This was the body of a woman who had worked his estate, had kept it flourishing while he fell apart. Had remained strong while he’d been so weak.
How could he possibly prove himself worthy before Christmas?
She lifted the mug to her mouth, then released a moan that made his already half-hard cock stiffen. “Good Lord.” She pressed her fingers to her lips. “This is delicious. I’ll have to ask Cook what she did differently.”
He released one knot, and her skirt dropped further on her hips. “I made it with the boys.”
When she looked over her shoulder, a divot appeared between her brows. “You did?” A smile danced across her wet lips, gone too quickly for him to admire it. “It’s delicious. Thank you.”
His chest tightened, but he kept his hands steady. “Are you warmer?”
“Yes.” Her throat worked with her swallow, and he fought the need to wrap her plait around his palm, move it aside and press his lips to the nape of her neck, to chase the soft skin around to her jaw, her collarbones, her—
Blast. He’d untied the knot. “It’s, uh, it’s untied now.”
Her ribs swelled with her shaky inhalation. “You can let go.”
The fabric fell to the floor in a rush, creating a halo of coarse wool at her feet. She made no move to step away from him, but wavered slightly. His hands wrapped around her waist before he could remind himself that he shouldn’t touch her yet, not without her permission.
A soft sound came from her throat, something between a gasp and a moan that left him painfully hard. He thought he’d been imagining the heat in her eyes when he’d removed her boots, heldher foot in his hand. Could she want him as much as he wanted her?
Take care of her.
A low chuckle escaped him. “You’ve only taken off one stocking.”
“My fingers were too cold to unfasten it.” Her voice was rougher than it had been moments ago, languid. “I gave up.”
“Would you let me…”
He didn’t finish the sentence. There were too many things he wanted from her that went far beyond managing her garters, but if she could allow him this one moment, this simple caretaking, perhaps the rest would be possible.
His breath escaped in a rush when she nodded, a flush climbing from the edges of her chemise to her throat.
He endeavored to keep his steps measured as he paced around her, putting his back to the fire. Her lips parted, and her pupils had blown wide, leaving a thin ring of flickering green and gold.
He dropped to his knees.
