Page 69 of The Baron Takes a Wife

“Celebrate?” He barely got the word out.

“Yes. A new hospital. Irene’s school. Finding your purpose. Let’s celebrate right here, on the desk.”

“You naughty girl, I’ve corrupted you. Or perhaps you’ve corrupted me.” As she pushed down his trousers, and they fell to the floor with a light thud, she ran her hands appreciatively down his back, then slowly over his buttocks, and he felt himself grow hard.

“Elena,” he warned. “I can’t wait.”

“Patience, Husband, patience.” Beginning at the center of his chest, she began to kiss her way down his body. “Some celebrations must be long and drawn out…”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Now that it was sunny, David had taken to showing Elena new parts of the estate every day, which meant lots of walking for him and Goliath, who often joined them. At first, she protested that it was too much for both of them, but David could be stubborn when he wanted to be. And he was more energetic and full of life in the country air, so how could she deny him? He said he was accepting his body as it was now, so she ought to trust him to know himself and his abilities.

One afternoon, she found herself out walking with the both of them. David had promised her some kind of a surprise, but he was being very intentionally mysterious about it.

“What is this plant? I have never seen it before.” She bent to examine a bright yellow flower that opened before her eyes, briefly distracting her from this so-called mystery.

“That’s the evening primrose. They usually only open at twilight, so either it’s a little early today or later than I thought.” David looked up at the sun in the sky and checked the shadows on the ground. Once he looked to be satisfied, he went on, “It’s not native to the area. It was brought here from the Americas several hundred years ago. It took some time, but eventually, it put down roots, and now it thrives across the countryside.” He plucked one flower and placed it behind her ear as she rose.

Elena touched the flower at her ear and looked up at him. “And how did that happen?”

“Good soil, nutrients, sun. A safe and welcoming environment allowed it to put down roots, stay, and thrive.”

“An environment can do that, I suppose,” she conceded, then went on. “But it’s difficult to know if the environment will reject a plant, whether it will be ripped out by the roots again.”

“I’m no horticulturist, but I’ve noticed that strong and resilient plants thrive in most places.”

“You think I’m strong and resilient?”

“Ahh, you noticed my obvious metaphor.” He chuckled.

She swatted him gently on the arm. “I always spot your metaphors, Husband. But you did not answer my question.”

They had been strolling leisurely, but he rounded on her just then, forcing her to stop. “Of course I think you are strong and resilient.” He brushed the flower lightly with his thumb. “Honestly, it was part of what drew me to you. You didn’t give up on yourself despite everything that happened to you. And you didn’t give up on me, even though I had given up on myself.”

Elena’s throat went dry, and she felt unsure what to say next. Fortunately, Goliath chose that moment to speed past them, clearly on the hunt for his quarry. David looked after him, a worried expression on his face. Against her will, Elena’s heart melted. Her shields were growing perilously low these days. With David, she was finally realizing that perhaps she did not need any shields at all.

“He will come back when I call. I know he will,” she reassured him, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from giving away how much his concern for Goliath touched her heart.

“That’s because I trained him so well.” David’s worried expression quickly morphed into something like smug satisfaction.

“You? I was the one that saved him,” Elena squeaked in mock indignation.

“I carried his mangled body back to our townhouse.”

“This is silly. We both saved him. And Irene. And I know he will save us, too, in his own way.”

“Well, he won’t save that rabbit.” He put his hand around her shoulders, and they slowly began walking again.

“He is just giving chase. He won’t kill it. He doesn’t kill for sport.”

“He is a dog, Elena. I don’t think he is that philosophical.”

She hadn’t been paying attention to where they were walking when she saw something in the distance she knew she had seen before, but she could not quite place it.

“What are those structures?”

“Ah, the surprise. Those house the skeps for bees.”