Page 99

“So what shall we do instead of that?” Henrietta asked. She had clearly jumped to the conclusion that he was too much of a gentleman to require marital intercourse. Her face was glowing with happiness.

Darby sternly warned himself not to laugh. “If you could help me remove my clothing,” he said gravely, “I could prepare for bed. I won’t ask you for this assistance every night, naturally. It is only because I dismissed my valet.”

But Henrietta was obviously so pleased to be relieved of her marital duties that she would have emptied the chamber pot, if he asked. “I’m afraid that the current fashion demands that I wear very tight-fitting coats,” he said. She was at his side immediately, biting her beautiful little rosy lip with concentration. “My valet simply wrenches it off,” he explained. He started slowly—so slowly—to peel off one arm. Her eager little hands were instantly on his sleeves, helping him slide the broadcloth down his arms. He pretended to be outrageously inept, brushing against her breasts as he struggled to free himself from the jacket. Fool for Love

279

“Ow!” he cried, once she was folding his jacket.

“What happened?”

“I must have been injured by a button,” he moaned. “We’ll have to remove my shirt in order to have a look. If you could . . .” He let his fingers slip apathetically from his buttons. She had to stand very close to undo his shirt placket. He could smell just a faint trace of spicy rose perfume. It nearly did him in, but he managed to rein in his lust and stand quietly as she discovered that he didn’t pad his coats because he didn’t have to. She seemed to be unbuttoning slowly, her fingers brushing his chest, so he stared at the other wall as if he had gone into a trance.

As soon as she finished unbuttoning, he pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it to the side.

“Where does it hurt?” she asked, staring at his chest.

“I’m not sure. Perhaps if you touch me all over, I could tell you when it hurts.”

She looked at him. “Why on earth would I be able to locate an injury on your chest that you could not? It must not be very painful.”

He sighed, giving up the idea of her fingers brushing over his chest. Instead he directed her toward his trousers. Her eyes widened, but she obediently started tugging at his waist. Her slender fingers brushed his stomach, and he shivered. Pink mounted in her cheeks, but she seemed determined to continue. Likely she thought that if she didn’t undress him, he might change his mind and demand marital satisfaction. Darby almost groaned as she struggled to free his trousers from an unexpected obstruction between his legs. He stared down at her bent head, wondering if she had any idea what that lump in his smalls represented. Since her blush had turned fiery red, he could only assume that she did. She managed to wrestle his trousers to the floor though, and rose, with an air of having done all that she could to satisfy her husband.

280 Eloisa

James

He watched her place his trousers over a chair. He could just see the long, slender line of her thigh through her thin nightgown.

“Henrietta,” he said gently, “I sleep without clothing.”

She narrowed her eyes. “That is a vastly improper habit.”

Darby had to admit that if he had a grain of conscience in his body he might almost—almost—feel sorry for her. He shrugged.

She chewed her lip a bit more, and then yanked his smalls down so fast that he winced and lurched forward. “Damnation!” he said, grabbing the family jewels. “Watch yourself there.”

His sweet little wife was clearly working herself into a temper, fired (Darby hoped) by lust. “Those who are incapable of undressing themselves must expect inconveniences,” she snapped. He laughed at that, couldn’t help himself. Then he unwrapped his fist, slowly, so she wouldn’t miss anything. Her eyes widened.

“How was I to know that you—that part of you would be sticking out in such a fashion?” she asked.

“It’s the same as this part of you,” he said. His hand seemed to curve naturally around her breast, his thumb leaping to rub her nipple again. And it was already swollen, waiting for him. For a moment there wasn’t a sound in the room except for the gentle swish of his thumb across her nipple.

“You’re seducing me, aren’t you?” Henrietta sounded surprised. But any idiot could see that she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Part of him, that is. The good part.

“Absolutely,” he agreed, giving her breast a bit of a squeeze. It was so luscious that if he didn’t have it in his mouth soon, there was no saying what would happen. She shivered all over, and he gathered her into his arms. Fool for Love

281

She fit as if they were made for each other, all the delicate, smooth parts of her, and the hard maleness of him. He bent his head and licked her ear, its delicate little whorls and beautiful curves, and she trembled.

“You are going to do that, aren’t you?” she said, surprising him as always with her directness.

“What if you like it?” His breath was hot against her ear. He let his lips slide down her slender neck. His fingers danced over her breasts, visiting and revisiting the heavy curve next to her arms.

“Impossible,” she said in a strained sort of way.

“I promise not to do anything that you don’t explicitly request,” he promised.