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Theodosia’s spectacles had stayed on during their entire delicious, inappropriate, middle-of-the-day...romp.
Ambrose eventually divested her of her clothing, afterward. Theo gave protest, stating they would only have to dress her again to go downstairs. Women’s clothing was an exhausting process, she stated, thus the need for maids.
“I don’t mind. Besides, there’s a door on the other side of the hall which leads to the servant’s stairs. No one will notice us. And the door has been open the entire time. I hope Rolfe didn’t hear you screaming and venture up to check on you.”
Theo giggled. Haven really was terrible. “Rolfe would never do so. He’s very Pith-like. Pith never bats an eyelash at any of the Barrington antics. Takes everything in stride. I’m sure he’s practicing fencing with Phaedra right at this moment.” She turned to take him in. “Which you will be blamed for.”
“Your sister is mildly frightening.” Haven was gliding his fingers over the skin of one breast, watching with fascination as the nipple tightened and peaked beneath his ministrations. He pressed a kiss to the tip.
Pleasure twisted inside her once more. If she didn’t think they’d eventually be missed, she would cheerfully stay here with Haven forever. But eventually he’d need food. A great deal of it.
His mouth danced against her neck. “I meant to seduce you after dinner.”
“Did you?” Only Haven would think of food before seduction. “Were you going to ply me with wine?” Her finger trailed along his jaw, rubbing over his bottom lip.
“Gingerbread.”
“I know. Rolfe told me.”
Haven managed to appear offended and predatory all at the same time. Probably because his fingers were moving through the soft down of her mound, teasing her. “It was meant to be a surprise. I was going to share it with you. Maybe in a bath. After dinner.”
A slight tremor ran through her at the light, seductive touch. “I might have known—” Her tone raised an octave as his fingers found the still-sensitive bit of flesh. His thumb rotated and pressed softly. “—your stomach would come before me,” she breathed, opening her legs more fully.
Theo had never felt so wanton. It was incredibly freeing.
“Nothing comes before you, Theodosia.” He pressed a kiss to the end of her nose. “Nothing.” His fingers stroked until she whimpered against him.
“I think it wrong,” a soft gasp left her, “for you to use sexual conquest in order to get me to agree with you.”
“My methods,” he kissed her lazily as her hips lifted, “are sound. I’m merely making a point.”
Theo couldn’t answer. All she could do was feel.
* * *
“I’m goingto paint a very large picture in the drawing room,” she told him much later as the sun was beginning to sink below the horizon. The entire household would suspect what they’d been doing all afternoon. She smelled of Haven. Every inch of her.
Haven helped her with her dress. He was very good at women’s clothing.
“It will cover the whole of one wall,” she continued. “A very large, complicated project.” Theo wasn’t going to ask permission. In cases like this, and with Haven in particular, it was better to just blurt out what she meant to do. They would argue about it later. And the idea had only just come to her.
“You’re going to paint a picture on the wall? Like one of Granby’s frescoes?”
“Yes. A large painting. On the wall.”
“Why would you want to do such a thing?”
Theo stared at him over the top of her spectacles. “Did you not say I was in charge of decorating as I see fit? Making decisions and such?”
“I was talking about fabrics. Furniture.” He pointed to the sofa, which looked worse for the wear. “Wall hangings. Besides, I thought you only liked to paint things no bigger than a book. Miniatures and such.”
“I’ve decided I can handle something larger.”
“You certainly can.” He kissed her roughly.
“You’re insufferable.” There was no bite to her words. Indeed, she was struggling not to laugh out loud. “What I intend to paint will be magnificent.”
