AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He is a frog, that is rather different. All toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads,” Tabitha corrected.
“Do you prefer toads to frogs?”
“I have given no thought to the matter.” What in the world was he on about? “One is much the same as the other.”
“Not to a lady toad or a lady frog.” Was he smiling again? She attacked a stubborn spot on the tabletop. “So preference regarding amphibians is ambivalent, then,” he said. “Have you any decisive preferences that come to mind?”
“I cannot think what you mean.”
He swiveled to hitch his hip on the table’s edge. The posture did shocking things to the placket of his trousers.
“What do you enjoy or not, as the case may be.”
Did he mean bed things? “I abhor black currant in all its forms.”
The skin around his eyes crinkled, a new devastation to her nerves. “No jam for you, then, nor cordial.”
“As though you had the patience to make any of that.”
He rose and followed her around the table. “I have acres of the stuff.”
“Acres of blackberry bushes?” She knew she was being obtuse…but also teasing him. “I find it hard to believe it would not be beneath a duke’s dignity to cultivate such, nor have you had time to do so.” Somehow he had passed her and was now blocking her progress around the table.
The scritchy-scratchy amusement sound evolved into a pleasing thunder that emitted from deep in his belly, a rich, rolling thing. He leaned in, lips close to her ear. “My very literal lady. I cultivate what I please, as I am a duke.”
“I thought you said you were not much of a duke.”
“I have decided to apply myself and improve upon my deficits in that arena and expand upon my skills. Take Lowell, for example. He excels in clothing himself as though his ensemble must be recreated for the broadsheets, and yet it is known he made a shambles of his courtship of Her Grace. I do not suffer such a lack.”
“Is that a corollary? The less well-set, the better with the ladies?”
He extended one long leg, a leg that, when the loose trousers pulled tight, appeared strong and muscular and intriguing. His thighs, imperfectly revealed in the dull stuff of the fabric, hinted at being very impressive. She ran her tongue over her lips, and he followed the action with those hazel eyes. Lord, she felt like a milkmaid as she casually inserted herself in the space between his knees. He looked at her appraisingly through those maddening lashes.
“I don’t care whatladiesthink,” the duke said, hands braced on the table behind, making no move to, to grab her. “I care what one lady thinks, a lady apothecary who has not given any thought to what she prefers.”
“It truly has not come up. Not in any abiding sense.”
“Good.” How pleased he sounded.
Lest he think otherwise: “I am not without experience as regards sexual congress.”
“Good.” He sounded no less pleased about that.
“I have not agreed to anything.”
“I am aware.” The timbre of his tone made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. “I believe you ought to be courting me as much as I would you. Should you agree to do so, of course.”
“Like our bargaining.” Tabitha reached out and laid a finger on the middle button of his coat. “We both took part, both had equal returns on our, uh, desired outcomes. It was not merely the case of one party, generally the woman, holding back the ultimate prize for a series of smaller gains along the way.”
He smiled, fully, freely; if he asked, she would give him everything. “You inspire me to give you as many great gains as you wish.”
“I wish to kiss you again.” Desire had simmered beneath everything she’d done that day.
“That is my wish as well.”
“Then we are both the victor.”
He laid his hands on her hips, leaned back, and pulled them onto the kitchen table. Whatever had been left on top smashed to the floor, plates and cups, and oh, she was done for if the caster was damaged; Timothy adored the blasted thing and had hauled it around with them since France.
