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He had just reached the conclusion that he must try or he would get nothing done—and really, in this state, tupping his wife was a matter of efficiency—when she opened the door and came in.
“No wonder you keep running off to the City,” she said, leaning against his chair and threading her fingers through his hair. He slipped an arm around her waist. “It’s a wonder you can hear yourself think in this noise. And here I am, interrupting you again.”
“I might be able to find some use for you.” He let his hand wander meaningfully over her bottom. She giggled and half-heartedly slapped him away.
“Not now,” she said. “I need to find Isaac.”
“You do not need to find Isaac. You need to lock the door and get onto my desk so I can have my way with you.”
“Hush. I will not.”
“Fine. Leave the door unlocked, but don’t complain to me when the servants see you with your skirts—”
“Hush.” She covered his mouth with her hand, and he grinned and nipped at her fingers. “You must not make such indecent proposals.”
“My proposal was perfectly decent,” he protested. “You’re the one who proposed we make love in broad daylight with the doors unlocked.”
“I never…Oh, you are terrible,” she said, but she kissed him anyway, then pulled away and sat against the desk. “Isaac took Lucy out to meet the witnesses.”
“And? He was probably only trying to keep her out of trouble.”
“By taking her to rough parts of London to meet liars and engage in threats and bribery? How is that keeping her out of trouble?”
“Ah, good point. I’ll talk to him. And as for you, now that you have interrupted me…”
He slid her sideways, caged her against the desk, and kissed her.
“Joshua. We cannot do that here, and I must go out. You will have to wait.”
“No. Can’t wait. I want you too much to concentrate, so if you leave me wanting, my businesses will fail, and then I would have no money and no work.”
“But you would have plenty of time to…to…”
“What? What?”
“To…You know.”
“Say it.” He lowered his head, slid a hand up her thigh, and whispered in her ear. “Be wicked and say it and maybe I’ll let you go.”
“You’re teasing me again. Behave.”
“If you want me to behave, what is my inducement?”
The moment he said the word, he remembered her promise from the night of the rout, and saw in her face that she remembered it too. It seemed a lifetime ago now, but the memory rose between them, and sweet mercy, he wasn’t going to get any work done. He had never asked that of her again, and had not intended to. But he could still tease her; she did not seem to mind his teasing now.
“You owe me,” he reminded her. “Time to settle your debt, Mrs. DeWitt.”
Her blush deepened. “Maybe I will. Later.”
Sweet mercy. Let later be now.
“Although,” she added, “that doesn’t make babies.”
And whoosh. His desire washed away, leaving bitter disappointment in its wake. Because it was still all about babies for her. There was no mistaking her desire for him, but in the end, she would leave him as cheerfully as he would leave her.
Good. That was what they had agreed. She would make no fuss. Excellent.
“Of course.” He stood and pulled away, turning his back on her to adjust his clothing and his face. “You need all the seed you can get before this nonsense ends and you go back to Warwickshire.”
