Gabriel teased her through the aftershocks of her climax, letting her slowly come down from her high.
Sibyl panted against the wooden shelf she was still braced against, before slowly turning around to find her husband’s pupils blown wide and his lips parted.
“You…” Her voice was a whisper. “You…”
“Climaxed as well? Admittedly so. But how can I not, when you sound like that? When youlooklike that?”
And he did look at her, just like he had the first day they met: as though he saw much more than she or anybody else ever had.
Her knees buckled, and he caught her easily as her dress fluttered over his arms, unable to fall back into place.
“Apologies for stealing your ability to walk, Duchess.” His tone was utterly playful as he kissed her cheek. “I could not help making you climax.”
“I am—I am happy you did,” she said breathlessly, laughing as she practically draped herself over him. “Although I might need to sit down immediately.”
Gabriel guided her to the settee that faced the gardens, and they both curled up on it. He cocked his head at her.
“What?” she asked.
“Haveyou written about me?”
Sibyl jerked her head away from him lest he see the truth on her face, but her reaction gave her away. “No.”
“I believe that is a lie, my Sibyl.”
My Sibyl.
She trembled at the possessiveness, the protectiveness, in those two words. She had never wanted to be owned so badly.
Settling back against Gabriel’s chest, she turned her head and rubbed her cheek against his beard, humming. “Perhaps I have. Perhaps you will not read it, for my writing is deeply coveted.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed,” she murmured, giggling. “Although if Ihadwritten about you, I might tell you that it was only several nights ago, while my candles burned low and my hand wandered where yours just was. But I was not brave enough to come to your chamber.”
Gabriel gave a low growl. “Next time, find that bravery, and let me do something about the ache between your legs.”
Sibyl melted further against him.
Heavens, she was getting closer and closer to giving in, and she wanted to so badly.
Soon. I know I will be ready soon.
Two days later, Sibyl walked into the drawing room and stopped short, for there sat her sister, brother-in-law, and niece.
Hermia’s face lit up as soon as she saw Sibyl. She flung herself and Phoebe off the armchair they had been sitting in and rushed towards Sibyl.
“Sister!” She laughed. “We were under very strict instructions to remain quiet, so we did not ruin the surprise, but—surprise!”
“Surprise, Sibyl.”
Sibyl whirled around to see Gabriel, who had appeared in the doorway. Had he known about this?
“I… What is this?” she asked, holding her sister’s hand before embracing her.
Behind Hermia, Charles approached, hugging her as well.
“Gabriel reached out to us,” Hermia explained. “Well, he addressed Charles to make the arrangements, but he reminded us that, before everything happened, we had a picnic planned that we never got to go on.”
