Nando’s amused drawl had Eleanora whirling about to find him standing at the threshold to the library, booted feet crossed at the ankles, hip leaning against the doorjamb. He was handsome and informal in his shirtsleeves, waistcoat, and trousers. Her heart gave a pang at the sight of him, and so did the rest of her.
She suppressed the impulsive urge to race across the Aubusson like an impish girl and throw herself into his arms and held up the book in her hand instead. “One more to go, but I believe I will take this one to my room for reading. How was your session with Mr. Winter?”
The famed prizefighter, Mr. Gavin Winter, was the proprietor of Winter’s Boxing Academy. Nando had declared himself sufficiently healed and in need of resuming his customary daily exercise with Mr. Winter.
Either that, he had told her, mischief dancing in his eyes,or I will have to continue shagging you senseless every afternoon.
Eleanora hadn’t considered that to be a problem, but she was also keenly aware that she and her husband could not spend every waking hour together and that, for their marriage tothrive, they would need to develop something of a routine. She had sent him off earlier that day with the concern that he might not yet be healed properly, which he had reassured her was misplaced.
“Terrible.” He straightened before sauntering into the room. “I reckon I’m not as healed as I would have liked to imagine. Winter trounced me quite soundly.”
Eleanora started forward, meeting him halfway, her gaze inspecting his person for any hint of blood. “Are you injured?”
He held a hand over his heart in dramatic fashion. “Indeed, my pride is irreversibly destroyed.”
Relief washed over her. “Are you saying I was right about it being too soon to resume your sessions with Mr. Winter?”
“You were right, my dear.” He took her free hand and raised it to his lips for a lingering kiss. “I should have known better than to doubt you.”
A wicked flare of heat sparked to life deep within her at the brush of his mouth over her bare skin. Good heavens, all he had to do was be near her, and she was aflame for him.
Their marriage, thus far, had been almost too wondrous to be real. The part of her that had seen every period of happiness in her life supplanted by struggle had her on edge, fearing that it wouldn’t last. That a handsome, rakehell prince would never be contented with the plain, spinster daughter of an actress for long.
But she was foolish enough to enjoy their marital bliss whilst it lasted.
And that meant seizing every opportunity to be with him that she could.
“I think you owe me penance,” she suggested.
His countenance instantly changed, his disarming grin and nonchalant air fading, replaced by stark, sensual hunger. “Whatmanner of penance? If it involves me on my knees for you, I would be more than happy to oblige.”
She was shamelessly wet between her legs already. If he put his mouth on her, she would combust.
“Here in the library?” she asked, her voice husky with desire.
Thus far, their lovemaking had been relegated to their bedchambers, aside from that lone instance in the carriage after they had first wed.
He took the tip of her finger in his mouth and sucked, bathing her in wetness and heat, ending with a small nip. “Why not?”
“Anyone could come upon us.”
“The door is closed.”
She glanced over his shoulder. So it was.
“It is the midst of the day,” she offered.
He took the book from her other hand and gently set it upon a nearby table. “I could lick you each second of every day and still never have enough of you.”
His claim stole a laugh from her even as her nipples tightened. “Your tongue might grow weary of such an endless pursuit.”
“Excellent point, my dear. Perhaps I would have to supplement with my cock. You wouldn’t mind, would you?”
The ache between her thighs intensified, sharp and sweet.
“I’m sure I could be persuaded not to mind at all,” she managed breathlessly.
“Good. Now come with me. I want to see how much you’ve missed me.” He caught her hands in his, guiding her to a table on the opposite end of the library.
