“All right. I’ll need to move closer.” She hugged his foot to her breast as she scooted her bottom toward him, and bloody hell, his cock went right to full alert. Sam winced and hugged a pillow to his stomach, effectively covering his groin. She set his foot in her lap and placed her warm hands over it. “Did that hurt?”
He nodded. “But it’s fine. I knew this wouldn’t be pleasant.”
“Well, I didn’t,” she muttered. “I feel like I’m torturing you.”
“It’s all part of the process. It will get better. That’s how we’ll know it’s working.” He had no idea if that was true, but it sounded reasonable to him.
She nodded and lifted his foot, twisting toward him as he bent his stiff knee. He pushed back, and she leaned into him, providing the resistance.
Bloody hell, it hurt, and it was hard. He was a man in his prime. He should be able to shove her off the bed with one foot, but in this state, he couldn’t tip a teapot. After a few more repetitions they moved on to the next leg, and her nearness no longer made him want to bust a seam in his breeches. Almost. This time she turned to face him, sitting on her heels. His foot rested on her thighs as she massaged the sole of his foot.
He bit back a groan. Those fingers of hers were doing wonders. She raised his leg, and he bent his knee, breathing hard as his joints and muscles protested. Before his accident, he was athletic and fit, but he’d never had to work for it. Not like this. Never again would he take his strength and agility for granted. He longed for the afternoons he’d spent at Gentlemen Jackson’s. Or fencing against Blakewood. Even dancing. He just wanted to move his body and to see how the world had changed outside of this room.
Everything had changed.
Just looking at Daisy reminded him of that fact. They’d repeated the exercise on both legs once more, and she’d developed a sheen of sweat on her brow and her loose chignon had dropped, leaving tendrils of red around her face.
“What’s next?” she huffed as she brushed her loose hair out of her face. Her cheeks were flushed with exertion, and her lips were rosy. Sam’s gut tightened as he took in her disheveled beauty.
“That’s enough for now.”
She frowned. “Are you sure?”
“Can’t be too hasty, can we? Besides, Miss Smith will return soon with my lunch. Amelia and Blakewood will be joining me, and I’m assuming you’re invited, too. It’s best to appear as if we have not yet been reacquainted.”
“Oh,” her face fell. “That makes sense.”
Sam braced himself to sit forward. “But once we are officially reacquainted, it will be easier for you to come and go freely without them.”
She brightened. “That reminds me. I brought a book. I wanted to offer to read to you, if that was something you’d want. It sounds childish now that I say it out loud.”
“Nonsense. Amelia read to me even while I was unconscious.”
She smiled at him, and his heart pulsed with warmth. For once, blood didn’t rush to his cock, but her smile went to his head, which might be more dangerous. He cleared his throat, pulling his gaze from her. She got on all fours and shuffled off the bed ungracefully, but the sight was still somehow erotic to his depraved mind. He’d been too long without a woman—that was the problem. There wasn’t anything he could do about it right now except take himself in hand, but that would have to wait.
Chapter Fourteen
Daisy stopped outsideAlston’s door, closing it softly as she bit her cheek to keep from squealing. At first, she was awkward, but having something to focus on, like his exercises, actually made it easier. They had a common goal to achieve. They hadn’t talked much, but there was a comfortable silence as they worked together to move his leg. And once it was done, she should have left promptly and not have wanted to continue their time together.
But now she wanted to talk. She wanted to know about his life and the things he enjoyed. What did he do before he got hurt? Were there more games he could teach her? She had so many questions.
Daisy turned to head down the main stairs when she heard a soft hiccup behind her. She turned slowly, not knowing who might have caught her leaving Alston’s room. Hopefully, only a ghost.
Miss Smith stared at her with wide eyes.
“Oh, you frightened me.” Daisy placed a hand over her pounding heart.
“Indeed. I was surprised as well, to see a young lady leaving a gentleman’s room.”
Daisy’s arms prickled with chills. “Um, yes, that. We’re family. I was just going to see if my brother and Lady Amelia were going to join us for lunch.”
“I believe they are.”
“Yes, but I will also need my shawl.”
Miss Smith nodded and continued on into Alston’s room. Daisy hurried up the stairs to her room, slipping inside and grabbing the shawl Amelia had lent her. At the same moment she sat at her dressing table, Amelia knocked on her open door.
“Come in,” Daisy said, still a little breathless from her sprinting.
