Thus, he planned to bid her good night with a peck on the cheek and go tinker on a project in his study. Afterward, he would go to bed alone. And resist the urge to frig himself like a randy greenling while fantasizing about his wife.
As the last course was cleared away and the footmen left the room, Hawk said, “Thank you for arranging such an enjoyable supper.”
“You’re welcome,” Fiona said demurely. “I wanted to do something special for our first evening home together.”
He could think of several special things he wanted to do with her.
He got himself in check. “You must be ready for bed…”No, don’t go there.“After everything you accomplished today, you must be tired.”
“Not really.”
The sultry invitation in her eyes mesmerized him.
“Are you tired?” she asked. “You put in a hard day’s work as well.”
She had no idea how hard he was.
Stick to your plan; self-discipline is key.
“Actually, I was going to continue working in my study.”
“Oh.” Disappointment flickered on her face.
“Unless you would…” He cleared his throat. “Would you care to join me there for a nightcap?”
One drink won’t hurt.
Her smile dazzled him. “I would love to.”
As Fi followed her husband into his study, she shivered with excitement.
During supper, she’d had a humming awareness of Hawk. Her senses had never been this attuned to anyone before. Her husband’s thick, silver-threaded hair gleamed from a wash, the somber yet elegant cut of his clothing accentuating his lean virility. When he wrapped his hand around his wine glass, her skin tingled with the memory of his skillful touch. As he ate, she remembered that hard, sensual mouth plundering hers. By the time dessert arrived, her insides had felt as quivery as the meringue clouds floating on the pool of custard.
She wondered if Hawk was as aware of her as she was of him. Throughout supper, they’d had an engaging conversation. He’d been polite and affable, yet so different from the smoldering lover of last night. It was as if there were two Hawks: the rational, reserved scholar and the wickedly passionate man. She found the contrast intriguing and, frankly, a bit of a challenge.
What would it take to summon my sensual lover?
“What would you like to drink?” Hawk asked.
“Whatever you are having will do,” she said offhandedly.
“I am having whisky.”
Whisky was considered too potent for a miss…but she was married now.And married ladies,she thought with a touch of smugness,have more freedoms.
Feeling quite daring, she said, “Whisky sounds lovely.”
Although Hawk’s brows elevated slightly, he strode to the spirits cabinet without comment.
Surveying her husband’s inner sanctum, she saw that, like the rest of the house, it needed refurbishment. His desk was a masterpiece of clutter, piled with papers and odds and ends. Yet the space had an ambiance of masculine comfort, with its dark wood paneling and leather furnishings. She wandered over to the glass-fronted cabinets that lined one wall, studying the objects inside. In particular, she was intrigued by a metal block that took up an entire shelf. Composed of multiple vertical rods strung with gears, the contraption was connected to a roll of paper and what looked like a tiny printing press.
Sensing Hawk behind her, she asked, “Is this one of your computation engines?”
“It is a prototype.” He handed her a glass. “The actual machine is much larger.”
She sampled the whisky, approving the smooth burn. “You didn’t say what inspired you to create this machine.”
“Truthfully?”
