He looked down at his naked body. “You don’t like what you see?”
She swatted at his arm playfully. “I like it very much. You know that too well, you pompous arse.”
He shrugged, loving to have the playfulness between them return. He basked it in briefly. “I have another dressing gown. Let me get it, if you insist on covering me up so you won’t be distracted by how much you want me.”
He pivoted toward his dressing room and heard her laughing at him as he went. When he returned a moment later, she was already seated at the small table in his room, pouring them each tea and munching on slices of apple as she did so. He caught his breath at the sight of her.
She belonged here with him. Their mornings should always be like this, easy and sensual and filled with laughter and sex. He took the place across from her just as she pushed his cup of tea over. Flavored just as he liked it, of course.
They made plates from the bounty his servants had prepared and then ate for a while in companionable silence. One he broke as he said, “May I take you out today?”
She stared at him, fork of eggs halfway to her lips. She slowly lowered it back to her plate. “Out?” she repeated as if she didn’t understand the question when he knew full-well that she did.
“Yes, I assume you are aware of the concept.”
She arched a brow and pursed her lips. “Vaguely, Your Grace. Out where?”
He pondered the question. “What about a museum?” he asked. “Oh wait, you are not a fan of museums, are you?”
Her eyes widened. “Who told you that?”
“Flora mentioned it, I think.”
She pursed her lips but he could see the humor on her face. “Flora. Goodness, if you go to a museum with Flora, you have to be prepared to be marched like a soldier to every single exhibit before you are set free! I told her I wanted to take my time, perhaps only look at a few things, and she twisted it all around!”
He held up his hands. “Then a museum it is. And perhaps a trip to the bookstore after. And then back here. To do more of…” He motioned to the bed with his head.
Her cheeks brightened to a deep pink and she began to nervously trace the edge of her plate with her fingertip. “That sounds lovely, but…”
“But?” he repeated, praying he could ease her fears, whatever they were.
“Is it…wise?” she asked, lifting her gaze to his.
He held that stare for a beat, another, then leaned across the table, cupped her chin gently and kissed her. She seemed startled by the action, but she returned the kiss readily enough. When he pulled away, he said, “I don’t care.”
Her breath caught and he could see her deciding if she should just run now. Make an excuse, perhaps even end this. But then she nodded slowly. “Yes.”
It was one word, but it altered his world like an explosion. He couldn’t hold back his grin of pure exhilaration. He felt the spark of hope now, because if she didn’t pull away from these kinds of connections, that meant there was a chance for them. A chance for a future.
And he was positively giddy with the possibility.
* * *
Bernadette’s maid clucked her tongue as she fastened the last few buttons on her gown. It wasn’t that Molly was judgmental—she never had been—but every time she saw a new bruise on Bernadette’s body, she reacted.
“It isn’t so bad,” Bernadette tried to say weakly. “It could have been worse.”
Molly shook her head as she motioned Bernadette to a chair and began to fix her hair. “I suppose,” she agreed. “I can’t believe such a terrible thing nearly happened to you.”
“There’s a great deal I have a hard time believing lately,” Bernadette murmured, looking at herself in the mirror as Molly twisted and braided and piled her hair artfully.
Her thoughts moved to Theo. The change in him that she’d sensed last night hadn’t faded. From the way he touched her to the care he took with every detail of this day so far, he was changed. And she so desperately wanted to lean into it all.
Lean into him.
“It’s a fine room.”
Bernadette jolted and put her focus back on Molly. “Y-yes,” she said softly.
