A loud knocking on the door interrupted him, and he froze.
Ellie’s brows rose.
“My lord! Is anything wrong? The maid said she heard a scream coming from this room!”
Ellie touched the chair near her head and grinned.
Darius gave her a nod. “Everything is fine, Beacham. I was just moving furniture. Lady Ferncroft isn’t sure which way she likes it.”
Ellie giggled, and for some reason it had him growing hard inside her. Surprised, he almost forgot his butler. Almost.
“Would you like me to send up a footman to assist you?”
“Beacham, this kind of furniture moving is strictly between me and my wife.”
Ellie clapped a hand over her mouth, even as her silent laughter vibrated around him, making it even more difficult to remember that the door might open at any moment.
He wished Beacham gone, but he didn’t hear footsteps. What was the man waiting for? After what seemed like an interminable time but was probably less than a minute, the butler responded.
“I do hope my lady finds an arrangement that she enjoys.”
She let out a bark of laughter at that. It appeared the butler had finally realized what they were doing, yet instead of turning red with embarrassment, Ellie grinned. “Don’t worry, Beacham. I’m sure there are numerous arrangements I will like.” She laughed outright, which just made Darius harder.
As footsteps finally moved away from the door, he shook his head at his wife. “I will never be able to say the word ‘furniture’ again.”
“That won’t be a problem. I’ll be happy to bring it up when appropriate. For instance, now.”
“Now?”
“Yes. While I like this arrangement. I believe I would like to be on top, but this time with you on this piece of ‘furniture.’” She wrapped her hand around the leg of the chair near her head, much like she’d wrapped her hand around him.
His body immediately responded, and he growled low in his throat. “I can make those arrangements, but only if we completely strip the furniture.”
It took them a long while to fully undress. He couldn’t stop kissing her, whether it was her neck, elbow, or back, buteventually they were unclothed, and he was seated in the chair. He held his hand out to her. “I am at your service.”
“So you are.” She stared at his erection, which jerked at her look. Then, instead of taking his hand, she walked behind him and hugged him around the neck, placing a kiss on his head. “I suppose we’ll have to keep Beacham now that he knows our secret.”
He frowned. “Keep Beacham? Why? Was he leaving?” He didn’t want to train a new butler, especially one entrusted with his secret.
Her hands moved to his shoulders. “It was a possibility. I did threaten to dismiss him and Mrs. Torbett.”
“What? Why?”
Ellie moved to stand in front of him and set her hands on her hips. “They refused to tell me why you were in the wood. That is highly unacceptable.”
It had never occurred to him what a position he’d put his servants in. Beacham hadn’t said anything to him about it when delivering food at the old bathhouse after Ellie had found him. That the butler was loyal to both of them proved how trustworthy he was. “I understand your concern, but I believe that now we can rest assured Beacham will continue his loyalty to both of us.”
“I know. That he was so loyal to you to keep your secret means a great deal. And now we must hope he keeps this secret as well.” She held her arms out.
At the sight of her fully naked body standing before him, he gazed his fill. From her long red hair to her large breasts and full hips, he couldn’t believe she was his. “My love for you will never be a secret, whether from the servants, our neighbors, or our children. I want everyone to know that I love you and am the luckiest of men that you love me in return.” He held his hand out once again.
Her eyes shimmered. “You make me so happy, Darius.”
“Then allow me to make you even happier.” He patted his thigh with his free hand.
She gave him another sly smile. “I don’t doubt that at all.”
His wife straddled him and slowly lowered herself until she was fully impaled. “Oh, I think I’m going to like this arrangementverymuch.”
