“What has that to do with anything, Arlington?” Belfry asked looking vexed.
Teddy smiled. “I’ll be right beside you, Belfry. I intend to volunteer my services, as well, for Drake. We both owe it to his memory.”
Epilogue
One year later…
Georgina sat beforeher pretty writing desk in her beautiful receiving room and gazed across the sunlit chamber, through the unencumbered windows, to the sparkling sea beyond. She rubbed a hand over her mammoth belly and murmured to the babe within, as she often did. “One day, your father will take you on one of his sea-bathing adventures with him, dear one. I can tell by the way youkick kick kick, you’ll be an avid swimmer, just like he is.”
“Is that so?” came her husband’s seductive drawl.
Delight filling her, she turned her head and looked toward the open doorway where Teddy leaned against the jamb, tall and vital, feet crossed at the ankles. His hair was combed back and still damp from his recent swim. He had a towel slung over his neck, and a lazy smile curving his lips.
He was so utterly gorgeous.
As she watched, he straightened, kicked the door shut, then shifted to lock it.
Oh my. Heat coiled through her as she imagined—all right, hoped—just why he’d shut them in at just half past noon.
She’d been fiendishly attracted to him, seemingly for forever, butever since she’d conceived, some seven months ago, she’d turned downright insatiable where Teddy was concerned.
Luckily, he didn’t appear fazed by her increasing carnal demands. Indeed, he often claimed he had developed sympathy “hunger pains” for her.
She lumbered to her feet, breath going choppy anticipating what lay ahead, and where. Atop the sofa? Standing, facing the mantle, Teddy behind her? Or maybe he planned to clear her desktop of her writing implements to use it for another purpose…
Whatever the case, it wouldn’t do to appear too eager, she decided, reading the cocky, all-too-sure expression on his face.
She lifted her chin and started toward him, drinking in the vision he made. They’d arrived only a few days before, to enjoy a small getaway prior to her confinement in anticipation of her birthing their first child, and, of course, in celebration of their first anniversary as man and wife. He’d surprised her with the suggestion as, in addition to his parliamentary duties and myriad responsibilities to his estates, he spent a great deal of time with her father—and his—volunteering his services at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
“You’re back early,” she said, affecting a flippant air. “I thought we decided to skip luncheon in favor of high tea as we did indulge in a quite late breakfast.” In bed, following a leisurely morning of lovemaking.
His knowing grin never faltered. “I wasn’t thinking of lunch, though I have a taste for something. Can’t quite put my finger on what, however.”
He sauntered to meet her, then bent to brush his lips over hers in a lingering, feather-soft kiss. “How comes your work on the new novel?”
He managed to pull her attention off of ravishing him—or vice-versa—with his question. Several months ago, she had closed out the series of novels featuring Lady Celeste and Lord Terrence, telling hereditor and publisher, Gwen, she wished to leave the two in peace to live their lives and would thereafter begin work on a new series of novels centered on a new hero and heroine.
When asked why a new series, she hadn’t been able to formulate a precise answer. She simply had a sense, a niggling, that another character wished his story told. Annoyingly, that character had yet to show himself.
Something in her expression must have told Teddy she had made no progress today.
He laughed, rubbed the tip of his nose against hers while tracing the lower curve of her belly with the fingertips of both his hands. “Not to worry, pet. Why do you think I brought you here? I’m certain your muse will put in an appearance before long.”
“I’m glad one of us thinks so,” she breathed, eyes drifting shut. “I’ll give you just fifteen minutes to stop doing that,” she added with a sigh, arching into his touch.
“Feels good?” he asked in a voice gone distinctly gruff, his magic hands traveling higher to caress the underside of her ultra-sensitive, full-to-bursting breasts.
The area between her legs went hot and damp as if he touched her there.God, she wanted him to touch her there. “You know it does,” she answered huskily.
“Come,” he whispered. Taking one of her hands, he led her in a lazy stroll toward the sofa—which answered the question ofwhere.
A long time later, the two of them lay in a tangled heap atop the cushions, their clothing still on for the most part, if in wild disarray.
“Thank you,” she murmured, cheek and ear pressed to his chest, listening to the steadythump thump thumpof his heart.
“I could say the same to you,” he said in a low voice. He fingered one of her escaped corkscrew curls.
She giggled and swatted him lightly on the arm. “Not for that, silly. For bringing me here, just the two of us. I know how busy life inLondon keeps you these days.”
