She gave him a soft smile.“You’re up,” she said huskily, sleepiness in her voice.
“Awake, if not up.”His voice was clear; evidently he’d wakened well before her.Watching her closely, adoringly, he pushed her hair off her face.
His fingers felt smooth and warm.The gesture made Kendra feel like the breathless innocent she’d been when she first met him.
“I cannot believe I fell asleep before we made love last night,” he said with a heartfelt sigh.“This last week on the road, all I could think of was getting home so I could have you in my arms.And then…”
“You can have me in your arms now.”Still sleepy, Kendra moved closer to hold him near, intertwining her legs with his.He felt heavenly.“Have you any memory of how difficult it was for me to get you clean and dry and into bed last night?You were like a rag doll—like one of Elspeth’s or Diana’s old rag dolls.Except much heavier.”
“I remember trying to be as cooperative as I could, which I gather wasn’t much.”He chuckled before he kissed her—a quick kiss, yet hot enough to make her head reel.Hot enough to bring her wide awake.It had been so long since they’d been together this way.Entirely too long.“It seems several sixteen-hour days on the road took their toll,” he added mournfully.
“Well, thank heavens you’re here now.All clean and toasty warm, and I am so ready—”
He cut her off with another kiss, a kiss full of weeks of pent-up desire.His arms tightened around her as he explored her mouth as though tasting her for the first time, rather than after twenty years of marriage.Kendra’s heart raced as she pressed against him, anxious for more.
He wasn’t wearing anything beneath the coverlet—he never did wear anything to sleep, and she wouldn’t have been able to wrestle any nightclothes onto him in any case, after that frustrating bath.But she had donned a nightgown before joining him in their bed, and he reached for the hem now.
She pulled up on the garment, trying to help.She couldn’t wait to get out of it, to feel him skin to skin.But as he yanked it off over her head, a knock came at the door.
Kendra grabbed the nightgown from his hands and stuffed it under the covers.
Trick stifled a laugh.Or maybe it was a groan.“Yes?”he called.
“Your grace?”His valet opened the door, and Kendra clutched the coverlet to her chin as three footmen followed him in.“I’ve learned you’re leaving for Lakefield this morning, your grace, and I’m not to go with you.”Edmund had traveled to Scotland with Trick and apparently been unaware of today’s Christmas plans.“Her grace’s belongings and all of your children’s are already on the baggage cart.We must pack your things immediately.”
“Now, Edmund?”It was more a growl than a question.
Edmund looked taken aback.“Shall we give you a few minutes to rise?”
“At the least.”
The four men beat a hasty retreat.
No sooner had the door closed behind them than Trick reached for Kendra.
“Not now,” she whispered in horror, scooting away.
“Why not?I sent them away.Come here,leannan.”
“They’ll come back any minute.”
“No, they won’t.”
“How do you know?A few minutes, Edmund said.”
“I know because I’m the duke, and a duke’s valet doesn’t interrupt the duke when he’s asked to be left alone.Besides, we can be quick.”
“I don’t want to be quick.”Yearning for much more, she released a resigned sigh.“Let’s get up and go down to breakfast.”
“I don’t want to go down to breakfast.”He was running his hands all over her, making her pulse pound, making her senses spin, making her weaken.Every inch of her felt sensitive, felt alive, felt amazing.
He leaned closer to capture her lips with his.
“No.”She pulled away, a supreme effort.“Let’s get dressed and find another place to do this, then.”
“I’m not getting dressed when all I want is to beundressed.Too many damned layers.”With a gigantic sigh she suspected was mostly for show, he rolled away and out of bed.“I’ll fetch two robes and we’ll find another room.”
When he returned from the dressing room, Kendra rose on shaky legs.She shrugged into the robe he handed her.Burning for him, she stood still while he tied the sash around her waist as one might for a small child.It took all she had not to grab him close and fall back onto the bed.
