A commotion in the hall and a knock at the door cut his words short. Two footmen and Bert the groom came in with a copper tub and buckets of steaming water.
“Where do you want it, guv?” Bert asked.
“The dressing room,” Gideon said.
“I’ll show you.” Mia rose and led them to his dressing room.
“More is coming!” Bert said cheerfully.
They stood at the door to his bedroom. As soon as the servants left to bring the rest of the water, Gideon turned to her. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Leap up to fetch, show servants where to set things, or otherwise do for me what I’m perfectly capable of doing for myself.”
Irritation made his words harsh. She had offended him. The tears that threatened would have made her humiliation complete, if she had allowed them. “I’m sorry. Is it not what a wife does? I simply don’t know what is expected in marriage. I won’t do it again.”
He sucked in a breath. “Mia, I—” His shoulders sagged, and a gentle smile softened his expression. Her tension seeped away at the sight.
“Yes, you will,” he said. “Helping people is what you do. And I will learn to let you. That is indeed how marriage works, each giving a bit.”
The army of servants returned, filled the tub, and lingered to cast a few sly glances Gideon’s way.
“That will be all, thank you,” she said primly. “We’ll ring if we need anything.”
The door shut with a solid click. Mia felt Gideon’s breath on the back of her neck, breathed in the scent of pine woods, and leaned back with a sigh.
“Well, Mrs. Kendrick, will you help me out of my clothes and into my bath?” His deep voice, close to her ear, rumbled through her. Was her galloping heart responding with panic or eager anticipation?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Gideon regretted hiscomplaint as soon as it left his mouth. His young wife wished to help. Of course she did. Naturally she wished to see his back.You’ve been alone too long.
He turned her around to face him, took her hand, and entwined their fingers. “Come.”
The tub, he saw through the door to the dressing room, took up most of that space. He paused by the bed, shrugged out of his coat, and loosened his cravat.
She hesitated, confusion in her brown eyes, before reaching up to unbutton his waistcoat. He laid it on the bed next to his coat, holding her eyes, hoping his expression appeared more encouraging than he felt.
“Your shirt?” she asked.
He nodded. This was the moment. He prayed she wasn’t repulsed, waiting for her to take the initiative.
She tugged on his shirt, pulling it from his trousers, while he untied it at the neck. He started to lift it, but she got there first as if to spare him raising his arms. He slid it over his head and turned, giving her his back.
“Oh my,” she breathed.
He shuddered when one finger touched the spot just below his neck and began to trace his spine.
She paused. “Does that hurt?”
“Not in the slightest.” The little finger continued its trail down the curve of his backbone, to the spot where it disappeared beneath his trousers. He loosened his falls and let the trousers slip to his hips so she could finish her exploration all the way to the spot above the cleft in his buttocks. Her calm deliberation and her soft touch soothed his fears and inflamed him at the same time. By the time she finished, he was fully engorged, fully aroused. He needed to get a grip on his lust if he had any hope of giving her the gentle attention she deserved.
Before he could move or even speak, her mouth replaced her finger as she kissed across the worst of the curvature. His arousal increased, and he couldn’t hold back a moan. “Mia…”
“Is it your shoulder muscles that hurt because of our ride?” She kneaded the places she meant. Gideon was beyond speech. Her hands moved down his side, and he could hear her murmuring to herself.
“Oh, tight here on the side, I can feel the knots. You have…a muscular back.” She choked the words.
