“I’m tryin’ to get the blood stains out of these sheets before the maid comes in,” she stated as though he were an idiot.
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Aye, that’s what I said.”
“I can’t have them comin’ in here and knowin’ what we did last night,” she replied briskly. “T’would be too embarrassin’,” she hissed.
Going to her side, he reached down and pulled her to her feet, despite her struggles.
“Leave them,” he snapped.
“No, I can’t,” she insisted. “I have to get the stains out.”
“Maeve, you will leave them and you will get dressed. We’re goin’ downstairs for breakfast and then we’ll do a bit of sightseein’. When we get back, this room will be right as rain. I guarantee it.”
“But they’ll know what we were doin’ in here last night,” she protested indignantly.
“Aye, they will. Do you think it’s somethin’ they’ve not seen before?” he asked as he pulled her to the bedroom and released her.
“I don’t care whether they’ve seen it before or not, they’ll not see it in our room,” she snapped, bolting back toward the bathroom.
Sean had her in three strides. Spinning her around, he bent and tossed her over his shoulder.
“Darlin’, I hate to do this so soon after the weddin’, but if you don’t stop, I’ll be forced to turn you over my knee. Now no wife of mine is goin’ to be scrubbin’ and cleanin’ at a hotel, not when we’ve paid good money to stay here. That is the maid’s job and you’d do well to heed my words.”
“But—”
“The only butt I’m interested in at the moment is yours,” he growled, smacking her bottom hard. “Now what’s it to be, love? A spankin’ or breakfast?” he asked sternly.
“Breakfast,” she whispered.
“There’s a sweet lass,” he said, his good humor restored. Carefully, he bent and set her on her feet. She glowered at him but did not say a word as she dressed. He was pleased. At least she’d minded him. He’d hate to have to blister her lovely bottomwhen he had such grand plans for it later. Grinning, he bent and kissed the top of her head before going into the bathroom.
* * *
They had breakfast at a small café, went to the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysees. Lunch was taken back at the hotel, and they spent the afternoon making love in their room. For dinner, they dressed and Sean took her toMonsieur, an elegant restaurant which cost the moon as far as Maeve was concerned. She was still complaining about the prices when they returned to their room.
“Hush, love,” Sean scolded, taking her wrap from her shoulders. “’Tis part of our honeymoon and we can afford to splurge a bit now and then.” Maeve stuck her tongue out at him and he scowled fiercely back at her until she retreated to the bathroom to change. Then he grinned.
Maeve came out of the bathroom wearing a slinky black nightgown. Sean stared at her speechless. She looked around in shock. While she’d been showering, he’d rearranged the furniture, removing the large stand between the two beds and pushing them together.
“What the devil have you done, O’Malley?” she squeaked out. “You’re goin’ to get us evicted.”
“Nonsense,” he replied, lounging on the bed. “We’re leavin’ in the mornin’ anyway. Besides, a married man has the right to sleep beside his wife,” he insisted. “Come here.”
“No, hurry, move them back before someone comes.”
“Who’s goin’ to come,” he snorted, “other than us, I mean.”
“Lord, you’re nasty. Whoever would have thought the great and oh so pious Sean O’Malley had such a dirty mind and mouth.”
“’Tis funny you should say that, love,” he drawled, rising and beginning to stalk her, a wicked grin on his face.
“Why?” she asked suspiciously, backing away.
“Because I’ve a mind to do somethin’ to you with my nasty mouth that t’will have you pleadin’ for mercy,” he advised as he trailed her, taking off his clothes in the process.
