Page 89 of Maid for the Marquess

“Oh,” she replied.

“Is it not cool? Wondrous on your skin?”

“Yes.” She frowned. “I worry about your arm.”

“The water is clean and feels good on it. Cease to worry, my love. It is fine. It hardly pains me at all.”

She glanced around again. “Do others make a habit of this?”

I laughed. “Probably not. I love the outdoors. I enjoy how the water feels on my skin with the sun overhead. The freedom. I have always enjoyed it.”

I pulled her closer, feeling her breasts press into my chest. “I find it invigorating,” I murmured, reaching low and pulling her legs around my waist. “Stimulating, even.”

Her eyes widened as she felt me hard and pressing against her again. “Alexander,” she whispered. “Again?”

“Yes,” I assured her. “Lean back in the water,” I coaxed. “Relax. I will support you.”

She did, her hair streaming behind her. Water dripped off her skin, her nipples hard points that glistened in the sun. Bending, I took one in my mouth, warming it and making her moan.

“I can show you another way to enjoy the water, Maddie,” I growled against her breast, sucking hard. “One so scandalous you will cry out my name repeatedly.”

“I would like to try that,” she murmured, arching her back. “Alexander,” she pleaded as I bit down gently, then blew over her nipple.

I smiled against her skin.

Swimming naked had never been so stimulating, and I liked the added benefits. I would assume that my wife did as well.

Repeatedly.

That evening, I laid out the new dressing gown I had purchased for her and waited impatiently for her to finish her nightly routine. I heard her exclamation of delight when she spied my gift. A moment later, my wife appeared before me, wearing the gown and nothing else. We both enjoyed sleeping skin to skin, and she found herself too warm these days with a nightgown. The violet silk glowed in the firelight, clinging to her form. I held out my hand, drawing her to me.

“You are a vision,” I murmured.

“Alexander, it is so beautiful,” she whispered. “You are too generous to me.”

I shook my head. “I don’t think I am generous enough. I love spoiling you, but my love, I believe getting to see you in that dressing gown is more a gift to me.”

She laughed and twirled, a froth of lace and silk circling her. “Exquisite,” I mused, placing a hand over the swell that grew a little every day. “Our babe grows,” I added.

“Hmm,” she replied. “Perhaps it is more I am full of lake water this evening than babe.” She paused. “I believe much entered my body earlier today through your vigorous, ah, actions.”

I looked up at her, her mischievous smile making me throw back my head in laughter. I loved it when she teased me.

I pulled her to my lap and lifted my knees, jostling her. “Shall I shake it from you, wife?”

She joined me in laughter, nestling her head to my shoulder. “No, I shall recover, my lord.”

We were quiet for a moment, and I enjoyed the peacefulness of the evening, holding my wife and appreciating a fine snifter of brandy. Often, Maddie would chat about her day or talk about something she was working on for the babe, but tonight, she was silent.

I pressed a kiss to her head. “Did I exhaust you today?”

“Perhaps,” she said, sounding sleepy.

I had looked forward to removing her pretty dressing gown. Making love to her. But it had been a day filled with many “vigorous actions,” as she phrased it. I knew there would be many nights ahead of us when I could indulge my wish. For tonight, I would be happy to hold her in my arms and sleep next to her.

After our swim earlier, we had dried in the sun, then dressed and returned to the manor. My waistcoat covered my torn shirt, and Maddie carried the blanket in front of her, hiding her disheveled appearance and the fact that her clothing wasn’t proper. Half an hour after returning, we had met in the library, both put to rights, my arm rebandaged, and looking dignified again. She had blushed prettily when I informed her I preferred it when she looked tousled. She had lifted her chin, trying to appear stern.

“You, sir, must learn to behave.”