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As usual, a sensual shiver raised bumps on her arms and caused her tummy to quiver.

“Where is your froggy friend?” he asked in a husky purr.

God help me.

“It’s just there, tucked into that niche.”

Goodness, her voice had become positively sultry.

Something that caught her off guard and happened far too often lately. When exactly had he gone from being a pebble in her shoe to the comfort she never sought but could not now forgo?

Robyn winked as if he guessed her secret as he bent to inspect the little frog. “It is a tiny thing. Definitely a juvenile.”

He was so close, she could see the gold flecks in his iris, and a little mark on his firm chin where he must have cut himself shaving.

His attention dipped to her mouth.

Did he want to kiss her too?

Yes. Yes. Please do.

He raised his gaze to hers, a question in his rich brown depths.

She parted her lips, but words escaped her.

How did one ask one’s husband to kiss them?

Georgine had no practice at flirting. There had never been a need to attract a man’s attention deliberately before. Nevertheless, attending dozens of balls, soirees, and routs had given her ample opportunity to observe ladies using their guile, subtle machinations, and posturing to entice gentlemen.

She leaned nearer until only a couple of inches separated their mouths.

There, that ought to do it.

Unless the man was as obtuse as a pumpkin.

Even so, Robyn hesitated.

What more of an invitation did he need?

Surely, he didn’t expect her to kiss him.

And why not?

Marshaling every ounce of courage she possessed, Georgine closed the distance and pressed her lips to his—the merest wisp, no harder than the brush of a butterfly’s wing.

At once, Robyn cupped her nape and deepened the contact, something near a growl echoing in his throat.

“There you two are.”

Georgine sprang away, her cheeks on fire.

Robyn bent toward the frog.

Wearing a cheerful pink and yellow floral morning gown, and oblivious to the scene she had just interrupted, Regina skipped toward them, the curls framing her face bouncing. “Matilda wants to know if we would like to accompany her to Bond Street today?”

Unlike Georgine, Regina adored shopping, even if she only selected a new ribbon for an old bonnet.

“We could stop at Gunter’s Tea Shop for a lemon or strawberry ice afterward.” Features animated, Regina looked between Robyn and Georgine.