“We’ve the marriage of true minds, remember?”
He crossed his legs. “Pity I could never bed my wife in a gaming hell.”
“No, of course not.” Her eyes twinkled. “But perhaps you could you bed the Blackbird…”
His lips spread in a grin of pure delight. “Will she insist I cover my eyes?”
“No,” she saidshyly. “This time, I want you to see.”
Eliza placed a hand against Adrian’s cheek and turned his face. Those lips she had long admired were finally hers to claim. So, claim them she did. She kissed him softly. Sweetly. As he had kissed her in the Academy.
“Well?” he prompted.
“I thought it was your custom to disrobe before any assignation at the Lyon’s Den.”
His forehead smoothed as he smiled. “So it is.”
She tucked her feet to her side and leaned back. “I’m waiting.”
He began, as he had that first night, by removing his coat, holding her gaze with a mischievous smile as he did so. Then, he removed his waistcoat, and then his cravat.
She frowned. “I don’t remember you taking this long the first time.”
“Minx.” He yanked his shirt over his head.
“Rogue. You’re going to have to stand up to take off those trousers.”
He lost his mischievous expression. “I don’t want you to be surprised.”
“By what?”
“I’ve scars on my thighs.”
“From the war?”
“I have a few of those, too, but no. From the affliction I told you about. For a long time after I held the child I thought had died, I would feel the weight of him there. And when I did, I felt an irrepressible urge to scratch. As if I could claw out that feeling with my own nails.”
“Oh, Adrian.” She straddled his legs, took his face into her hands, and kissed him deeply.
He smiled against her lips. “That was unexpected.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Oh,” he laughed. “Never be sorry for kissing me or touching me! You may do that whenever you wish. Gently, though, please.”
“Gently?” she repeated.
“Yes. The exact word the Black Widow used to prepare me. She said you—as the Blackbird—had not had vast experience. She said I must remember to be gentle.”
Eliza giggled. “I hadn’tanyexperience.”
“Humm,” Adrian hummed. “We must set our minds to correcting such a travesty.”
“Often,” she agreed. “And vigorously.”
He gathered her back into his arms and held her close.
“Adrian?” she whispered against his cheek.
“Yes?”
“Take off your trousers.”
She felt his chuckle against her body. He was hers. All hers. And she was going to savor every, vigorous moment.