Page 63 of His Wife, the Spy
She floated back to earth, but kept her eyes closed as her breathing returned to normal and her senses returned. When she opened them, Jasper was propped on one elbow, watching her with a satisfied gleam in his eyes. He pulled the bedclothes over them. “Better than fine?”
Annabel chucked the nearest pillow at him and squirmed across the bed when he threatened to do the same. He caught her, only to pin her to the mattress for a lingering kiss.
“The sheets are warm over here,” she whispered.
“Travis has warmed the whole bed every night since we married. Hope springs eternal, I suppose.”
“Barnes does the same.” The words were a reminder. She had a bed, a room, on the other side of the wall. Her mother had always been alone in bed in the mornings.
Annabel tossed the covers aside.
Jasper kept hold of her hand. “Where are you going?”
“I thought I should gather my nightdress and—”
“You should stay in this room, which you prefer to the other, and stay naked, which I prefer to your nightdress.” He pulled her back to bed.
“Sleep naked?” Annabel slid back under the bedclothes. “Here?”
His grin was wicked. “I only wore the dressing gown so I wouldn’t frighten you.” He kissed her slowly, but the heat between them built quickly. Boneless as she was, Annabel didn’t realize her ankle was on his shoulder until he was nudging inside her. “Besides, it saves time.”
He was as hard as he’d been when she’d undressed him. “Hope is not the only thing that springs eternal.” Her giggle ended on a lustful moan as he went deeper and she melted around him.
Chapter Fifteen
She woke expectingJasper’s head on the pillow. A pink camellia stared at her instead. When she lifted it, a note slid to the mattress. Jasper’s bold handwriting left grooves in the paper.
Too early for peonies. Please don’t scorn the substitute. Duty demands I leave you. There is a hot bath waiting in the other room, assuming you haven’t slept the day away.–J
PS You have delightfully warm feet.
Annabel read the note again as she lifted the flower to her nose. The petals were strong, but surprisingly soft, and they smelled of peaches and violets.
It smelled like Jasper. So did the pillow next to her, and the sheets tangled around her bare legs.
So did she.
A smile split her face as she wriggled against the mattress. He’d been right about sleeping naked. The sheets caressed her skin, reminding her of his hands on her body. The pillow curved against her like he had in the night. Annabel had always thought it would be awkward to sleep with another person, but it had felt natural to drift off in Jasper’s arms and feel his breath on her shoulder.
The floor squeaked a moment before a knock sounded at the door. “Er, my lady?” Travis cleared his throat. “Should, er, the maid—”
Everyone in the house had responsibilities. So did she. “No, Travis.” The words squeaked out in a most un-marchioness-like way. She drew a deep breath. “I’ll step to my room. Just a moment, please.”
Annabel threw back the covers and scrambled across Jasper’s side of the bed, the sheets cold against her knees and palms. She swept up her nightdress before hurrying to the door, the rug muffling her flight.
You don’t need to run. You didn’t break in this time.
“Thank you, Travis.” She closed the door behind her.
Her room was too bright, but it was warm. A copper tub sat in front of a fire stoked high enough to keep the water warm. There was a lot of water, clouded with milk. Rose petals floated on the surface. She trailed her fingers through the water, which was almost hot, and watched the pink petals bob across the ripples.
It was a decadent bath that had taken the staff a great deal of time. If she dawdled until it was cold, it would be a waste of that effort. She slipped into the water one leg at a time before sitting slowly enough not to make puddles on the floor. She soaped a sponge and stroked her skin with the spruce and floral soap that reminded her of home.
Afterward, her spine curved to the back of the tub without effort, and her arms floated in the sweet, cloudy water.
“My lady?” Barnes called as she knocked on the door.
“Yes?” Even Annabel’s voice was softer.
