Page 39 of A Gentleman Never Surrenders
A brass bell jingled merrily above their heads, and Milly immediately began an intense examination of the flowers. Owen was content to watch her, drinking each expression that crossed her face as she removed her long gloves, touched bare skin to petals, and bent to inhale a particular flower. He came up behind her when she paused in front of a row of orchids. He touched a purple orchid inches from her hand.
“Do you know why these flowers are considered scandalous?” he whispered into her ear. His other hand touched her hip, gripping her in a gentle but possessive hold.
Milly’s breath caught and she held still. “No, why?” she whispered.
“Because”—he paused, relishing the way he knew she would react when he spoke his next words—“they resemble a lady’s folds…the silken texture, the rich color, the opening ready for penetration.” He stroked the orchid’s petals in an intentionally seductive manner and chuckled when Milly’s breath quickened.
“You’re wicked, you know that? Positively wicked,” she hissed, but when he nuzzled her cheek, he felt her lips curve up in a smile.
“When we get home, I’ll stroke your orchid,” he promised huskily.
She jabbed him lightly in the ribs, making him step back and clear his throat.
The florist was watching them with wide eyes, and Milly blushed and tried to fix her gloves, attempting to pretend nothing had happened between them.
As distracted as he was by thoughts of seducing his wife, he couldn’t help but wonder how Jack was doing. The excursion into town had nothing to do with the shopping. Jack had finally agreed to meet with Scarlett Brandon at one of the pubs. It was a tad improper, but Owen was not sure she would have agreed to come back to Wesden to meet Jack. It would have seemed awkward for his former fiancée to meet with his best friend under his roof.
“You’re worried about Mr. Watson, aren’t you.” Milly’s gentle but accurate observation dragged him out of his thoughts.
“Yes,” he admitted. “The man has been through hell and I’m not sure he can handle Scarlett or her situation.”
“You mean the baby she lost?” Milly curled her arm in his and pointed at several flowers. The shopkeeper hastened to prepare a few cuttings for her to take with them.
Owen blew out a breath. “I can’t begin to imagine what losing a life inside you does to a woman. It must be hellish, and for a man like Jack, he’s so sensitive, so good and kind, it might break him when Scarlet tells him about the miscarriage. But he needs peace in that part of his life.”
Milly leaned into him, trying to comfort him. She probably had no idea that she was doing something like that; it was a tender gesture, one she would probably not have done had they not been as intimate as they’d become in the last two weeks. He felt so close to her and he had the strangest urge to ask her a question that surprised even himself.
“Are you interested in having many children?” he asked softly. He’d never asked or wanted to ask a woman about that, and he was oddly nervous and excited at the prospect.
Milly lifted her gaze to his, and he reveled in the startled, wide-eyed look there in her blue depths.
“Children?” The one word escaped breathlessly from her lips.
“Yes,” he chuckled. “How many do you want?”
“Well, I…,” she sputtered, then blushed. “I don’t know. At least two?” She sounded so adorably unsure, and it made him suddenly desperate to get her into bed, or possibly on the nearest flat surface. He liked it when she was flustered, especially when he was the cause.
“Milly…,” he purred, leading her to the door of the shop. “Why don’t you and I go to the nearest inn and rent a room—”
“What about the flowers?” she interrupted, her voice still breathless.
“Mr. Tabor, put them on my account, and I’ll send a lad here tomorrow to fetch them.”
“Very good, sir.” Mr. Taber was smiling a knowing smile as he turned away.
“Come on, we can find a way to occupy ourselves while we wait for Jack.” He nuzzled her cheek and stole a lingering kiss. Every time he touched her, his blood heated and a soft warmth filled his chest. It had never been like that with any other woman.
“I might be tempted.” Milly’s blue eyes sparkled with her own rising passion.
“Then let’s go find us a bed.”
“Owen!” she gasped, but her delighted smile was all the encouragement he needed. They were halfway to the inn when Owen spotted Jack striding toward them. His face was ashen and his eyes were wide and stark with pain.
“Jack?” he asked, pausing Milly by curling an arm around her waist.
“I need to return to Wesden Heath immediately,” Jack said, shoving his hands into his coat pockets.
Owen exchanged glances with Milly. “You’re ready to return home?”
