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“That definitely was not in my book,” she said quietly, sighing with complete satisfaction.

“At least I now know where you learned how to be a minx,” he replied, nuzzling her throat. “If I have a spare moment, you shall have to tell me which books you prefer so that I may make a thorough study of them. For your benefit, of course.”

She laughed, running her hand up the back of his neck. “I am mortified.”

“Whatever for?” He pulled back to look at her. “Why, I have half a mind to write to these unseemly authors and thank them for the inspiration.”

She blushed furiously, refusing to meet his eyes. “You are going to tease me for this, are you not?”

“I have nothing to tease you for,” he told her, quite serious. “You are a revelation, kitten. A continuous surprise that I cannot resist.”

She finally met his gaze. “As are you.”

“So, there is to be no punishment for my exhaustive dismantling of your rule?” He grinned, but she did not smile back immediately.

Instead, her brow creased a little, as if she were in pain or deep contemplation. Her mouth opened as if she were about to say something, but she closed it again and shook her head.

“There is to be no punishment,” she said, at last. “I gave you permission, so you cannot be blamed.”

“And did you enjoy yourself?”

That smile he craved finally broke across her face. “Perhaps too much. I am worried we might have awakened the entire household.”

“Nonsense. Even if we did, they would pretend they have heard nothing,” William told her, flashing a wink. “You will find out soon enough, I suppose, depending on whether or not they can look you in the eye tomorrow.”

“Stop!” Lydia cringed, chuckling as she did so. “I shall never leave this room if you say that.”

William grinned. “I would not mind that.” He paused, caressing her cheek. “Although, you might be more comfortable in your chambers. Or mine. Whichever you prefer.”

“We could leave the door open,” she said. “That way, neither of us has to decide.”

He kissed her brow. “I like the sound of that.”

To his surprise, he found that he meant it, just as he liked the feeling of holding her in his arms and knowing that she was his. After what they had just enjoyed together, he realized that nothing else would ever compare.

He would never want anything or anyone as much as he wanted her. Even now, he knew he would have been perfectly content to curl up with her on the settee and sleep, which was something he had never done before. To sleep side by side with someone felt awfully intimate, yet he longed for it.

“Shall we retire, kitten?” he whispered.

She nodded shyly. “As long as we avoid any of the servants who might still be awake.”

“Oh, I am certain they will make themselves scarce.” He got up and grabbed her petticoat from where he had tossed it.

With a mischievous grin, he wrapped the fabric around his waist and then pulled her up onto her feet, draping her in a blanket. She seemed confused at first, yelping as he scooped her up into his arms and carried her out of the library.

“Someone will see!” she whispered desperately, kicking her legs.

“This is your home, kitten.Ourhome. We may do as we please, and they will see more if you keep kicking like that,” he teased, carrying her down the barely lit hallways to the stairs.

He carried her all the way up to their adjoining bedchambers, choosing to use her doorway. But as he set her down on the edge of the bed, he made a point of going to the adjoining door to open it wide in a symbolic gesture before he joined her in her bed.

“Come to me,” he said as he shuffled down beneath the coverlets and held his arm out to her.

She frowned before rolling her eyes and snuggling beside him. He wrapped his arm around her, smiling as she rested her head on his chest and draped her leg over his.

She was asleep within minutes, her breathing soft and steady, holding onto him as if he were of great comfort to her. He admired her peaceful expression, but as he closed his eyes and tried to sleep, his mind saw fit to begin racing, bombarding him with thoughts that were only now creeping in.

The woman in his arms, the wife curled up next to him, was becoming precious. He should have left her in her chamber and gone to his own, putting that barrier between them, but he had been driven by a compulsion akin to madness to ensure that he slept beside her. Now, he regretted it, for the longer he held her, the longer he became accustomed to that feeling, the more he would wish for it.