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Evie looked up at him from under her lashes, thoroughly pleased when he seemed to waver beneath just her gaze.

“Yes, because you might scandalize the footmen, and my reputation would be all but ruined,” she explained gently.

“I think I pay them well enough to keep their damned mouths shut!”

She placed a hand on his heart. “A short delay will only make our reunion sweeter, I should think.”

He frowned at her. “Since when did you become so good at playing coy with me, Duchess?”

“Me? Playing coy?” She laughed, poking his chest with a finger. “Let me remind you,husband, that it wasyourdelay that caused this separation.”

His gaze softened as he captured her offending finger. “I have hurt you,” he murmured hoarsely. “And for that, I shall never forgive myself.”

“You have a good many years to make up for your mistakes.” She smiled up at him, then leaned in and whispered in his ear, “You must make good use of them.”

“Oh, I wholly intend to!” he swore, taking her fingertip into his mouth and sucking on it lightly.

When she let out a soft gasp, his gaze darkened, and he swirled his tongue around the delicate digit.

Rogue!I have married a man without scruples, and now I must endure the torment of his teasing!

“You were saying?” he prompted her with a naughty grin.

Evie gathered her composure and glared at him in reproach. “I was thinking that we should probably inform the Dowager Duchess of our reconciliation,” she grumbled, mildlyembarrassed to find that he had so easily managed to scatter her wits.

“Caroline can wait,” he scoffed. “Right now, I must properly welcome you back toyourresidence.”

The carriage came to a halt, and fortunately, the footman was discreet enough to knock and announce their arrival instead of simply opening the carriage door and exposing them.

Evie laughed and pushed Daniel away as she rearranged her clothes and her hair, but he continued to watch her with eyes dark with desire. Inwardly, she trembled, knowing full well what awaited her.

Once she had decided she was ready, he nodded subtly and stepped out of the carriage first. Evie put her hand in his, fully expecting him to help her down.

Instead, to her great surprise, his hand closed over hers and, with a firm tug, sent her hurtling into his chest with a surprised shriek. Daniel did not even change his expression as he threw her over his broad shoulder, her rump hanging in midair.

“Daniel!” she cried. “Put me down this instant!”

“Never,” he replied much too cheerfully.

“Think of the servants—” she protested.

“They know very well when to avert their eyes.”

It was true, though—from the moment Barnaby closed the door behind them, the whole manor was surprisinglyempty. As if every living soul had scurried away upon their arrival.

He could not have told them to disperse, could he?

“Stop moving around,” he warned her.

He delivered a sharp slap to her bottom, enough to jolt her out of her thoughts yet gentle enough to not actually hurt her.

“I cannot believe you are doing this!” she grumbled. “This is most undignified!”

“Oh, I plan to do more undignified things to you later,” he drawled. “After all your teasing in the carriage, you should be punished for your insolence.”

The thinly veiled threat made Evie flush as her core clenched in response.

Dear Lord, I have not even been back for five minutes and I already want him so much!