Page 38 of The Swan Detective (The Swan Syndicate #2)

Stella rolled over. In the deep recesses of her brain, something told her to wake. She didn’t want to, and she ignored her intuition. She breathed deeply as sleep returned, but then her senses snapped into place. The strong scent of horse and body odor made her nose wrinkle.

A soft chuckle brought her fully aware as her eyes popped open.

“Teddy! You’re home.” She began to sit up, then dropped back and waved her hand over her nose. “You stink.”

Beckworth sat back and chuckled. He glanced down at the dust on his well-traveled clothing, and when those cornflower eyes sparkled with mischief, she couldn’t help it.

She threw her arms around him and gave him a passionate kiss, but when his hand dipped lower, she pushed him back.

“Oh, no. I might be starved enough for your affection to hug you in filthy clothes, but that’s as far as I’m willing to take it. I’ll have Libby call for a bath.”

She scooted around him and crawled out of bed. When he began to say something, she held up a finger. “I haven’t had my coffee yet, so be careful where you tread.”

He shifted his position so he could watch her as she poured two cups of coffee. She wondered if Barrington had told Libby that Beckworth would arrive in time for morning coffee. Although Libby often brought a second cup if she had time to sit with Stella.

“Fortunately, I can run faster than you in the morning when you haven’t had your coffee.”

“Funny.” She sat at the table and grinned over her cup. “It’s good to have you home. Did you have a good time?”

He hesitated. “It was an interesting three days, and I’m glad to be home. And how were your parties? I hear the women have been staying here with you.”

“The parties were as expected, and yes, with no one else in the manor but Bart and Lincoln, Eleanor and I wanted more womanly company.”

He removed his jacket and then his boots before joining her at the table.

His stubble told her he hadn’t shaved since he’d left the manor.

It must have been some three days. He picked up the mug, sniffed the brew, and sighed.

“I’ve missed Eleanor’s coffee.” He swallowed two large gulps then turned his gaze on her.

She typically enjoyed when he watched her, but she started to squirm when his stare went on for too long. Then she understood. There was something he had to share, something she wouldn’t like, and he was waiting for the right moment.

“What is it?”

He started to speak but paused. She knew that look. He was reconsidering his words. She tried to remain pleasant, but her eyes narrowed just the same.

“With Mary staying here for one more evening, Hensley arranged an evening at the gentlemen’s club with some friends.” Before she could respond, he held up a hand. “In exchange for leaving you alone for yet another evening, I’ve made arrangements for a day together.”

She considered him and his offer. Hensley, as much as she loved the old man, wasn’t to be trusted. Yet, with Beckworth busy at the gentlemen’s club, which could run late into the evening, this gave her and Libby the perfect opportunity to put their own plan in play without making up a story.

She gave him an endearing smile. “What did you have in mind?” She followed it with a wink.

There was a slight twitch of his brows and a bit of a squint. He was suspicious, but when he glanced down at her partially open robe, his gaze turned heated. “I wouldn’t mind a bit of a romp in a nice clean bed after a hot bath, but I was thinking more of a day at Hyde Park.”

“Really?” She didn’t care if he was hiding something. She loved Hyde Park. And she’d missed him terribly. She tried to recall what the women’s plans were for the day and then remembered Flora mentioning a new shop opening.

She leaned over the table, took his hand, and whispered, “Why don’t I go downstairs and entertain the women at breakfast. I’ll see if Lincoln is available to drive us while you take a bath.

" She kissed his hand and squeezed it. “I can’t think of a better way to spend a day with you than a drive through Hyde Park followed by a good romp in bed.”

S tella tucked a loose curl behind her ear and turned her head, pleased by Libby’s latest hairstyle that was simple but highlighted her long neck. Beckworth often mentioned how much he liked her neck, and a blush came over her cheeks as she remembered their dalliance after returning from Hyde Park.

They’d raced through the foyer, grateful to find a quiet manor with the women still out shopping and Bart tucked away in the library.

She’d tripped running up the stairs, and Beckworth swooped in and carried her the rest of the way.

Her giggles echoed down the hallway. A housemaid, who’d been heading their way, slipped into another room, but not before Stella caught her quick grin.

Beckworth didn’t even wait to undress her. He’d tossed her on the bed, then fumbled with his boots, giving Stella time to kick off her own shoes before she scooted up to the pillows. Beckworth stood before her, and she bit her lip, more than eager to watch his seductive moves.

He pulled his shirt up inch by inch, slowly revealing a hard body as it slid up his chest. When his full chest was on display, she couldn’t look away.

He didn’t have the six-pack abs women drooled over, but his flat stomach was enticing enough, especially when she followed the thin trail of hair lower.

She wiggled as he unbuttoned his pants, and she forced herself to remain where she was when all she wanted to do was jump up and yank the damn things off him.

When she glanced up, she inwardly swore.

He lived to tease. Instead of letting the pants drop with their own weight, he stood in such a way that they glided down his legs. Legs that were carved with lean muscle.

The first time they’d made love, she hadn’t considered them runner’s legs, but Finn and Ethan had coerced Beckworth into their morning runs. He wasn’t an avid runner, but he ran a couple times a week. It was enough to add definition in all the right spots.

She licked her lips as he crawled across the bed, a wicked smile on his beautiful face. He lifted her skirts, and his head disappeared underneath.

He placed hot kisses along her legs, and when he reached her upper thigh, her anticipation building, he stopped. She released a groan, and she heard his soft chuckle as he slowly removed her stockings, more inviting kisses trailing behind.

Once the stockings were gone, he slid up her body, kissing her deeply as he traced his fingers up and down her dress-covered thighs. The soft pressure of those strong fingers through the fabric pricked at her nerves.

“Do you know how much I missed you?”

When all she could do was groan her response, he planted soft kisses on her lips, the base of her ear, and then several down the side of her neck before he rolled her over.

He pushed her hair aside. His heated breath created tingles down the back of her neck, and he gave her feather-light kisses as he released each button.

She squirmed. She wanted to roll over and touch him, but her dress and underclothes were removed faster than she expected.

Then his body covered her, the weight comforting and arousing.

There was something to be said of abstinence. Not that she wanted to try it that often, but those lonely nights without his warm body next to hers made her appreciate this time all the more.

And when the waves of release came, he pulled her close and hugged her as if the end of the world were coming and this was how he wanted to see it out.

“It’s only been three days, but it felt like weeks.” She strummed her fingers along his back. The rapid beat of his heart matched her own, and his warm breath brushed against her temple. It didn’t matter which century they were in—this was home.

“I don’t like being away from you.” He kissed her forehead.

She grinned against his chest. “At some point, we need to be adults.”

“Never.”

“Lady Stella. Did you hear me?”

Libby’s words broke the spell that had overtaken her, and she blinked rapidly, a bit irritated at being ripped away from such a pleasurable daydream.

When Stella refocused on her surroundings and managed to hold back a retort, Libby laughed.

“I know that look.” Libby strolled to the bed and began stripping off the linen. She stopped halfway through, a dreamy look on her face. “I think I had a similar look just the other night.” She sighed and dropped the sheets in a pile by the door.

Stella’s thoughts of Beckworth vanished, too curious about Libby’s latest dalliance. “And do I know this man?”

Libby tilted her head for a second before gathering Stella’s dress. “You might have met him at the party. His hair is a touch lighter than yours.”

“An Irishman?”

“A Scot actually.”

Stella considered it for a moment. “I remember. Doesn’t he have a dimple on his right cheek when he smiles?”

“That’s not the only place he has a dimple.”

She let that sink in for a moment before laughing. “And he appeared to have broad shoulders.”

“Broad enough for a girl to get a good grip.”

Stella was still chuckling over the discussion as she made her way downstairs to dinner. The women were already in the drawing room, sharing their shopping trip with Bart and Lincoln. When they moved to the dining room, Stella noticed Barrington hadn’t been the one to call them to dinner.

“Where’s Barrington?”

She expected Eleanor to answer, but Bart answered first.

“He took Beckworth to Hensley’s.” He scratched his head and picked up his spoon, stirring it in the soup as if searching for something before giving Stella a side glance. “Or maybe they were going to the gentlemen’s club. I don’t remember.”

Stella didn’t believe him for a moment, but before she could ask more, Mary changed the subject. “Elizabeth mentioned you have a lead on the thief.”

Stella glanced at Bart, who was head down, slurping the soup. When she hesitated, Eleanor said, “Don’t worry about Bart, he has his own mission to worry about.”