‘Yes, yes, well, we don’t need to have such details this early in the morning.’
‘You’re becoming flushed.’
‘No, I’m not.’
‘Yes, you are. Let’s suppose we find out how far that lovely colour travels.’
Her bare shoulders were much too tempting and the need to taste her was too great. Gabriel kissed her soft skin, trailing his tongue in circles. Within seconds he was hard.
He needed to sink into her and remind himself she would be at his side till the end of his days. Coaxing her to straddle him yet again, he claimed her lips with a searing kiss.
Yes, waking up beside his wife had its advantages.
‘Tell me that you want me inside you,’ he groaned against her mouth.
The crash by the door made them jump. There in the doorway, Hodges stood frozen in place with the remains of a coffee cup at his feet.
Olivia scrambled off Gabriel and took a good portion of the blanket with her.
‘Does no one bloody knock in this house?’ bellowed Gabriel. ‘We have a new rule. No one enters any room without knocking first!’
‘I...I...I did not know. Your injury...I assumed...’
Gabriel counted to five. ‘Hodges, I think it best if you left Her Grace and me alone now.’
‘But I...that is to say...’
‘Hodges!’
‘You have callers,’ his valet blurted out.
Gabriel looked over at Olivia, who was firmly wrapped in the blanket and appeared just as confused as he was. Focusing his attention back on Hodges, he noticed the man appeared to want to run out of the room but wasn’t certain if he should stay or go.
‘Who is here?’
With his gaze fixed on the floor, Hodges shifted in his stance. ‘His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, along with Lord Hartwick. Bennett has shown them into the Gold Drawing Room and asked me to see if you were well enough to see them.’
Gabriel scrubbed his hand over his face. Tonight he was locking the door to his bedchamber and no one was interrupting them until he was good and ready to unlock it—and that might not be for days.
‘Very well,’ he muttered. ‘Inform Colette that Her Grace is in need of her assistance and let Bennett know he is to see our guests receive whatever they wish. You can have a maid clean that up later. I will see you in my dressing room shortly. And, Hodges...’
‘Yes, sir?’
‘You did not burn yourself, did you?’
His valet finally met him in the eye with an appreciative glance. ‘No, sir.’
Moments later the door was closed and the stillness of the room enveloped them.
‘We need to get out of this bed,’ his practical wife reminded him.
‘I am aware of that,’ he said, breathing in the faint scent of honeysuckle.
‘And yet, you continue to lay there.’
He thought of how much he wanted to be inside of her. ‘I don’t want to leave,’ he said, sounding petulant.
‘Well, I don’t either. However, we have no choice.’ Her back bowed when he ran his thumb over her nipple. ‘Do play fair, Gabriel.’
He sucked on that nipple, rubbing his tongue over it as he did so. When it hardened into a tight bud, he pulled his head away. At least he wouldn’t be the only one physically frustrated while he sat enduring the presence of their guests.
* * *
Olivia had donned her nightrail and dressing gown, and was just helping Gabriel into his banyan when a muffled voice could be heard through the door to her room. They both stilled, listening to the sound.
‘Mama, Mama, where are you?’
They both hurried to the door and as they stepped into her bedchamber, Nicholas walked out of Olivia’s dressing room.
When he saw them, a broad grin lit his face, and he ran over to them. ‘I’ve been searching for you, Mama. Did last night’s thunderstorm frighten Papa again? Is that why you went to his room?’
The indignation on Gabriel’s face made her laugh.
‘Nicolas, for the last time, I am not afraid of thunderstorms.’
‘But Mama was in your bedchamber. Don’t fret, I won’t tell anyone storms scare you. Did Mama make you feel better?’ Before Gabriel could answer him, Nicholas tilted his head and tugged at his father’s empty sleeve in a panic. ‘Where is your arm?’
Gabriel opened the top of his banyan, revealing that his right arm was bent and tied to his chest. ‘Last night—’
‘It’s true!’ Nicholas’s hazel eyes opened wide. ‘You saved Prince George. I heard the servants whispering about it. Were you injured? They said it is in the papers. They said someone tried to shoot the Prince Regent, and you saved his life.’
‘Where were you that you overheard all this at such an early hour of the morning?’ Olivia asked.
‘Near the kitchen. Sometimes when I go there cook will give me...porridge.’ His expression brightened and he nodded. ‘Yes, that’s what I get...porridge, not biscuits or sweets. Just porridge.’ He stepped closer to Gabriel and his voice turned faint. ‘You are very brave, Papa.’
‘I did what needed to be done, Nicholas, to save our Regent. Protecting the Crown is very important.’
Nicholas’s face wrinkled with concern. ‘Can I hug you? Will it hurt?’
‘You will not hurt me.’
The sight of Nicholas clinging to Gabriel’s waist with his eyes squeezed shut brought a lump to Olivia’s throat.
‘Please do not die, Papa. I need you,’ he whispered.
‘I have no intention of dying any time soon, Nicholas. You can be assured of that.’
Their son released Gabriel and stepped back, visibly relieved. ‘That’s why he is here, isn’t it? That’s why the Prince Regent came to call. He wants to thank you. I saw him ride up with his fine carriage with his splendid bits of blood from my window. I was coming here to tell Mama when I heard the servants talking in the hall.’
Olivia stepped closer to Nicholas and put her hand on his shoulder. ‘Thank you. Your father and I have already been told. Once we are dressed, we will be able to find out what business he has in our home.’
Nicholas ran the tip of his shoe along the carpet. ‘I suppose I will have to remain up here. Will you tell me what he wanted?’
Olivia
