Instead of focusing only her naked wet body on a few feet away, he ran the brush through her messy tresses. She let out little moans that made his cock stiffen more. Focus on her hair.
“That feels lovely.”
“Your hair is shorter than I thought.”
She giggled lightly. “I sold some of it to a wig maker.”
“You did what?”
“I needed a little extra money after I returned from Northwood Park, so I cut my hair and sold it.” She shrugged. “Women do it all the time.”
“Because you spent all your money on an impulse to pay me a visit,” he reprimanded. “That was not the wisest of ideas.”
She nodded slightly. “I believe we already decided I’m not the most logical around you. After all, I’m sitting in the bathtub with the most eligible duke of the realm. Perhaps not my best decision.”
“Not quite sitting with me as I am out of the tub playing lady’s maid,” he retorted before leaning in to kiss her bare shoulder. “And personally, I think it was an excellent decision.”
“This tub is quite large, and I can only assume it was built to hold more than one person.”
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“Perhaps,” he said, plaiting her hair.
“You could join me while the water is warm.”
Harry looked up at the ceiling and sighed. “I am trying to be a gentleman and let your body recover a bit.”
“I don’t remember complaining about being sore. Besides, I only said you could join me in the tub. I did not say anything about making love.”
“If I join you in that tub, we will end up back in bed.” Where he wanted to stay all day.
“I thought that was the last of the B’s. We had breakfast, I am bathing, and the last was bed. I doubt either of us could be in your bed and just sleep.”
“At this point, I rather doubt I’ll ever get a good night sleep with you next to me.” Against his better judgment, he pulled his shirt over his head and stood to remove his breeches. “Slide forward so I can climb in.”
As she moved toward the front of the large copper tub, he climbed in behind her and then circled his arms around her, bringing her against his chest. She leaned back and let her cheek rest against him.
“When did you learn how to plait a lady’s hair? Or is that an indelicate question?”
“My daughter loves for me to do her hair. Nurse taught me,” he admitted. “And it is much easier to work on a woman who sits still than a four-year-old.”
She giggled lightly. “Charlotte is a bundle of energy.”
“Yes, I am afraid she may have inherited that from me.” Harry caressed her cheek as she closed her eyes. “I do believe she likes you very much.”
“The day I departed, I stopped by your home to find out where you had gone. I saw her for a moment then. Lady Radley was taking her to the park.”
He frowned. “Daphne told you where I had gone?”
“Of course not. I don’t believe your sister likes me at all.”
He couldn’t deny that, so he remained silent. “Then how did you discover I was here? Jenkins would never have told you.”
“No, he would not speak of it.” She smiled against his chest. “At least not directly. I might have been told that it was a good day to go to Hell.”
He stiffened. “You should not have gone there, much less alone.”
“Emma came with me. Your brother was quite lovely, Harry. He lent me his carriage.”