'I was thinking genetics have a lot to answer for. You seem to be developing a talent for making rules and then changing them too,' she elaborated.
He got the message and an answering gleam of wry humour shone in his eyes. 'Is that the only talent you think I've got?'
'Everyone says you're an excellent barrister,' she remarked rather primly.
'I wasn't thinking professionally.'
'I don't know how to flirt,' she admitted as frustrated confusion closed in. It was hard to know where jokes ended and the serious stuff began. If she got caught up in this intimate repartee, she might just confess more than she wanted to. More importantly, more than he wanted to hear.
I’m quite good at repairing gaps in education, if you'll let me.'
He wasn't laughing at her any more. Looking into his compassionate, warm eyes, she wanted to blurt out the truth.
'I think you're very good,' she replied in a breathy, intense voice. 'I'd better go and catch Mrs Turner. Come along, Tom.' She caught the little boy by both hands and swung him off the bed. Sometimes, she reflected, it wasn't just what you said, it was the way you said it. No wonder Ethan was staring at her in that peculiar way!
'I'm sorry about that.'
Hannah started, and twisted around as the deep voice close beside her abruptly broke into her reverie. She inadvertently sent a shower of water over the front of Ethan's pale chinos.
'Sorry.' Flustered, she reached forward and dabbed at the damp spots with her wet hands, making matters worse.
'It doesn't matter,' Ethan choked hoarsely. Seeing her kneeling there had brought a vivid image of her sweet mouth...! He caught his breath as his body automatically responded to the provocative mental picture. He smiled in a strained manner as she looked up. If he answered the puzzled question in her eyes, she'd be shocked. Although she hadn't seemed shocked last night. Recalling the wanton eagerness of her responses wasn't the best way to dampen his arousal, he decided wryly.
'You should change them—not here,' she added hurriedly. Even if I am in a perfect position to assist you... What devilish imp planted that naughty idea in her head? It could have been worse—she might have said it out loud! 'I mean, you could if you wanted to, but I wasn't suggesting...' She took a deep breath. Best stop before she sounded like a total idiot. Who am I kidding? she thought. There's no before about it.
Ethan got down on his knees beside her. 'It might be simpler if I got down as you're so interested in the floor.'
'I lost something.'
'What?'
She eyed him rather resentfully; he wasn't being very helpful.
'Dog, Daddy,' Tom said, throwing a large duck at his father. Ethan ably caught it.
'Duck.'
'Dog,' Tom repeated with a grin.
'I get the impression Tom's vocabulary is a bit restricted.'
'He's very intelligent,' Hannah said, automatically defensive at any implied criticism. 'All animals are dogs and all men are Daddy.'
'I noticed he's indiscriminate with his favours when he attached himself like a limpet to Drew this morning,' Ethan observed drily.
'You're determined to dislike him, aren't you?'
Ethan was being so unfair. She could appreciate that the idea of your mother with a younger—a very much younger—man might be hard to take, but he wasn't even trying. 'Why can't a woman fall in love with a younger man? People don't have any control over these things,' she said indignantly.
'Don't mistake your own unrequited passion for Mother's affairs of the heart. She's never settled for unrequited in her life!' Ethan's lips formed into a hard line of disapproval.
'Oh!' she said without thinking. 'I forgot I told you that.'
'Well, I haven't forgotten,' he replied rather grimly. 'I've been thinking—it might be better, considering Emma's comment, if we stopped having separate rooms.'
Hannah wiped her hands carefully on a towel. 'In the interests of keeping up appearances,' she said carefully.
'That's one reason,' he agreed blandly.
'There's another?'
'I want to make love to you every night and every morning and occasionally in between.'
The towel slipped unnoticed to the floor and Hannah continued to wring her hands, oblivious to the loss. 'Is that being a bit ambitious?' she asked huskily. In her widest dreams she'd never imagined such an outspoken avowal of desire.
'Worried that I'm not up to it?'
'Well, there is a worrying age gap...'
'You minx!' he said, a hard light glinting in his eyes as he took her by the shoulders. "There's no comparison and you know it. I'm really sorry if you were embarrassed downstairs, Hannah. Are you happy about last night?'
'I'm glad about last night, Ethan,' she admitted huskily.
'Out, Daddy, now!'
Ethan closed his eyes in exasperated defeat. 'That child has inherited his timing from his grandmother and her domineering disposition. I never seem to see you without the children being around.'