Her protest was cut off as he slipped his hand into the front of her loose bodice. She gave a yelp of surprise then softened against him as a sweep of languid heat suffused her.
He smiled against her nape. “Have I told you how much I approve of these loose-fitting clothes? They allow such wonderful access.”
He spun her around, lowered his head, and kissed the top curve of her breast. They both groaned in pleasure. Heloise attempted a token protest as he lifted her up to sit on the sun-warmed block of granite and settled himself between her thighs. She leaned back as he tugged the linen shirt from the waistband of her harem trousers and ran his hands up her ribs.
“Raven, we can’t! Anyone one might come along!”
He dropped a leisurely kiss on her collarbone. “I’ve sent all the servants back to the ship.”
“Someone else might come!”
“I don’t care. You can blame these trousers you’re wearing. They’re worse than breeches. While you’ve been scrambling around, I’ve been forced to watch your bottom wriggling about in a most provocative manner.”
Heloise let her head fall back. The past few weeks had been a revelation. He’d taught her so much. About her body, and pleasure. And love.
They’d left straight after their hastily planned wedding and in the past week alone Heloise had crossed off every remaining item on her original list. Raven had taken advantage of a deserted beach on one of the Greek islands to take her swimming in the ocean at midnight. Naked. It had been the most extraordinary, wickedly liberating sensation imaginable. And when her list had been exhausted, her outrageous husband had formulated an entirely new, decidedly more scandalous, one. He was coming up with new additions daily.
Egypt had been everything she’d imagined, and more. She’d seen Bedouins and Tuaregs, snake charmers and souks, spices and dates. She’d held her nose at the stink of the tanneries, covered her ears against the din of metalworkers hammering brassware in the streets, and punched Raven in the kidneys for pretending to exchange her for a nice Heriz rug.
Even the wonderful illustrations in theDescription de l’Égyptehadn’t done justice to the still-bright colors of wall paintings and temples over two thousand years old. Heloise was in love with everything, even the reluctant camels—which were more woolly, like a lamb, than hairy like a horse—and were always grumbling and sneezing and spitting. The flies were a constant nuisance, the sand scoured her face, and the midday sun was unbearably hot, but she wouldn’t have changed it for the world. The discomfort was more than a fair exchange for freedom.
“You know we’re going to have to go home eventually, don’t you?” she murmured.
Raven paused in the act of pushing down her bodice. “Yes. But not just yet.”
“That sounds as if you have a plan.”
His grin made her stomach somersault, as usual, and she wondered if she’d ever grow immune to his charm. She hoped not.
“I never make plans. Plans are for people—”
“—with no imagination,” she finished. “Yes, I know.”
“I have anexcellentimagination, Lady Ravenwood.” He kissed her, long and deep. When he resurfaced he said, “I’m going to retire from field work, now that I have a wife.”
She smiled. “I should hope so. I’d be extremely cross if you went and got yourself killed now you’ve finally realized you love me. You’ve endured more than enough injuries on behalf of King and Country. Besides, scrabbling around in back alleyways is undignified and no suitable position for a man who will one day be a duke.”
He made a disgruntled face. “Castlereagh wants to retire. He’s looking for someone to take over as head of the network…”
She patted his chest. “There you go, then.”
“It’s not going to be easy, accepting the responsibilities of a dukedom, either,” he said, kissing her ear.
“I know. That’s the thing about power. It’s a poisoned chalice. The Ancient Egyptians had a riddle about it.”
“Of course they did,” he groaned.
“ ‘What’s sweeter than honey and more bitter than bile? The office of vizier.’ ” Heloise put her hand up to his face and stroked his cheek. “But we’ll do it together. You’re not alone. Not anymore.”
He turned his face and kissed the inside of her wrist. “I think our first official party when we get back home should be a masked ball. What do you think?”
“If you wish. We already have the masks.”
He looked at her in feigned amazement. “What’s this? Acquiescence? Actual obedience? I think I need to sit down!”
Heloise shot him a demure smile. “I’m extremely agreeable when it comes to doing things Iwantto do.”
“Let’s test that theory, shall we? Kiss me again, Lady Ravenwood.”
“Yes, my lord. With pleasure.”