“Now your boots.”
He pulled them both off by cupping the heel and sent his stockings after them.
He stood before her in only his tan breeches, his hands on his hips, his head slightly tilted as he looked challengingly at her. She hoped the look she sent him back was equally challenging.
“And your breeches.”
She saw him hesitate for a moment. He went to say something, but didn’t. Then he started unbuttoning the fly. She did not help him even though she longed to. She realized her breath had shortened in her throat, and her heart was a hammer in her chest. He had undone all the buttons, and then he held her gaze with his own as he slid the breeches down his long legs and stepped out of them, hanging them with his shirt.
As he turned back towards her, wearing only his cotton drawers, his arousal was obvious. Her eyes went there and then met his gaze.
“And now, Your Grace, what would you do with me?”
Rose had to squash down the full gamut of things she wanted him to do with her.
“Or was this just a game to get me to take my clothes off while you remain fully dressed?”
“It worked,” Rose laughed at him and was rewarded by a twinkling in his eyes.
“Lie down on your front,” she told him. “It is my turn to be the masseur. It is my birthday wish.”
She saw the spark of anticipation flash through Will’s eyes.
“But it seems the gift is to be mine!”
“I have had so many gifts today, and this shall be my final one.”
She wondered if her expression was as heated as she felt inside.
He smiled at her and held her gaze for some seconds more. Eventually, he kneeled on the bed and then lay full length on it, hiding his erection from her view, but the fabric of his drawers pulled tight across his buttocks, outlining every inch of them.
Rose stood for a moment and just stared. Then she went over to her dressing table and collected a small bottle of aromatic oil.
He was watching her with his head turned sideways.
“What potion do you intend to smear on me?” His eyes danced.
“Just a little oil to make my hands slide across your skin.”
His eyes darkened.
“Do you intend to be naked too?” He asked hopefully.
“I think that might be a little distracting.”
“Indeed,” he grinned. But then his grin turned to astonishment as she began to remove her dress by pulling it up and over her head.
“I wouldn’t want to get any oil on it,” she explained.
“No,” was all he said, but his eyes said so much more.
She pulled her shift over her head, a move that seemed to shock himas he rose up on both elbows. Then she stood before him, wearing nothing but a corset across her breasts and cotton drawers to her knees. Between the two, her flat stomach was visible.
Will did not say anything, but let out a soft low whistle between his teeth.
“Lie down,” she ordered.
It was obvious Will really didn’t want to, so she put her hand on the back of his neck, where his curls fell, and slowly pushed his face into the pillow.