“You may have both the neckcloth and the man who wore it,” Stephen said, hanging his coat over the back of her reading chair. His waistcoat and shirt followed, then he sat on her vanity stool to remove his boots.

“Did you mean what you said in the coach?” Abigail asked, taking the reading chair to remove her half boots.

He set his footwear aside. “I was babbling in the coach, but I hope I was babbling honestly.”

“About…” Abigail found it necessary to roll down her stocking very slowly. “Dreaming of me? Did you dream anything in particular?”

Stephen tilted his head to the side and smiled wickedly. “I doubtless dreamed of you taking shocking liberties with my willing person. Perhaps if you toyed with me a bit, I might recall the details.”

He occupied the vanity stool like the king of carnal delights upon his throne, casually naked from the waist up, legs slightly splayed, the fabric of his breeches temptingly tented. Abigail considered taking off her chemise in retaliation but instead knelt between his legs and unbuttoned his falls. His mood was buoyant.

Hers was both sad and fierce.

She wanted these memories with him, and if that made her selfish and greedy, she would be selfish and greedy for an entire week. Also bold, demanding, and—if Stephen’s stamina was anything like she suspected it to be—a little sore in the most delicious places.

Stephen touched her cheek. “You do as you please with me, Abigail. If this is where you want to start, I am your willing servant. If you’d rather take me to bed and cuddle up, I will delight in your affections.”

Abigail considered his offer, and considered his comfort. If they had to move to the bed in the middle of their pleasures, Stephen would need his cane and the transition could introduce an awkward moment.

“Onto the bed,” she said. “On your back.”

“I will spend from anticipatory bliss,” he said, getting to his feet and giving her a hand up. He did use his cane to cross to the bed, and hooked it over the bedside table. “I’ve considered designing walking sticks that can be used to conceal bedroom toys. My family would disown me, but I suspect the results would be very profitable.”

“Your family will never disown you. Lie down.”

“I really must remember not to leave my riding crops around our bedroom,” he said, stretching out with a sigh. “Your inherent confidence gives you a natural aptitude for—Abigail?”

She’d rested her head low on his belly, pushed his breeches out of the way, and swiped her tongue experimentally over the tip of his aroused cock.

“Behold, he is rendered speechless,” she murmured.

Stephen remained silent for a long while, except for the occasional groan or sigh after he’d peeled off his breeches. By the time Abigail’s curiosity was sated, she was more than a little bothered herself. She had no sooner relinquished her prize than Stephen sat up, hoisted her back against the pillows, and draped himself over her.