“She knew?” he interrupted in a surprised tone. “Is that something you often speak of?”

She glared at him. “It is not something that usually arises in conversation, my lord. ‘I plan on taking a lover, could you make certain my daughter is taken care of?’” She shook her head. “But Sarah and I share everything.”

“Oh,” he replied in a subdued tone. “I did not mean to imply—”

“That I am a woman of loose morals?” she said sharply. “You are the only one I have even considered in that manner since Mr. Baxter left.”

“I apologize.” He spoke in a quietly sincere tone of voice. They walked toward the front of the inn. “I didn’t mean that. I was more stuck on the idea that you and your friend would be so open with one another.”

“Oh. Yes, we are,” Della said.

“If anything,” he continued, “it is a relief to find you are a woman of experience.” He swung the door open.

She lifted her eyebrow toward him. She had yet to meet a man who didn’t care about a lady’s past.

“No, truly!” he said in response to her expression. “Imagine if I had to be the leader in that situation like so many others. For once, I’d like to be doing something and have the other person know just as well what should be done.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “So you’re saying that because you’re the captain of a ship, and now a duke’s heir, that you want to be relieved of responsibility in bed?”

“Well, I still want to be able to ask for what I want,” he replied with a knowing look. “But it is far more pleasurable if the person knows how to fulfill my needs.”

Della couldn’t resist the self-satisfied smile that appeared on her face. “I do, my lord. I promise.”

“This way,” he said, guiding her through the inn. She had barely gotten a look at it before he was bringing her up the stairs and down the hall toward where she presumed their bedroom was.

Their bedroom. She was actually going to do this, finally. After thinking about it for so long, nearly backing out of it when he had shown himself to be an arrogant ass, then changing her mind when she realized he was an arrogant ass, but he was an arrogant ass who could realize he was wrong.

Plus he seemed, at least for the moment, to be her arrogant ass.

He unlocked the door and guided her inside, his hand at the small of her back.

The room was small but tidy, dominated by an enormous bed that appeared to be big enough even for him.

She turned to him. “Did you choose this room based solely on that?” she asked, gesturing to the bed.

He raised one rakish eyebrow. “Of course. What other criteria would I have?”