“Have I told you how brilliant I think you are?” he asked solemnly.

She blinked in surprise, but shook her head.

“Well I do, and you are,” he assured her, his hands moving over her hips and then down to slip under her skirts. “I find you lovely.” He pressed a kiss to the spot between her breasts. “Intelligent.” His hands glided up the outside of her legs. “Resourceful.” He licked one nipple, nipped at it, then suckled briefly, before releasing it to say, “Amusing.” His mouth dipped to the other breast, attending that nipple as one hand closed around her hip and the other slipped between her legs. “Charming.”

“Richard,” Christiana gasped as his fingers found her core.

“Hush,” he murmured against her breast. “I am discussing my feelings.” And then he paused, his hands stilling as he raised his head to ask. “Or have you heard enough? Shall I stop?”

Christiana shook her head at once. “No, husband. Pray continue.”

A slow smiled claimed his lips and he allowed his fingers to strum over her again as he said solemnly, “I fear it could take a very long time for me to tell you all of them.”

“Then perhaps you should just show me,” she suggested breathlessly, and bit her lip as his fingers slid across her damp skin.

“It would be my pleasure,” he assured her, and proceeded to do so.