Watching the pair as he was, Daniel was taken by surprise when Suzette suddenly shifted in his lap and leaned forward to reach for something under their own bench seat. He recovered quickly, however, and under the guise of keeping her from falling off his lap, caught her by the hips, and spread his legs a bit even as he shifted her so that she was on only one knee, riding it astride. An evil smile of his own curved his lips when he heard her gasp, and felt her grab at his calf to balance herself. As she worked to retrieve what turned out to be a second basket, he—again under the guise of preventing her falling—drew her backward along his upper leg, in a completely intentional caress.

Daniel was quite pleased with her breathless and flustered state when she straightened, and was satisfied that he’d just established that two could play at her torture game. Unfortunately, in the next moment that contentment gave way to shock when Suzette proved that she was better at it than he was, by using the basket as cover as she dropped one hand down, slid it beneath her bottom and squeezed him through his trousers.

It was then Daniel acknowledged that the wench was going to drive him mad until he got her wed . . . and probably for the rest of his life. But as she squeezed him again, he admitted that his ride to bedlam would be an enjoyable one.

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

I shall wait in the parlor.”

Suzette glanced to Daniel as he said that in response to Richard’s announcing he needed to change as they all left the breakfast room. They’d arrived back at the townhouse a little after four that morning and had all thought of little else but finding their beds for the night. Despite a short nap in the carriage, Suzette had been so exhausted on reaching her room, she’d barely responded to the light kiss Daniel had given her at her door before following Langley to the room the two men were to share. She hadn’t even bothered to strip before falling on her bed and passing into sleep.