Daniel raised his eyebrows at that. “What exactly does that mean?”

“Well,” Suzette said slowly, drawing out the word as she tried to find the words to explain exactly what she did want. The truth was she wasn’t sure what she meant by it, except that she didn’t want to be stuck having to put up with a nasty, critical husband who would pick at her and make her miserable for the next forty years or so. Sighing, she said, “I suppose it means that I will be free to travel with my maid, or to live in the country while you are in town, or I may live in town while you are in the country if I wish. I mean if I find your company . . . er . . . unpleasant.”

“I see,” Daniel said dryly. “And if we are always apart, how exactly are we to gain heirs?”

“Oh.” Suzette flushed. “Well, I suppose we could arrange for occasional visits for . . . er . . . procreative purposes.”

“Occasional visits for procreative purposes?” he echoed with disbelief, and then muttered dryly, “My, how scintillating that sounds.”

Suzette frowned, for really it did sound rather cold, nothing like the passionate delirium she had read about in one of Lisa’s novels. But then, truthfully, she simply couldn’t fathom the ecstasies described in that book. She’d never even been kissed and what if she didn’t enjoy his kisses? Just because he didn’t have bad breath didn’t mean she would enjoy these visits she spoke of so boldly. Coming to a decision, she straightened abruptly, and said, “We must kiss.”

That caught his attention and he asked with amazement, “What?”

“Well, we should see if we would deal well together in . . . er . . . that regard,” she muttered, blushing hotly. Swallowing, she forced herself to add firmly, “You should kiss me. Then we will know.”

“My dear young lady,” Daniel began seeming half amused and half horrified, “I really do not think—”

“Oh, for pity’s sake,” Suzette interrupted impatiently, and then leaned forward again, this time pressing her lips to his. In her rush to get it over with, she lost her balance a bit and had to catch a hold of his jacket to steady herself as she smooshed her mouth against his. She then waited for the warm and wonderful commotion she’d read about to assault her. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any commotion. Really this was no more exciting than pressing her mouth to a cup, Suzette thought with dismay, and released him to sit back again with a most disappointed sigh. “Oh dear, I fear you’re no good at this.”

“Excuse me? I am no good at this?” Daniel asked with amazed disbelief. “My dear girl, if you think that was a kiss—”