That was a good question, he thought catching her hands with his and bringing their exploration to a halt. It was difficult to concentrate with her fingers playing across his chest, measuring the width and firmness. And Daniel definitely needed to concentrate now. He needed to come up with a reasonable explanation for his presence in her room that didn’t include his winding up in Gretna Green getting leg shackled. He definitely needed to make it clear that he wasn’t ready to marry.

“Er . . . well, actually, about that,” Daniel began finally, but then frowned as his hands holding hers brushed against the front of her damp gown. She was soaked through with something, whiskey from the smell of it, and he asked, “What happened? Why are you drenched in whiskey?”

“Oh.” Her smile gave way to annoyance and she glanced down at herself. Daniel followed her gaze, noting that the gown was plastered to her like a second skin, and it was definitely her nipples he was seeing through the now sheer cloth.

“Richard tried to stop me from drinking his whiskey and knocked it all over me,” she muttered with disgust. “He claims he’s changed and wants to make Christiana happy, but . . .” She shook her head. “I don’t think he’s changed at all. Chrissy says he won’t let anyone drink his whiskey and he was just as selfish about it in his office a moment ago as she claimed. I don’t think he’s really changed one wit.”

“I don’t know about that,” Daniel murmured, hoping to help Richard in his efforts to convince the women he’d changed so that Christiana would warm to him more quickly. Suzette might be able to influence Christiana if he could convince her that he had truly changed. “Coming as close to death as he apparently did today can make a man reevaluate his life and can be an impetus for change.”

“Hmm.” Suzette didn’t look convinced, but just shrugged, and then smiled and said, “I don’t want to discuss Dicky. I want to talk about us.”

“Us?” he asked weakly.

“Yes. I’m so glad you’ve decided to accept my proposal and marry me, my lord,” Suzette breathed and then rose up on tiptoe to kiss him again. This time she didn’t just caress his mouth with hers, but then she nipped at his lower lip, another trick he’d taught her earlier that night. Damn, she was a fast learner he thought with dismay. And damned good at this kissing business for a beginner, he decided when her tongue slid out to run along his lips. It was a temptation he simply couldn’t resist and Daniel allowed his mouth to open to her, his own tongue sliding out to play.