The sky hung low and gray to match Georgiana’s thundercloud scowl, though, and a kiss would go a long way to brightening up, well, everything. How long had it been since his lips had touched another’s? He liked kissing too, and he’d given it up. For a good reason. Even if his father didn’t see it.
The storm clouds above made a home in his chest.
No! He would not turn grump. Christmas was a mere three days away, and his friend had arrived to make things merrier than they would have been. What need had he of a wife when he had Georgiana? There was no room in his life for a wife. But Georgiana fit just nicely.
“Lady Gee,” he said, looking over his shoulder at her, “the weather has entered your face. Be careful about that.”
Her scowl deepened. “This seems the height of folly. Skating. Bah.”
“It’s the height of diversion. You’ll see. And it saved you from more communal merriment.”
“There’s that I suppose.” A grumble like thunder.
“Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall.”
She glared. “I hope I skate circles around you.”
“The negus leaving you feeling nasty, Gee? Have a headache?”
She bared her teeth. Pretty little things. Didn’t make him a bit afraid.
When they reached the water’s edge, they stopped and surveyed the dark-blue ice.
“Are you sure it’s thick enough?” she asked, worrying her bottom lip.
“See how it’s dark blue in color? That means it’s safe. Thick. If it were white, we’d not venture out. Is it thick enough?” He huffed. “Lady Georgiana, I would not toss you on too thin ice. Surely you know this about me. If you fell through, I’d have to go in after you, and do you know how cold that would be?”
“Very?”
“My bollocks would freeze off.”
The storm cloud broke, and a smile lit her face like the summer sun, melting the ice within her. She threw a laugh skyward that called to his own smile as he slung the blades to the ground. See, he didn’t need a kiss to give her the sun.
“This is why I value our friendship, Josiah. You do not mince words around me. I thank you for it. Most see a lady and censor every word that passes their lips.”
He dropped to the ground. “Are you a lady? Hadn’t noticed.” He had. Often. Quite often he’d noticed her… lady bits. He simply chose to ignore them. To varying degrees of success.
“Precisely.” She dropped to the ground beside him and reached for a pair of blades. “Now, how do you do this?”
“Let me.” He came around to face her and took the blades from her gloved hands. Her cheeks were lovely today, berry red and glowing, and he tried his best not to notice, but Xavier’s question yesterday—have you thought about sleeping with her—had not stopped nagging him since. He picked up one of her booted feet and fitted it to the skate. “You’ve got big feet,” he grumbled. And nice ankles and pink stockings that he should not know existed, and placing a kiss right in the hollow behind her ankle bone would be—
Damn Xavier. Right to hell for he’d thrown Josiah into one. Would he ever be able to turn off the visions the wordkisshad flooded through him?
She swatted his shoulder. “Take it back.”
“Can’t take back the truth.” Can’t take back dares, either, and all their wanton suggestions.
“Humph. The better to kick you with, then.”
“If you can catch me.” He finished tying her skates on her boots and managed his own before standing and holding out a hand to her.
She took it, and he pulled her to her feet, studying her as she studied the lake stretching out before them.
“You look worried, Lady Gee.”
“I am a bit. I’ve never done this before.”
“And you really doubt you’ll be anything but terribly proficient in no time at all?”
