Harriet nodded. He looked carefree as he joined her on the floor. Had he always cut such a dashing figure?
She reached for the bottle and rolled it towards him. He caught it and removed the cork, taking a swig. His gaze once again burned into hers. “Strong.”
She waved her hand. “You will get used to it.”
“I did not take you for a gin drinking wench.”
“Wench?” Harriet laughed. “I suppose I am.”
“Did you worry about tonight?”
Harriet shrugged. “Well, a woman can never be too cautious.”
“Against your husband?”
“Well, you have a history of barging into chambers and cabins and kissing unsuspecting ladies.”
He took another swallow of the gin, his lips inching upward. “I seemed to recall that a specific wench kissed me back.”
“She must have been overcome by madness.”
“He must have been as well.”
Harriet stared at him as his gaze took in the chaos that had become this chamber. Dresses flung all over the bed. Bits and baubles scattered everywhere. So far, he’d been exceedingly considerate. Yet, beneath his good humor something else lingered. He almost looked... hurt.
Come to think of it, he had the same look when she told him the reason why she hadn’t invited her father. Then another image popped into her head—a flash of expression after she accused him of all sorts of things the first day they met in the hallway.
She cleared her throat, taking a sip of her drink. “It’s true that we both have done some outlandish things. It seems to be a theme.”
His gaze returned to her. “Will there be more outlandish things coming my way?”
She lifted her glass at him in a salute. “You shall have to watch and see.”
“Was mentioning the word annulment part of this watch and see?” He put the bottle aside. “I might as well tell you now, that is not happening. I don’t plan on ever separating.”
“I know.”
“I suppose I should be grateful you didn’t drink directly from the bottle.”
“Speaking of which,” she lifted her almost empty glass. “Give it back. It’s mine.”
“Let’s not talk about what’s yours and what’s mine.” He took another swig from the bottle.
Harriet angled her head. “Why? Because what’s yours in mine and what’s mine is yours?”
He grinned at her. “Exactly.”
Gosh, she couldn’t get used to that smile. Lawd, what was happening to her? She was hot all over. She patted her cheeks. “Is that why you had my belongings brought to your chamber?”
“The chamber was mine before we wed. Now it’s ours.”
“You do know that husbands and wives don’t share rooms. It’s highly unfashionable. Just look at my parents. The perfect example of an arranged marriage.”
“How about we make our own example?”
Their own example? That didn’t sound half bad. “I quite like that idea. We are even off to a good start. A wife stealing her husband’s chamber and ushering him into the adjoining one.”
“Tell me, love, is this what you wanted when you accepted our marriage yesterday? To bar me from my own chamber?”
