Calstone reclined in his chair and set his boots on Will’s desk. “If that happens, I will have deserved it.”
“It’s good that you know. Now get your muddy boots off my desk.”
Calstone retracted his legs. “Fine, fine. I see the real problem here.”
Will shut his eyes. Listening to Calstone made his temples throb.
“You still haven’t seduced your wife into your bed.”
His eyes snapped open. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?” And he had slept next to her. That could be considered a great advancement from sitting in the doorway.
“That is why you are uneasy with Graves.”
“It’s not, trust me. Harriet compared Graves to you.”
Calstone’s head snapped up. “Me? I’m a damn duke.”
Will shrugged, purposely declining to add further context.
“Now Imustmeet this man.”
You do that.Will shut his eyes again.
He had fallen for a woman with spark. That spark was what he loved most about her. A spark he would never dim. If there were any shortcomings in their relationship, they were his. But no matter his shortcomings, there was one thing Will didn’t lack—determination. And that determination was directed to one objective—win his wife’s heart.
Even if that meant embracing Graves as a brother.
He might not like it, but he would do it.
“I suppose your wife hasn’t seen you naked yet.” Calstone suddenly piped up again. He should never have confided a single thing to his friend. The man would tease him all his life for the blunders of the past week.
Will inhaled a long-suffering breath. “Just go ahead, spit it out. Where are you going with this?”
“Well, as your aim is to court your wife, and seducing your wife with your body is another method of courtship, perhaps it’s time to elevate yourwooing?” His temples throbbed more painfully.
“You have such exceptional arguments. Why don’t you write a play?”
“Brilliant idea,” Calstone said. “But only if you agree to take the role as male lead.”
Will snorted his answer.
“Back to seducing your wife. All you need to do is plant a seed of seduction in her mind. Tempt her.”
Will furrowed his brows. “We’ve kissed.”
“I’d have questioned your ability as a man if you hadn’t.” Will rolled his eyes, and a wicked glint entered Calstone’s gaze. “Don’t you think it’s time to show a bit more skin? Show your wife what she is missing.”
Will eyed his friend, who smiled like a fox “A bit of skin.”
Calstone shrugged. “A chest. Somethingelse.”
“Just bloody stop.”
“Here me out, old chap,” Calstone pressed on. “If you’re going to probe your wife about her outing today, why not do it naked?”
Naked?
Will twirled the thought in his head. This wasn’t the worst idea. In fact, it could be one of Calstone’s better ones today. Not that that was saying very much. “I retract my earlier rebuff.”
