“Do you like surprises?” The sparkle in her eyes was unmistakable.
“Normally, they’re too stimulating for my taste, but with you, I don’t mind.”Surprise me every day. Surprise me forever.
He squinted when she flicked her finger in the water, sent drops of water to spray over his face. “I would say that for someone who doesn’t like surprises, you are certainly adept in handing them out, but you’re probably going to respond with:only when it comes to you, love.”
Will chuckled, wiping his face. “Touché, love. You’ve come to understand me quite well.”
“I wish,” she said. “There is still a great deal I wish to understand.”
Ah, yes. She wanted to know the reason why he married her. “You shall understand everything soon.”
“Only a rogue would make a lady wait.”
“Patience is a virtue.”
She jabbed a toe into his flesh. “You are no gentleman,husband.”
That one little phrase sent him from slightly heated to molten lava. A flush spread from his jawline to his neck. He didn’t know whether it was the term itself or her tone or both, but Will suddenly had a big, hard problem below.
He needed to distract himself.
Now.
“How was your stroll with Graves?” Will asked, sure the topic of Graves would cool him right down again. And indeed, it had been his intention to ask anyway.
“You know about that?”
“Of course,” Will said, holding her gaze while he stealthily covered hisproblemwith his arm. “Are you that surprised?”
“I’m more amazed you didn’t join us on our outing.”
“Would you have welcomed me if I had?”
“I welcomed you at Leonora’s.”
“That was different.” Will would never admit that if it hadn’t been for Calstone, he would certainly have joined them today.
“How so? They are all my friends.” One, thin brow rose. “Is it because Rohan is a man? Is that why it’s different?”
Wasit just because Rohan was a man? “I’m not sure, myself.”
“I don’t mind you joining me when I visit with friends. Just like I know you won’t mind if I do the same.”
That was correct—he wouldn’t mind. He loved spending time with Harriet. Any moment with her trumped anything else.
“I suppose I ought to thank you for not forbidding my friendship with Rohan. Most husbands would have.”
“There is no reason to thank me. I’m not most husbands.”
“You certainly are not,” she said with a small smile. “But I know you do not like him, yet you tolerate our friendship.”
“It’s not that I don’t like Graves. But I don’t know the man well enough to form a favorable opinion of him. Since he is a friend of yours, however, I suppose he can’t be that bad.”
“I’m sure he feels the same way about you.”
I’m sure he does, he thought wryly.
Well, one thing was true—this topic had served to help him with his problem.
