Chapter 17.

"Dare we ask what vile crime you committed?" Hugh asked casually after the ladies had left the gentlemen to their brandy.

"Why do you think I have committed a vile crime?" Adrian said.

"You do understand ..." Sebastian chose his words with care. "Mother told us you and your wife have had some kind of falling-out."

"And that she is now living in that house of hers," James added.

"So, as Evelyn has always struck us as most level-headed and not at all the type of woman to blow things out of all proportion ..." Hugh studied his older brother over the rim of his gla.s.s. "It's only natural to a.s.sume the crime you committed was most vile."

"However," James added quickly, "as she attended dinner tonight and we noticed no overt rancor between you-"

"Although there were a few harsh looks," Hugh said under his breath.

"We also a.s.sume your crime was not so vile as to involve another woman."

"I would never be involved with another woman." Indignation sounded in Adrian's voice. "I gave up other women when I married."

"Most men do." James nodded. "Or they say they do."

Adrian narrowed his eyes.

"However," James added quickly, "a man whose wife has three protective brothers and who values his life would never stray." James's firm gaze slid from one brother to the next. "Nor would a man who is more in love with his wife now than on the day they wed."

Sebastian chuckled. "Excellent answer."

James shrugged. "Nothing but the truth." He grinned. "But it was good, wasn't it?"

Hugh raised his gla.s.s to his brother-in-law. "You, James, are a lucky man." He turned to his brothers. "As are the two of you."

"No argument there," Sebastian said with a smug smile.

Adrian sipped his brandy and wished his sister allowed cigars in her dining room.

"So ..." Hugh studied his brother with what Adrian had always thought of as his a.s.sessing barrister look. "Are you going to tell us what you did or shall our imaginations run amok?"

Adrian forced a cool smile. The last thing he wanted was to share his idiocy with his brothers. "Run away."

James shook his head. "My imagination is not up to a challenge like this. I shall leave that in the hands of the author among us."

Sebastian chuckled. "And while I can think of any number of sins that are significant but not unforgivable, it's probably best to keep them to myself."

"You are wiser than you look," Adrian said.

"He would have to be." Hugh laughed.

"Perhaps, as we are discussing my wisdom," Sebastian began, "I might be of some a.s.sistance. In regards to the handling of wives, that is."

Adrian scoffed. "You've been married, what? Scarcely a month?"

"And yet ..." Sebastian's eyes narrowed in a crafty manner. "I have already learned a great deal."

"If I were to solicit advice from any of you it would be James." Adrian nodded at his brother-in-law. "He's been married forever."

"Not forever." James scoffed and sipped his brandy. "On occasion it may feel like forever ..."

Hugh chuckled.

"But well worth it all in all." James thought for a moment. "It hasn't been entirely perfect but then what is in life? What it has been is good and it continues to be good."

"Our life is good," Adrian said staunchly.

"No doubt." Hugh paused. "Then this difficulty of yours-"

"A momentary aberration," Adrian said firmly. "I expect it to be resolved in no more than another day or two."

"I see." James studied him. "Then you have apologized, vowed never to do whatever it is you did again, groveled-"

"I do not grovel," Adrian said sharply. "I'm not sure I even know how to grovel. But I have apologized, more than once."

"Then all you can do is continue to apologize," James said. "And wait."

Sebastian nodded. "For her to come to her senses."

Hugh snorted. "You really haven't been married very long."

"The last thing you want to do is tell a wife to come to her senses," James said firmly. "Especially when you are in the wrong, as I a.s.sume Adrian is."

"So it would appear," Adrian muttered.

"Nothing infuriates a wife more than the implication that she is irrational, even if she is." Warning sounded in James's voice. "You may trust me on this. I am speaking from experience."

"But you're suggesting I wait?" Adrian shook his head. "I would much prefer to take some sort of action."

"Perhaps you should reconsider groveling," Hugh murmured.

Adrian ignored him. "I was quite optimistic before dinner. We spoke when she arrived and I believe she was very close to forgiving me." He glanced around the table. "I was quite charming."

"No doubt. However, it might have been wise, all things considered," Hugh said, "if you had refrained from coming to the defense of the outraged husband in the tale Bianca told."

"Oh, she did not like that." Sebastian grimaced.

"Nor did any of them." James sipped his brandy. "They are much like herding beasts in that respect, banding together to protect one of their own."

"If I recall correctly, you were once quite skilled at seduction," Hugh said. "Of course, you might well have lost those skills."

Adrian raised a brow. "Those are not the kind of skills one loses." He paused. "Although admittedly, they may well be rusted from lack of use."

"Perhaps you should try seduction. I daresay she won't be overly critical." Hugh shrugged.

Adrian narrowed his eyes. "Thank you for your confidence."

"You have my complete confidence," Hugh said staunchly. "You won her once, you can do it again. Proceed as you did when you first met. Flowers, romantic notes, that sort of thing."

"I have." Adrian huffed. "I am."

"I know this is not what you want to hear, but in situations like this, not that we actually know the situation, time really does heal all wounds." James leaned forward and met Adrian's gaze. "You say she was softening toward you?"

"It seemed so." Of course, that was before she had been reminded of his misdeeds.

"Then continue what you have been doing. Remind her of why she married you in the first place, exactly as Hugh suggested." James thought for a moment. "Perhaps take her to a fine dinner. Or escort her to a ball. Dancing is an excellent means of working your way back into a woman's heart."

"Aren't you going to that charity ball tomorrow night?" Hugh asked.

"It's on my schedule," Adrian said wryly.

"We are planning to attend," Sebastian said. "According to Veronica, it's to be a Venetian masquerade complete with costume and masks." He grinned. "There is nowhere more romantic than Venice and nothing as enticing as flirtation behind a mask."

"You can be anyone behind a mask. Who you really are." Hugh cast them a wicked smile. "Or someone else entirely."

"There is that," Adrian said under his breath. And hadn't he already realized that? Wasn't that why he had decided the masquerade was the perfect place for Eve and Sir to finally meet in person? Although perhaps he hadn't considered the consequences of romantic and enticing in terms of Sir. Nor did he wish to. But enticing and romantic might serve a man wanting his wife back quite well. "It's something to consider."

"I'd say it's a plan." Hugh raised his gla.s.s in a toast.

Adrian shrugged. "I would scarcely call it a plan."

"Oh, it's definitely a plan." Sebastian nodded. "Believe me, I know plans and this one sounds most effective."

"So for one more night, you allow your wife time to consider how much she misses her charming husband," James said.

"Women always want that which is not too easily had." Sebastian nodded in a sage manner. Perhaps he had learned something about wives after all. Or more likely, he simply knew women.

"And tomorrow night, helped by Venetian splendor and a night of dance and romance. Tomorrow night, old man ..." James, too, raised his gla.s.s. "You shall seduce your wife."

"They should have family dinners more often." Max's fingers traced lazy patterns over her naked abdomen, trailing up to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and then drifting lower to her stomach.

"But as it will not continue forever, I need to be on my way." Celeste propped herself up on her elbows and glanced down at his hand. His touch teasing and tantalizing and more than sufficient to make her forget her responsibilities. Desire once again tightened within her. She ignored it. "Whatever are you doing?"

"I am writing you a note."

"Pity I can't read it."

He leaned forward and kissed her stomach. "Shall I read it to you? It's very interesting."

For a moment desire warred with duty. "Next time you may read it to me." She sighed. "Now, however, I should be off. I wish to return home before Evelyn does."

She started to sit up but he pulled her back down.

"You're not going anywhere yet." He threw his leg over hers, shifted to straddle her, then captured her wrists with one hand and held them over her head. He bent and nuzzled the side of her neck. "You love it when I do this."

"I hate it when you do that," she lied and he knew it. How could she hide it? The way her treacherous body writhed beneath him ... the breathless note in her voice ... "Stop it this instant and release me."

He murmured against her skin. "You and I both know if you really wanted me to stop, you have ways of accomplishing just that." He raised his head and grinned down at her. "Painful and most effective ways."

"You would be wise to remember that."

"It is never far from my mind." He released her wrists and straightened but continued to sit with his knees on either side of her hips. He gazed down at her. "I miss you."

She laughed. "I doubt that. I am here nearly every other night."

He shook his head. "But you never stay the entire night."

"There are reasons for that."

"I know." His tone was abruptly serious. "I want you here every night. I want you here when I awaken in the morning."

"Max." She sighed. "If you are talking about marriage again-"

"I am."

"I told you I am not the type of woman you should marry."

"And I told you I shall marry whomever I please." He moved off her and slid off the bed. He grabbed his trousers and pulled them on.

She sat up and pulled the sheet up around her. "If you are putting on clothes, this must be serious."

"It is." He b.u.t.toned his trousers and looked at her. "I am tired of this."

"Nonsense." She ignored the touch of fear that flickered inside her. "You are the least tired man I have ever met. Indeed, insatiable is a more accurate term than tired."

He grinned. "Thank you." His expression sobered. "But I am tired." He waved at the bed. "Of sharing nothing aside from this." His gaze met hers. "I want more."

"There isn't any more, Max," she said softly, hoping he didn't notice the catch in her throat. "Not for us."

He stared at her for a long moment. "You may well be the most stubborn woman I have ever met."

"Then we are well matched as you are the most stubborn man."

"And I have never failed in achieving what I want." His eyes narrowed. "You will marry me, Celeste."

She raised a brow. "If that is a proposal, it's rather high-handed of you."