Page 25 of Irresistible
Dougal rose and offered her his hand. She took a quick sip of tea and set the cup on the table before placing her fingers in his. This contact sent another wave of awareness through him.
This was not good. He was a gentleman, and they were working together. There was no place for arousal or any similar sensation or sentiment.
As soon as she stood, he released her. “Do you require any assistance?”
Jess shook her head. “I can manage. You should remove your coat and waistcoat at least.” She looked to Polly. “Thank you for your help. You may be excused.”
Polly dipped a curtsey and left the room.
Dougal looked down at himself. He should remove his outer garments. He’d been focused on her. As a caring husband should be. The intriguing thing was that he hadn’t consciously thought to do it. He’d simply acted. The line between role and reality was most definitely blurred.
Jess disappeared into the dressing chamber. He peeled away his coat and waistcoat, laying them over the back of one of the chairs at the table for now. The tub was perhaps half full. Dougal was amazed at their efficiency. They must have already had water heating for a bath. Had they stolen it from the Chesmores? He would thank them in the morning.
Dougal sat and removed his boots and stockings. Unlike Jess, his feet had remained dry. Still, he was cold, so he went to the fireplace and warmed himself. More water arrived, and Jess finally emerged from the dressing chamber garbed in a dark red dressing gown that hugged her breasts. He forced his attention to the fire. “The bath will be ready shortly.”
She came to stand beside him and whispered, “And then what?”
He turned his head toward her. “Are you asking what I will do?”
“Well, yes. Normally, I would bathe in the dressing chamber in privacy.”
“Certainly. I’ll remove myself to the dressing room until you’re finished. I need to put on dry clothes anyway.”
“I don’t want you to have to stay in there. You should be by the fire.”
“I’ll take a cup of tea.”
She rolled her eyes. “That won’t warm you enough.”
“I’m not as cold as you were. Ah, here’s the rest of the water.”
The footmen dumped their buckets into the tub, and Dougal informed them that would be sufficient. “Should we ring for you when we’re finished?”
“Yes, sir,” one of them responded. They took their leave, closing the door behind them.
“Well, that was quite a fuss,” Jess said, crossing to the tub.
Dougal strode toward the dressing chamber. “I’ll leave you to it.”
“Thank you for everything. You make an excellent husband.” She began to unfasten her dressing gown.
He tore his gaze away lest he forget what he was doing or even his own name. This reaction to her was completely unacceptable, and he had to find a way to banish it. “You make it easy,” he said. “Take your time.”
“I won’t be long. I assumed you’d get in after me?”
The thought of sliding into the tub her nude body had only recently vacated was enough to send his cock to full attention. “I think I can skip it. You need to be warm. I’ll bundle up by the fire when you’re finished.” He gave her an encouraging smile to underscore his words, then closed himself in the dressing chamber.
Where he tried desperately not to think of her or frig himself in frustration. He did, however, contemplate how the hell he was going to only pretend to be her husband.
Chapter7
After her bath, Jess had dried, then bundled herself into her dressing gown once more. Hunger drove her to the tray of food, where she’d devoured a sandwich and a biscuit with embarrassing speed.
After taking one more biscuit, she’d nervously approached the dressing room door, feeling completely self-conscious about her barely dressed state. She had to become accustomed to it. This was how it would be for the next several days. Perhaps even a fortnight.
She’d knocked and taken an instinctive step back before Dougal had opened the door. He wore a green dressing gown and still had his wig and spectacles on. Of course he would—they were not finished being troubled by footmen yet, as the bath needed to be taken away.
Dougal kept his gaze on her face. “Did you ring for them to fetch the tub?”
