should they ever capture one of your ships and ransom it for booty as they’ve recently been doing to other American ships. No doubt, you’d sail off to confront them with cannons blazing and cutlass at the ready in much the same fighting spirit as you exhibited during my rescue.”
Jeff laughed in amusement at such a farfetched notion and shook his head. “That sounds like something my brother would do, my pet, not me.”
“I perceive that you and Brandon are more alike than either of you realize, Jeffrey.”
“How can you say that, madam?” her husband challenged, tossing a grin over his shoulder. “You’ve known us hardly more than a fortnight.”
“Nevertheless, when Dr. Clarence drew me out of Gustav’s warehouse that night and I realized what you were planning to do with the aid of Brandon and your friends, I came to the conclusion that you and your brother were much in accord. At the time, you both seemed eager to launch the attack against those river rats in spite of the odds against you and the others who were with you. Even considering all the men Gustav has in his employ and his well-stocked arsenal, he really didn’t have a chance against the lot of you.”
“Gustav deserved everything we managed to do to him, Raelynn,” Jeff stated with conviction. “In my estimation it wasn’t nearly enough.”
“I agree, sir, but it’s not very heartening for a wife to realize that her husband enjoys a battle as much as a well-versed cavalier.”
Jeff’s eyebrows flicked upward briefly as he offered a different opinion of himself. “I’ve always considered myself a rather peaceable sort.”
When he turned his head to look at her, Raelynn had a chance to search his face and the sparkling green eyes. Lifting a hand, she lovingly stroked her fingers along his cheek, tracing one of the handsome grooves that always appeared whenever he smiled. “Aye, you truly seem to be that, Jeffrey Birmingham . . . at least until you’re riled.”
“I can’t deny that I was enraged by your abduction, my sweet. It was my most earnest desire to negate the possibility of another such occurrence. You can hardly blame me for making an attempt.”
“You mistake me, Jeffrey. I’m not reproaching you for leading an attack on Gustav’s warehouse, only saying that it’s a little frightening for a wife to discover that underneath her husband’s debonair charm there beats a heart of a warrior.”
Jeff was intrigued by the tempting softness of his wife’s lips and lowered his head to hers, prompting Raelynn to clasp his arm tightly against her bosom. Completely engrossed in consuming the honeyed sweetness of her mouth, he probed its depths with the fiery brand of his tongue, at first gently and then with quickening fervor.
Raelynn all but groaned in disappointment as he drew away. “You shouldn’t kiss me like that when there’s no privacy to be had nor a bed conveniently near. You must be aware by now what your kisses do to me.”
Jeff leered at her. “I know of a nice hostelry where we might linger for an hour or two.”
“You’re only teasing me,” she fussed, dimpling prettily.
His broad shoulders lifted briefly. “Even if I were, the notion is tempting enough for us to consider. Don’t you agree, madam?”
Raelynn rolled her eyes, thinking of the outlandish rumors they’d likely garner from such an interlude. “Just imagine the stares we’d receive if we checked out an hour or so after registering. The whole town would be abuzz.”
“Aye, but think how well we’d enliven the gossips’ rumors for a day or two, my sweet. They’d be ever so grateful.”
“No doubt, but I prefer to be a bit more discreet.”
Jeff heaved an exaggerated sigh of disappointment. “As you will, madam.”
Raelynn perched her chin upon his shoulder, admiring his aristocratic profile. “Would you be at all averse if I were to touch you now?”
His brows gathered in bemusement as he scanned her fine visage. “In
Jeff laughed in amusement at such a farfetched notion and shook his head. “That sounds like something my brother would do, my pet, not me.”
“I perceive that you and Brandon are more alike than either of you realize, Jeffrey.”
“How can you say that, madam?” her husband challenged, tossing a grin over his shoulder. “You’ve known us hardly more than a fortnight.”
“Nevertheless, when Dr. Clarence drew me out of Gustav’s warehouse that night and I realized what you were planning to do with the aid of Brandon and your friends, I came to the conclusion that you and your brother were much in accord. At the time, you both seemed eager to launch the attack against those river rats in spite of the odds against you and the others who were with you. Even considering all the men Gustav has in his employ and his well-stocked arsenal, he really didn’t have a chance against the lot of you.”
“Gustav deserved everything we managed to do to him, Raelynn,” Jeff stated with conviction. “In my estimation it wasn’t nearly enough.”
“I agree, sir, but it’s not very heartening for a wife to realize that her husband enjoys a battle as much as a well-versed cavalier.”
Jeff’s eyebrows flicked upward briefly as he offered a different opinion of himself. “I’ve always considered myself a rather peaceable sort.”
When he turned his head to look at her, Raelynn had a chance to search his face and the sparkling green eyes. Lifting a hand, she lovingly stroked her fingers along his cheek, tracing one of the handsome grooves that always appeared whenever he smiled. “Aye, you truly seem to be that, Jeffrey Birmingham . . . at least until you’re riled.”
“I can’t deny that I was enraged by your abduction, my sweet. It was my most earnest desire to negate the possibility of another such occurrence. You can hardly blame me for making an attempt.”
“You mistake me, Jeffrey. I’m not reproaching you for leading an attack on Gustav’s warehouse, only saying that it’s a little frightening for a wife to discover that underneath her husband’s debonair charm there beats a heart of a warrior.”
Jeff was intrigued by the tempting softness of his wife’s lips and lowered his head to hers, prompting Raelynn to clasp his arm tightly against her bosom. Completely engrossed in consuming the honeyed sweetness of her mouth, he probed its depths with the fiery brand of his tongue, at first gently and then with quickening fervor.
Raelynn all but groaned in disappointment as he drew away. “You shouldn’t kiss me like that when there’s no privacy to be had nor a bed conveniently near. You must be aware by now what your kisses do to me.”
Jeff leered at her. “I know of a nice hostelry where we might linger for an hour or two.”
“You’re only teasing me,” she fussed, dimpling prettily.
His broad shoulders lifted briefly. “Even if I were, the notion is tempting enough for us to consider. Don’t you agree, madam?”
Raelynn rolled her eyes, thinking of the outlandish rumors they’d likely garner from such an interlude. “Just imagine the stares we’d receive if we checked out an hour or so after registering. The whole town would be abuzz.”
“Aye, but think how well we’d enliven the gossips’ rumors for a day or two, my sweet. They’d be ever so grateful.”
“No doubt, but I prefer to be a bit more discreet.”
Jeff heaved an exaggerated sigh of disappointment. “As you will, madam.”
Raelynn perched her chin upon his shoulder, admiring his aristocratic profile. “Would you be at all averse if I were to touch you now?”
His brows gathered in bemusement as he scanned her fine visage. “In
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