Free Everything and the Moon by Julia Quinn

book. “I had no idea you so enjoyed astronomy.”
    Victoria swallowed, not about to tell him that the moon and stars made her feel closer to him. Or rather, closer to the person she'd thought he'd been. “My lord,” she said with a sigh. “Why are you doing this?”
    He shrugged and sat on her small bed. “Doing what?”
    â€œThis!” She threw up her arms. “Coming to my room. Sitting on my bed.” She blinked, as if just realizing what he was doing. “You're on my bed. For God's sake, get off my bed.”
    He smiled slowly. “Make me.”
    â€œI am not so infantile that you can rile me with such a challenge.”
    â€œNo?” He leaned back against her pillows and crossed his ankles. “Don't worry. My boots are clean.”
    Victoria's eyes narrowed, and then she picked up the basin full of water she used for washing and dumped it on his head and chest. “I take that back,” she said acidly. “I can be quite childish when the occasion warrants.”
    â€œGood Christ, woman!” Robert sputtered, leaping off the bed. Water ran in rivulets down his face, soaking his cravat and shirt.
    Victoria leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, quite pleased with her handiwork. “Do you know,” she said with a satisfied smile, “but I think that all might be right with the world after all.”
    â€œDon't you dare,” he roared, “try a stunt like that again!”
    â€œAnd do what? Impugn your honor? I wasn't aware you had any.”
    He advanced on her with menacing steps. Victoria probably would have taken the cowardly way out and retreated, but her back was already up against the wall. “You,” he said savagely, “are going to be extremely sorry you did that.”
    Victoria couldn't help it. She giggled. “Robert,” she said, lapsing into the familiar. “Nothing could ever make me sorry I did that. For the rest of my life I will treasure this moment. Treasure it. In fact, this may very well be the one thing I am least sorry—”
    â€œVictoria,” he said, his voice deadly. “Shut up.”
    She did, but she didn't stop smirking.
    He closed the space between them until he was just a heartbeat away. “If you are going to get me wet,” he said, his voice dropping into a husky murmur, “then you are damn well going to dry me off.”
    Victoria scooted to the side. “Perhaps a towel…I'd be happy to lend you mine.”
    He moved so that he was right in front of her again, and touched her chin with his fingers. His body was hot, but his eyes were even hotter. “I've waited a lifetime for this,” he whispered, pressing his body against hers.
    The water from his clothing soaked into Victoria's dress, but she didn't feel anything but the heat from his body. “Don't,” she whispered. “Don't do this.”
    His eyes held a strange desperation. “I can't help it,” he said hoarsely. “God help me, I can't help it.”
    His lips came down toward hers with agonizing slowness. He hovered for a moment when he was just a hairbreadth away, as if he was trying to hold himself back at the last moment. Then, with stunning swiftness, his hands left her arms and moved to the back of her head, binding her lips to his.
    Robert planted his hands into her thick hair, unmindful of the way her hairpins were clattering to the floor. It felt just the same—silky and heavy, and the scent of it was enough to drive him wild. He murmured her name over and over, forgetting for a moment that he hated her, that she'd abandoned him years ago, that she was the reason his heart had been dead for seven long years. He relied on instinct alone, and his body could do nothing but recognize that she was his Torie, and she was in his arms, and she belonged there.
    He kissed her savagely, trying to drink in enough of her essence to make up for all their lost years. His