“You looked quite flushed. Are you certain you’re all right, Suzanne?” Aurore asked, concern etched on her pretty face. She, like her sister, Elisabeth, and the rest of her siblings had green eyes and dark hair—like Leo.

But not nearly as vibrant and light as their eldest brother’s disarming eyes.

The very man who’d set his mind on tormenting her from across the room.

In the most inflaming way.

“I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.” She smiled. “Please continue. I want to hear more about Robert. I cannot wait to meet your new son.”

In one of the four lavish drawing rooms at Montbrison, with Leo’s two brothers, two sisters, and their husbands, the Marquis de Tabard and the Comte de Balbany, Suzanne was doing her best to ignore Leo. And his antics.

It wasn’t working.

One would think it would be easy to become engrossed in the latest news from people she was so fond of. Leo’s family had greeted her with such touching affection. As had the servants she’d missed and thought about these many years.

Yet, she found she simply couldn’t keep her gaze in check—and not drift to the other side of the room, where Leo stood near the hearth with the men, brandies in hand, in conversation.

Leo had changed into a deep black-and-red justacorps, the knee-length coat making him look better than any man should ever look, if a woman were to keep her sanity.

And he had the uncanny ability to know when she was observing him—no matter how engrossed in conversation he seemed—every time.

Each time, he’d smile and stroke the length of his finger across his upper lip. Just under his nose. Her cheeks burned crimson the moment it dawned on her what he was doing.

Her scent was on his fingers, and he was making sure she knew that he was enjoying it. She felt a quickening in her belly. Her sex answered with a gush.

She tried hard to pay attention to Elisabeth and Aurore seated near her, but between Leo and the slight tenderness between her legs, she was being distracted repeatedly.

Each movement she made resulted in a small twinge between her thighs—a pleasing reminder of what had transpired in the carriage ride to Montbrison. Her insides still quaked in the aftermath. Her one night together with Leo seven years ago had been incomparable. Nothing in her life to that point had ever been as incredible.

Until earlier today. In his carriage. In his arms. She was having a difficult time keeping the memory and smiles at bay.

“Teething is a horrible thing. Our little Thomas had a terrible time of it,” Suzanne vaguely heard Elisabeth say. “You have something to help a babe with that, don’t you, Suzanne?”

“Excuse me, my ladies.” Leo’s voice yanked Suzanne completely out of her reverie. “Suzanne has been away from Montbrison for some time. There are some things I’d like to show her. We’ll see you at dinner.” He held out a hand to her. “If you please, Suzanne.”

* * *

Leo escorted Suzanne down the long corridor and was forced to stop. Yet again.

The servants were peeking from the servant stairwells and corridors just to get a glimpse of Suzanne. She stopped for each and every one, throwing her arms around them in a warm embrace.

Not exactly the sort of thing he’d ever done with the servants.

Taking her by the elbow once she finished her greeting with Monique, the gardener’s daughter, Leo brought Suzanne to the last door at the end of one of the many corridors on the main floor at Montbrison.

Opening it, he allowed her to precede him in, then closed the door behind him.

He watched as she took in the room that had been designed by Suzanne’s father and built to his specifications many years ago. From the floor-to-ceiling windows making up most of the opposite wall, the winter storm that had finally set in could readily be seen.

The large snowflakes rushing past looked beautiful.

This was Richard Matchet’s greenroom, filled with the botanicals he wanted at hand at all times, attached to the château so that he and his daughter could access the plants with ease. Long wooden tables ran the length of the room.

And there were massive blazing fires in the ornate hearths at each end of the greenroom.

By the time she met his gaze, tears had formed in her large almond-shaped eyes.

“This room has been kept the same since you and your father left,” he said. “The temperature is always maintained as he wished it, for the benefit of the botanicals. The cook has been known to use the plants here for medicinal purposes, just as you and your father taught him. Whatever you need to make the perfumes should be here.”

“Thank you.” She had a smile on her face, but it was rueful. A tear slipped down her cheek. She quickly swiped it away before he could dry it for her. “He would have been pleased that you kept it so well.”

Leo stepped closer to her. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when he died. I know little of the circumstances. What happened, chérie?” He’d always thought Richard to be invincible.

He’d healed so many people. He’d had a gift for medicine. It seemed inconceivable that he was gone.

Suzanne glanced down and absently traced a finger over the grain pattern of the wooden table next to her. Before she responded, he saw her swallow hard. “He wasn’t feeling well one morning. By the time I returned from delivering one of my remedies, he’d collapsed on the floor... and was gone. There was nothing anyone could do.” She shook her head. “I should never have left him…I never even got the chance to say good-bye.” He saw two tears spill down her cheeks.

His heart broke.

Leo pulled her into his arms. She immediately circled her arms around his waist and drew closer. The gesture left him feeling as if warm nectar had just melted over his insides.

He rested his cheek against her head, her soft dark curls tickling his nose. “I’m sorry,” was all he could say. Two utterly insufficient words that never took away the pain of anyone who’d lost a loved one. How he wished he had something truly consoling to offer. Her father had meant the world to her. And when it came to his daughter, there was nothing Richard Matchet would not have done for his only child. Including leaving the wealth and comforts of Montbrison—simply because he couldn’t stand to see his daughter live brokenhearted here once Leo’s betrothal had been announced and Suzanne had confided her feelings for him to her father. He had no idea how much Richard had known about Leo’s night together with Suzanne.

And it didn’t matter now.

Things were different. And he never wanted her brokenhearted again.

“Thank you for caring about him,” she said in the softest voice. “It means more to me than words can express. And thank you for…”

“For what?”

“For bringing me here. I’m glad I came.” Her smile melted his heart.

He hoped that the surprises he had planned would bring her joy.

Especially the one planned for Christmas Eve. That was the largest, by far.

“Come, chère, I have something waiting for you I think you’ll like. Very much.” He couldn’t help but smile.

* * *

Suzanne stood at the door to Leo’s private apartments that had once belonged to Leo’s father, the former duc.

Anticipation gripped her.

Her every nerve ending sparked to life.

There could be only one reason Leo had brought her here. And it made her sex moisten. Her heart beat harder.

Leo pulled her in front of him, slipped an arm around her, and hauled her back against his hard body. A thrill streaked down her spine the moment she came in contact with his beautiful muscled form.

She squirmed.

“I brought you here for a delicious reason,” he murmured hotly in her ear.

She couldn’t suppress another eager squirm. It was becoming impossible to hold still. The ache between her legs grew fiercer by the moment.

“Really? I think I might I know what it is.” This time he was either going to take his clothes off. Or she’d tear them from his body. She had to see all of him, feel his skin against hers.

Or lose her mind.

“Do you now?” He sounded amused. “And here I thought what I had planned might be new to you…”

Her heart lost a beat. Something new and wicked to experience with Leo?

The urge to fly through the double doors, yanking the tall, gorgeous, and far too sensuous Leo d’Ermart in with her, was barely repressible.

“Are you ready for your delectable surprise?” His warm breath tickled her ear. He was definitely grinning. She could hear it in his voice.

“Yes!” She was well aware how breathless she sounded. And she didn’t care.

She needed him. Now!

“Excellent.” He reached beyond her and threw open the doors.

Suzanne entered the opulent antechamber, with its frescos on the high ceiling, its elaborate wool and silk carpets and costly furnishings.

Taking a quick glance about the large sitting room, she spotted what she was looking for.

The door to his bedchamber.

It was ajar and to the right, just beyond the white-and-gold damask chairs near the crackling fire in the hearth.

Smiling, she started toward it.

“Voilà. Your surprise… Iced cream.” His voice came from the left side of the room.

That arrested her steps. She spun around.

She thought he was directly behind her. Yet Leo was standing on the opposite side of the grand antechamber.

“Pardon?”

He gestured at the table beside him. It was covered with rich table linen of red and gold. On it, silver bowls of various sizes. She caught sight of fruit preserves, breads, and cheese.

“Iced cream?” she repeated.

That was her “delicious” surprise?

“Were you expecting something else?” His lips twitched.

“I…well, I thought…” YES!

Amusement shone clearly in his green eyes. He rested his hands on his hips. “Come here,” he said.

Briefly, she cast a longing glance toward his bedchamber, then approached him.

Leo slipped his fingers under her chin and tilted it up. Sublime little tingles raced from his warm touch all the way down to the tips of her breasts. “Did you think I was bringing you here to fuck you?” His lips twitched again, as though he were fighting back a smile.

“Uhm… The thought did cross my mind…”

He released her chin and placed his hands back on his hips. “Tsk, tsk, Suzanne. You wound me. Is that what you think of me? That my thoughts are of a carnal nature only?”

“Well, if you put it that way…” She shook her head no. “Yes.”

He burst out laughing. “You are correct. And my carnal thoughts are centered solely on you.” That made her stomach flutter wildly. “Now then, about the iced cream, have you ever had any?”

“No.”

“Good. Iced desserts are a favorite of His Majesty, served at Versailles. It is absolutely delicious. I’ve asked our cook to gather fresh snow and ice to add to sweetened cream and create some—just for your enjoyment.”

This was wonderfully novel, and she was moved by Leo’s efforts to arrange this lovely surprise for her.

Trying to mute her base need, wanting to enjoy the lovely gesture, she smiled up at him, even though her entire body was still taut with desire. “Thank you, Leo. This is truly lovely. I can’t wait to try it.”

“There are two ways to best enjoy iced cream.” He picked up a bottle that was in a large silver bowl, submerged in ice. “With champagne.” He poured the bubbly liquid into a crystal goblet and waited a moment until it settled before dropping a spoonful of the iced cream into it.

It fizzed up but did not overflow. Lifting the goblet, he swirled around its contents until he looked satisfied.

Then he took her hand and walked her away from the food and drink, and paused at the head of the table at the opposite end.

“Here.” Leo handed her the goblet of the champagne and iced cream.

She glanced down at it, then back at him. “What is the second best way to enjoy iced cream?”

The most sensuous smile tilted the corner of his mouth. He picked her up off her feet and set her bottom down on the edge of the table so fast, she squeaked in surprise. Yet managed not to spill her drink.

“Naked.”