Rules are rules, but making love while traveling with a five-year-old bent on getting one’s attention at the worst time was proving to be a challenge. After an extra day in Dundee and two days in Stirling, Ella was continuing to burst into their room at the most unexpected moment. A stomach ache. A bad dream. Shona’s loud snoring. And last night, she claimed she was starving and couldn’t possibly go to sleep.

The first night, Shona had kept Ella away for at least half the night. Since then, Freya and Gregory found themselves making love anytime and anywhere the opportunity presented itself, stealing moments that were exciting, fiery, and tremendously satisfying.

In the carriage on the way to the top of Dundee Law while Ella taught Dougal to play backgammon back at the inn. Against an ancient wardrobe in their bedchamber while Shona bathed the child by the fire in the sitting room. In Stirling, where Gregory knew an old friend who was stationed at the snow-covered castle, they’d made love in his private office while the major showed Ella, with Shona trailing along, the gardens of the former royal residence. Freya still blushed at the memory of the ecstasy she and Gregory shared on the man’s desk.

Freya’s gaze lifted from her book to her husband. He was sitting with Ella across the drawing room of the Pennington’s lovely townhouse in Edinburgh. The two had their heads together, whispering quietly and sending her occasional looks of mischief.

She loved them and she loved seeing the bond that had formed between them. Freya was especially appreciative of Gregory’s understanding and patience regarding Ella’s nightly interruptions. He understood that while they were on the road and away from her regular routines at home, the child needed attention.

Shona looked up from her sewing and cocked an eyebrow in the direction of her charge. It was past Ella’s bedtime.

Freya started to remind her niece of it, but paused with surprise when the little girl hugged Gregory and then crossed the room to give her a good-night hug too.

“I’m relying on you, Fie,” she said. Taking Shona by the hand, Ella led her nursemaid out of the drawing room and up the stairs.

Relying on me? She gazed after her niece, wondering about the girl’s happy disposition.

A few moments later, Gregory rose to his feet, and the smile he gave her tightened her chest with the love she held in her heart. She didn’t think she would ever get used to how handsome he was or how breathless she felt when he looked at her like that.

“What does she mean, ‘relying’ on me?” she asked as he strolled lazily across the room. He took the book out of her hand, laid it aside, and pulled her to her feet.

“Come on,” he said, threading his fingers into hers and leading her up the stairs to their bedroom.

This was how every night started, but a few moments after their door closed, Ella would be there, demanding their attention.

Freya heard the door close, and she looked over her shoulder as Gregory moved behind her to undo the buttons of her dress.

“How long do you think we have?” she asked.

She shivered with excitement as his lips brushed against the side of her neck.

“We have all night.”

She didn’t want to ruin the magic of this moment by reminding him of the past few nights. Instead, Freya gathered her hair to one side as Gregory’s strong fingers undid and parted the dress on her back.

He pushed the dress down over her arms and she looked nervously at the door. “Do you think we should put a chair in front of it?”

The child was definitely confused as far as what was appropriate knocking on their door. Last night, there was a soft tap and then she’d put a shoulder to it.

“Maybe that desk,” she suggested next. “The two of us should be able to move it over.”

Still worrying about how Ella would manage to gain access into their room, Freya heard him chuckle to himself, but she was momentarily distracted by the feel of his fingers moving over her body.

“The window,” she said warily, taking a step toward it. “Isn’t that a balcony outside? We should check to see if she can reach . . .”

Her words disappeared when he turned her around and she found he was standing naked in front of her. Naked. She raked his body with her gaze.

“When did you undress me?” she asked, realizing they were both as naked as the day they were born. Shyness quickly gave way to excitement, and desire lit up within her like a flame.

“You are stunning,” he said, his voice husky with feeling.

Her body hummed as he stroked his fingers over her breasts and belly before he bent down and drew her nipple between his lips.

She sighed with pleasure, her head falling back. “Please build a fortress and make sure no one interrupts us at least for an hour,” she moaned.

“We have all night,” he repeated, suckling hard at her other breast.

His hand slid down over her mound and into her waiting sex. Freya inhaled sharply and her fingers held his head as the pleasure continued to build in her.

Suddenly, he lifted her off her feet and carried her to the bed.

“My God, I’m a lucky man,” he said thickly, kissing her lips.

Aching with need, she opened her arms to him as he climbed on the bed with her. “Please come to me now. Hurry. Make love to me. Before we get interrupted.”

His laughter washed over her like silk.

“Not tonight, my dearest love.”

He slid his body down the bed, running his mouth along each rib, circling her navel with his tongue and moving lower. They’d never had enough time for anything like this. She shivered with anticipation and pleasure.

Doors. Windows. Would Shona be an angel and keep Ella away long enough?

All thoughts of interruption disappeared when Gregory slid his hands beneath her bottom and ran his tongue along the lips of her sex. A molten frenzy erupted within her. She nearly crawled out of her skin at the force of the sensation. As he kept building the relentless intensity with his tongue and his mouth, her mind emptied of all worries and centered on the coming release. Then, when he suckled the core of her pleasure, she shattered, driven beyond the edge of reason, exploding into another starlit dimension, her cries of release echoing around her.

As she floated in that ethereal state, she was only vaguely aware of his body moving over her, his mouth closing over hers.

Suddenly, she needed him, wanted him inside of her. Her fingers moved down over the taut muscles of his stomach and wrapped around the velvety length of his erection. She heard his sharp intake of breath as she guided the smooth head to the opening of her sex.

“Take me, my love,” she pleaded, again fearing the imminent knock at the door.

He entered her, slowly at first and she felt herself stretch to take all of him in. Like the other times they’d made love, she expected him to hurry, but tonight he took his time. Feeling him fully embedded in her body, she sighed with pleasure and wrapped herself around him as he began to move. Long, deliberate strokes wrought a different thrill within her, driving her higher as she looked into his eyes and felt his skin go damp beneath the touch of her fingers.

The door, the window, interruptions meant nothing now. Her body rose with each stroke, her mind emptied of everything but the man she loved.

He reached between their bodies and touched her, and she came once again. This time her release went on and on until his name became a muffled chant against his shoulder.

In the next moment, he gripped her hips and, muscles clenching, he whispered her name as he poured himself into her.

Freya marveled at his beauty, at his strength, and at the sound of her own name on his lips. Finally spent, he collapsed on top of her, his head dropping to the curve of her throat.

They both tried to catch their breath. Their bodies were still joined. The warm feeling of happiness and contentment washed through her. There was nowhere else in the world that she wished to be. There was nothing else that she wanted but the happiness of a life with him.

She glanced at the still quiet door and smiled. With him and with Ella.

“What did you blackmail her with?” she asked with a contented sigh.

“With a baby.”

He lifted his head and looked down at her.

“She wants a baby brother or sister. I simply told her we have to dance all night . . . with no interruptions.”

She smiled and raised her lips to his. “My brilliant husband.”