Read The Trouble with Mr. Darcy for Free Online Page B

marvelous gift to me, and now you are blessing my life further with our children. I will be content with whatever God allots us, but I must say I selfishly wish for many.”
    “Be careful what you ask for,” Lizzy chuckled. “ Many is rather vague and as we are constantly being reminded, most children are not as complacent as Alexander!”
    “It makes no never mind. I absolutely adore being a father and will gladly accept them all.”
    “I shall note that remark in my journal in case I need to jog your memory of such a bold promise. The next one may well possess my personality, or worse yet, your father and George’s!”
    He smiled benignly, cupping her face and rubbing a thumb over her cheek. “I will take my chances.” The kiss that followed was lengthy but soothing and soft. His fingertips brushed over her jaw for a momentary caress before returning to cradle the mound where his second child lay. With his other arm he drew her closer to his body, Lizzy instinctively curling and melting into the contours of his form.
    A low hum of pleasure purred from the back of her throat when he finally released her lips, the sound wafting as a breath over the curve of his neck when she buried her face there. He held her, contentment a tangible blanket surrounding their bodies, and continued to fondle the pillowy swell for a long while. The baby moved occasionally, faint and fluttery but discernible now that he knew what to expect, but remained quiet for the most part. Eventually Darcy’s eyes grew heavy and he carried his sleeping wife to their bed to nestle with his hand tight over her belly and unconscious mind registering every prod.
    Toward morning but while the sun yet hid below the surface of their area of the world, Darcy was roused by movement on Lizzy’s side of the bed and a brief but cold blast of air across his shoulders. He was on his back and rolled toward the space she typically occupied, only then sleepily assimilating that what roused him was her returning to bed.
    “Why were you up?” he grated.
    “Nature’s duties. I apologize for waking you.” He garbled something that sounded like never mind and reached for her body, Lizzy keeping a distance and whispering, “My gown is chilled and toes like ice. I will make you cold.”
    He grabbed her anyway, strong arms slipping her over the sheets as if a feather, the heat radiating off his skin pouring through her. “Do not be ridiculous,” he rumbled, sending fresh shivers through her flesh, although not from the cold as Darcy thought. “I will have you warm in seconds.”
    It was true. She cuddled against his hard chest and leeched the heat generated in droves by his internal furnace. She cinched her icy feet between his naked shins and while they thawed, the remainder of her body flared quickly to hot, especially with his hands drowsily rubbing over her back.
    “It may warm up during the day, but at night it is as freezing as December,” she murmured, pressing an icicle nose onto his breastbone.
    He chuckled, the hoarse sound reverberating under her face. “Trust me, it is much colder here in December. I will stir up the fire.” He started to draw away, but Lizzy clutched onto his thigh and held fast.
    “No need. I am quite warm now. I have my own personal fire and he rapidly incites my internal flames.” And just in case he missed the innuendo she kissed his chest and caressed pointedly up his thigh and around to his rear.
    Darcy, of course, was not an imbecile even if half asleep. The lazy caressing continued for several minutes while Lizzy planted kisses across his chest and Darcy smiled into her lavender scented hair. He snaked a hand under the thick nightgown she wore during the winter, pushing the cloth upward as his hand skimmed over her leg. He sighed contentedly, allowing the excitement to build in languid increments, savoring the tactile delight of her skin under his palm without a conscious agenda.
    “He is quite active at this