Some of her layers had fallen to his floor by the time Brooks stepped back from her. She still had both layers of her petticoats, but one of her garters was hanging loose from the bottom of her corset, and she already felt pleasantly rumpled. She had to do a better job of undressing him — she'd gotten some of the buttons undone, but he was far more clothed than she was, and she wanted him to look as undone as she felt.

She held his gaze as she walked to the stairs and up them, abandoning her bodice and the top layers of her skirts in the parlor where they'd left them. She knew where his bedroom was — she'd spent a good amount of time here, over the years — and opened the door, wordless. She stopped in the doorway, turned to him.

When Brooks got close enough, Mor started undoing the buttons on his trousers.