She fell silent and watched the dark streets of Dublin pass, the steady trickling rain pattering on the roof of the carriage. Tom, never shy about ignoring propriety, shifted across the carriage to sit next to her. He closed his hand around hers, and she struggled not to pull it away.

“I want to marry you, Josie.”

“Why?”

He was silent for a moment. “Well…,” he finally drawled. “I’m quite eager to bed you, and you seem the kind who’ll want matrimony for that.”

Josie’s eyes popped open and her jaw dropped. She swung her shocked gaze to his laughing one and tried pulling her hand away, but he only pulled it closer. “Tom!”

His eyes were all innocence, but the devil was lurking around his mouth. “What?”

“You did not just say that to me.”

“I did. It’s the truth.”

Cough forgotten, her face felt as if it were on fire. “Mr. Murphy!”

“Is that what you’re gonna call me when we f—”

She slapped a hand over his mouth. “Don’t you dare.”

He nipped at her fingers and pulled them away. He’d captured both her hands, and Josephine sat helpless, not sure whether she was more shocked or aroused.

Tom took a deep breath and smiled wickedly. “You knew I was lacking in manners when you agreed to marry me, Miss Shaw.”

“What if Mrs. Porter were here?”

“Mrs. Porter isn’t here. And I’d hardly talk about the pleasures of the marriage bed with my future wife while her companion was in attendance, now would I?”

Her heart raced. “Pleasures of the marriage bed?”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t thought of it. I know what kind of books you read.”

“Tom—”

“Why are you embarrassed?”

Tom hadn’t let go of her hands. He’d crossed them over his chest as if embracing her. Her fingertips flexed against the crisp cotton of his shirt, and she wondered at the thick muscle on his chest. He was solid as a wall. She couldn’t even feel his heart beat, though her own was racing. His eyes were intent and his smile was still wicked.

“Come now, Josie. Why are you embarrassed? You’re no blushing miss. Are you frightened?”

“I don’t want to say.” Her voice sounded tiny to her ears. She cleared her throat and tried to take a deep breath, but it rasped out of her.

Tom immediately let one of her hands go and put a cool palm on the side of her neck. “Shhh,” he murmured. “Easy now. I’m sorry. I was just teasing you. Try to relax.”

“Hard to do with you so close.”

He leaned away, but she grabbed his sleeve and pulled.

“Josie, I’m trying to—”

“I am afraid.”

They both fell silent, and the only sound was the rain on the roof. She felt her face flush with embarrassment again. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together when Tom’s thumb stroked her neck.

“Why are you afraid?” he asked, his voice as hoarse as hers. “Is it me? I know I’m not—”

“No. Just… the unknown, I suppose. Reading isn’t doing, is it?”

“No, it’s not.”

“And I can assume you have…?”

“Yes.”

“Probably a good thing one of us knows what goes where then.”

His chest rumbled with laughter, but his voice was gentle. “Josephine, open your eyes.”

“Is my face still very, very red?”

“Yes, but it’s lovely.”

“Oooh,” she groaned and let her head fall forward, only to feel his shoulder catch it. She pressed her face into his coat. “I’m very glad Mrs. Porter is not here.”

“So am I.” His lips touched her forehead. “Josie?”

“I’m going to hide here until we reach my home. As my intended, it is your duty to let me use your shoulder this way.”

The aforementioned shoulder shook with more laughter. “What are you frightened by?”

“Are you truly forcing me to speak of this?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.” She sat up but kept her eyes closed. “I have been informed by several well-meaning but terror-inducing friends and household staff that things do… hurt quite a bit.”

“Hmm.”

“That’s the only thing you’re going to say? ‘Hmm?’”

“Nothing much to say about men who don’t know their way about pleasing a woman.”

Josephine had no vocabulary to respond to that.

“I can assume you know the mechanics of the act?” he asked.

“I’m an educated woman. Obviously, yes. Also… I have read more than one book that mentioned it.”

“You’re going to keep your eyes closed the entire way home, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.”

Tom laughed. “Fine. But even though you’re hiding, you have to tell me…” He leaned close enough that she could feel his breath on her neck. “Your books? Do they… excite you?”

His voice moved along her skin like a physical caress.

“Josephine?”

“You know they do.”

“Aye, I can tell they do by that gorgeous color on your face. Your lips are flushed and swollen. Your breathing is faster. But do you know what, Josie?”

“You have no manners at all, Tom Murphy.”