Page 49 of Forbidden Desire

“But you’d still hit me?”

“Not hit,” I countered, capturing her chin and ensuring she met my eyes. This point was important. “I shall never cause you harm, doe bheag.”

“You just did.” Venom reverberating in the accusation, she heaved in a breath to steady herself.

“No,” I corrected her. “I did not harm you, only swatted you in a perfectly safe way. Your lovely bottom may be sore, but there is no lasting damage, I assure you.”

Her gaze lowered as if she was about to say something to the contrary but decided otherwise. Good—that was the start of some badly required self-restraint. The spanking had helped, after all.

“Do you really want to marry me?” She shook her head as though she couldn’t believe she even asked.

“Oh, yes,” I enthused, shifting to cradle her face. “It would be an honor.”

“An honor?” she balked, though she did not flee from my touch. “You have such strange ways of looking at everything.”

“These ways are not strange to us, doe bheag.” My thumb stroked her chin. “They are our way of life.”

“Do you always take women without consent?” She seemed calmer, the furious bubble of rage I had sensed, assuaged for the time being. “First Des and now me?”

“We are rarely blessed with two such tempting offerings.” Tugging her closer, I leaned back in Rasmie’s chair. The hall was more or less deserted, but it would not have mattered. There was only Elodie, her wonderful face and breathy tone, and the way she snuggled closer—only us in the entire world.

“So, that’s a yes?” She relaxed, not resisting as my arms snaked around her.

“Here.” Releasing the clasp at my neck, I yanked my fur from around my shoulders and draped it over her.

It was not that I didn’t desire to see her body—far from it—but the urge to comfort was stronger than the carnality. If the gods were willing, there would be time enough for that, but at this moment, she needed consolation.

“Thank you.” She met my stare with grateful eyes. “Or as you say... taing do.”

“Very good,” I praised. “You have been paying attention.”

“A little.” She chuckled. “There isn’t much else to do when you’re locked in that thing.” She gestured toward the aviary.

“You managed well, until...” I hesitated, not wanting to upset her again.

“Until I disobeyed?” She finished the sentence, a tiny smirk appearing on her lips.

“Precisely.”

“Well, you showed me what you thought about that.” She writhed on my knee, illustrating her discomfort.

“We have some balm we can apply,” I soothed. “To help with that.”

“No, thanks.” She shuddered. “I’ll manage.”

“You are a funny girl,” I teased. “To think you accuse my ways of being odd.” Blowing out a breath, I saw the smile on her face. “Maybe we are both strange?”

She shrugged as if resigned to the collective fate.

“I should like to take you back to my chambers.” I watched her reactions carefully—the bloom of heat that rose to her cheeks and the way she caught her lower lip between her white teeth.

“Why?”

“To allow you to rest.” It was not a lie, though there were several other acts I had considered. “Our union may take time to arrange.”

“Shouldn’t we get to know each other first?” She paused, and I watched as one of her tiny hands rose to my face. “You might decide you don’t want to marry me.”

“I doubt that.” I could not deny how good her fingertips felt as they grazed through my stubble. “We can wait a few days if it pleases you.”

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