Page 27 of The Time Of Kings

The bitterness in which she said the title of ‘lady’ had certainly not been lost on me. But in this moment, my actions in trying to redeem myself didn’t taken precedence, for she was currently trying to leave. I was quick to preventing such a thing, slamming the door from behind her and quickly invading her personal space.

“That will not be happening, little thief,”I practically growled at just the thought of her trying to leave me. My possessive feelings towards this strange, muddy little intruder were already growing stronger than I ever imagined.

She huffed brazenly and turned to face me, determination set in her eyes.

“I told you, I am not a… thief…I er…”

This argument of hers quickly dissolved as I took a step closer, her denials lost to me as a piece of her hair came loose and, this time, it was a piece untouched by the mud. Thus,making it suddenly look like a vein of pure gold ribboned in the earth and calling out for me to touch it.

“You’re blonde,”I said, caring little that I was stating the obvious as the sight had me utterly transfixed.

She looked almost panicked and took a step back, flinching as her back hit the door. Then she told me,

“Er… yes, like… like a lot of girls, yes.”

I narrowed my gaze down at her much shorter frame, displeased by the distance she tried to create between us. Therefore, I rectified the insult by wrapping an arm around her and forcing her closer than ever before. When I had her where I wanted her to remain, in a firm tone, I informed her of what I now knew without a shadow of doubt,

“But I think we both know…you are not like any other girl.”

As soon as I said this, I then watched as she swallowed down a lump of trepidation. This before composing herself enough to throw my first assumption back at me.

“Well, according to you, I’m not a lady either.”

I couldn’t help but allow myself to smirk, before taking the opportunity that clearly presented itself.

“No…you are so much more,”I whispered down by her ear, after first being tempted to pick her up, doing so in sight of our obvious height difference. And being this close only made it more apparent. However, I resisted the urge, knowing she may struggle and get distressed, for I was already acting out of character for a gentleman.

So, I remained content by simply keeping her imprisoned in my arms, and with her own feet upon the ground. I was awarded by a shudder on her part, something that pleased me greatly as I knew now just how much I affected her. A feeling that was no longer one-sided on my part and hence why I gave myself leave to grin fully.

“I… erm… I thought I was a thief,” she argued as I found a spot on her neck that wasn’t covered in dirt, one that meant that I could breathe in the first true scent of her. An act of indulgence that forced me to hold back the moan of pleasure that I felt. Now knowing that no truer words were about to be spoken from my lips when I told her,

“Hmm, yes, and I have a feeling you’re about to steal something very important indeed.”That being my heart, was the unspoken end to that sentence.

“Well lucky for me, it wasn’t your porcelain vase,” she commented in jest. Yet despite knowing she said this so as to dislodge herself from what she clearly found was a difficult conversation, I couldn’t help but laugh at her quick wit.

“Forgive my allowing you to witness my temper. Only I had believed for a short time in your trickery of having me think you evaded my capture by sprouting wings and flying away,” I told her, trying now to redeem myself from her first experience of my thunderous and quick temper. However, her reply surprised me, as it soon became clear she was certainly well educated.

“Knowing my luck, I would have flown too close to the sun like Icarus… although I like to think I wouldn’t have been foolish enough to use waxen wings.”

I felt my brow raise in a quizzical manner.

“You know of Greek mythology?” I asked ignoring her nervous fidgeting as if only now realising we were having this conversation with my arms still caging her to me.

“I can also read,” she quipped, making me grin.

“Ah so a well-educated thief then… I must say, I am becoming increasingly intrigued by the second,” I replied, teasing her in return, despite the truth of my words. For it was becoming quite clear that she was not a thief at all. But merely escaped the clutches of the men that had brought her here.Clearly having no choice but to seek refuge by hiding in my castle.

“Just as I am increasingly eager to get you out of these muddy clothes and into a warm bath,” I added, now scanning the length of her once more and being bold enough to speak my mind. As well, I think we were long past the formalities of society by now.

Mmm, but just the thought of stripping her bare and being the one to take the time to rid her of all the mud was a fantasy that was rapidly taking shape in my mind. Especially as inch after inch was revealed to me with every swipe of my hand. One slick with soap that would glide right over what I knew would be blush-painted skin. And one look at her wide, panicked eyes and I knew that she wasn’t at a loss to where my erotic thoughts had taken me.

“That is quite alright, I will have a bath at the… erm… place I am staying,” she said, failing to give me the name of such and stumbling on her reply as she, once again, tried to squirm her way free of my hold. Which was why I decided to take the opportunity to discover a potential lie told.

“The place you are staying?” I enquired, unable to keep the amusement from my lips and granting her a small reprieve by easing my hold enough that she slipped free like I allowed her to do.

“Yes, it has four walls and a roof and everything,” she replied in a tone that spoke of her feign of bravery, as clearly, she used humour to mask her nervousness. Hmm, an endearing quality I would no doubt have found tedious in any other.

But on her, in truth, I found it adorable. Quite honestly, it was a trait I would have never associated with finding attractive before. Yet, in such a short time I was already making account of the many firsts I was experiencing. For I had never felt the urge to kiss someone covered in mud before either. Nor had I foundmyself so amused and entertained by someone such as she. For she clearly wasn’t like any other woman I had ever encountered before. Hence why I was eager to continue our verbal sparring, motivated to see where it would take us next.

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