Page 15 of His Dark Delights
I angled my face to inhale his scent. “I suppose I should say good morning.”
Ren placed a brief kiss on my lips. “That would be the appropriate thing to say, but all I can think is that was the best wake up I’ve had in a very long time.” He pressed his forehead to mine, eyes closed and breathing steadily. It was a saccharine and bittersweet gesture that made agony twirl through my heart.
“I’m glad.”
“I haven’t felt so rested and peaceful in years, Lilly. I’d stay here forever if I could,” he mumbled, almost so low I didn’t hear him.
I sat up, looking back at Ren. There was no response to his statement on my tongue, so instead I said, “Let me check your wound and we can have breakfast.”
Ren nodded and laid back on the pillow. He placed his hands under his head, biceps rolling and flexing enticingly as he did. “As my lady wishes.”
My fingers trailed over his chest, between his pecs and over his abs, twitching under my feather-light touch. A smile kicked up the corner of my mouth to see how the knight’s body reacted to my delicate, exploring fingers. Even his cock twitched with renewed interest as my palm smoothed over the dark line of hair on his stomach.
Despite my wishes to stay curled up in bed with Ren, I dragged myself from the comfort and warmth of his body and the blankets. I collected more poultice and a new bandage for the wound, and the knight sat obediently as I dressed the injury.
Afterwards, while tying up my dress and apron, I avoided eye contact with Ren. Regardless of how badly I’d wanted him, my wanton actions embarrassed me.He slung on the white shirt and borrowed pants as I tied up my hair, with him trying to sneak glances at my reddened face the entire time.
“You must continue resting after breakfast, Ren. I insist,” I said over a simple meal of fried eggs and roasted potatoes.
Ren waved his fork in the air between us. “I don’t think so, my lady. There’s plenty of work around here to do, and I have two perfectly capable hands.”
“Oh, I know exactly what your hands are capable of,” I blurted, then clamped my lips shut. We locked eyes and Ren threw his head back, barking with laughter.
“Please, Lilly, let me do something for you. Let me help.”
While I can.The words seemed to linger in the charged air.
“I meant it yesterday when I said you have no responsibilities here. It would please me more if you recovered your strength.”
“So that I may leave sooner?” His brow arched wickedly, accentuating his roguish smirk. I knew he was teasing, but the words cut through me.
“No! You were nearly dead when I found you, and you’re still wounded. I’m afraid you’ll never recover if you keep up with such vigorous activities.”
“Oh, Lilly,” Ren sucked his teeth, “nothing I do here is a chore if it helps you, and I aim to do as much as possible since you saved my life. And our vigorous activities won’t end in the bedroom,” he promised with a fiendish wink.
True to his word, Ren engaged me in plenty of vigorous activities throughout the following days. I spent more time with my skirts shoved up than I did on my everyday chores. Less talking and more pleasure, as if we both felt his impending departure on the air.
But, gods, how did he have that much stamina? Granted, his injuries were on the mend, but he had the energy to mount and rut like a prized stallion. I’d never been so thoroughly physically drained in my entire life.
Ren finished fixing the barn and found me kneading dough for a fresh batch of bread. He distracted me from my task until my legs were shaking and my arousal was dripping down his chin. After a lunch of bacon pottage, the knight had me sprawled in front of the fireplace with my legs around his waist, pounding me into the floor until I was dizzy. Then he checked the rest of my fence and ensured every post was secure, walking around the farm with an undeniable strut in his step.
Several days passed in a tenuous haze of bliss and exploration. Regardless of my resolution to see Ren go at the end of our time together, I longed to know more about him. There were small things I learned about his character just watching him or listening to his passing remarks. It wasn’t enough to truly know the knight, but it softened my heart towards him all the same.
Maybe a small yearning thing in my heart wanted to know him, to be with him, to love him. Or perhaps I just wanted—needed—someone to love. I had a maelstrom of conflicting feelings in my chest and no one to share them with.
Almost a week later, I watched Ren in the field during the early afternoon. I churned fresh butter in the garden while he tended my animals. The hens were unbothered by his presence; the goats enjoyed a new person to play with, and Millie kept her ever-watchful gaze on his backside. She wasn’t sure if she liked him yet.
It occurred to me I’d never asked Ren if he already had a family or a woman in his life. He mentioned having women previously, but not one he was bound to. Was someone waiting for him to return safely from war and into her bed? Was I nothing more than a passing tryst before he walked away?
Ren was a knight of the Fairy Butcher and would likely slit my throat if he knew the truth about me. Duty bound him to his sovereign’s commands. He had no allegiance to the half-fae farm girl bedding him to ease her loneliness. I needed to stop those thoughts before they hurt me. It wouldn’t serve me to hold thoughts as sharp as thorns in my bare hands. They would only cut me in the end.
Ren’s untamed lust distracted me throughout the days and nights, delaying my chores. He eased my tasks by putting the animals away as the sun set and the sky darkened. I threw together late dinners each night. That day I cooked potato soup with toasted chunks of herb-butter bread.
Upon going outside to fetch him for dinner, I found Ren waiting with one of the spare quilts over his arm and a dashing smile on his face, highlighted by the pale glow of the full moon.
“What are you doing?”
“Let’s dine under the stars. Out in the flowers youlove so much.” He jerked his head over his shoulder toward the unlit meadow, rippling like waves in the dusk breeze.
