Page 5 of Robin and Marian
Marian’s jaw dropped.
“Well, isn’t that something?” John asked in the impending silence. “He got it.”
The air erupted into cheers while Guy peered closer in astonishment. Robin swiveled and met Marian’s eyes. She knew what was next. He was going to claim his kisses. Her breath hitched, less with disbelief and more with excitement as he placed his bow in Midge’s tender hand and approached her. Her emotions were all over the place as he slid his arms around her. “MyMaid Marian,” he whispered.
She didn’t put up a fuss. He had every right after winning the wager. He began to untie the apron at her back. It knotted and he gave out an impatient laugh.
“You can’t kiss me with an apron on?” she asked with a nervous giggle.
He smiled in response. One-handed, he tugged her closer using the knotted apron strings. His fingertips ran gently through her hair as his eyes probed hers. “I’d kiss you in anything.”
Marian felt her dimple form in her cheek. She couldn’t decide what that meant and decided not to think about that or anything else when he lowered his head and she felt his lips on hers in a tender kiss.
He was good at it.Maybe too good. Drat that Robin! Nothing would ever be the same between them again. And she prayed he wouldn’t break her heart, because after a kiss like that it was his to do with as he pleased. She pulled away enough to ask, “How many holes have you put in this place to win your fair maiden?”
“Not enough,” Robin said, and then she couldn’t help it, she kissed him back. His arms tightened around her waist and she felt both her heels lift up as he swept her off the carpet. This was hardly keeping both feet on the ground and for once, she didn’t care.
A crash sounded behind them.
Feeling the bristle of his cheek brush against her neck as he turned, she followed his gaze to the spectators. McKenzie had dropped her drink. Marian had almost forgotten there’d been anyone there. Her hand loosened over Robin.
Circling back to Marian, he gave her a possessive look. “Wait, the fun’s not over yet.” With amusement working deep creases into his cheeks, Robin dragged her into the library off to the side. He closed the door amidst his sister’s furious screams.
Marian laughed at him as he set her down on her feet. Her back rested against a shelf of books. “What are you doing?” she asked. “You’ve already claimed your spoils.”
“Wait, are you sure?” He still hadn’t let her go. Her stomach fluttered at the searching look that he gave her. “Was thatyoukissing me or me kissing you?” Her cheeks burned at the realization. “I really don’t think that counts as my second kiss,” he said.
“No?” she asked, and she let him claim his final kiss… and maybe another one after that, before his sister forced her way into the room.
Chapter 2
Robin didn’t know what had gotten into him. Maybe it had been that dimple next to Marian’s smile. Her black eyes? The excitement of seeing his childhood friend after all these years? All of it? He didn’t know. Scarlett wouldn’t let it go. Marian had been her roommate forever. Why hadn’t he noticed her back then? Robin had nothing to say for himself. He only knew that he couldn’t wait to see her again. The night was excruciatingly long before it broke into morning to give him a bright new day with Marian Lourde.
He couldn’t get enough of her.
The harps played Pachelbel Cannon as his gaze veered over to where she stood next to his sister’s other bridesmaids. He should be at Alan’s side, not gawking at Marian as she got ready to go down the aisle. She wore a red satin dress that brought out the red in her cheeks that grew redder the more he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.
He hid a smile. For some reason he couldn’t keep his hands off her either. Every time he passed her—which he found plenty of excuses to do—he’d reach out to touch the smooth skin of her arm, play with her earrings, test the softness of her small hands until she laughed and batted him away with her bouquet of white peonies and roses.
Marian wasn’t immune to him either. She’d meet his eyes, then look away with heightened color and a dimple playing on her cheek. Marian was shy when it came to it—nothing like the women he usually dated—and he liked that.
It was ironic that his irritable cousin had been the first to recognize her. Guy stood stiffly at the end of the line of Alan’s best men, next to Little John. Alan had asked Guy to be one of his groomsmen by default since Guy was already in Nottingham to help launch their Sherwood branch. He was there to prove himself to their grandfather, just like the rest of them. His had been a hard life with his cold and distant parents, who had sent Guy to private schools his whole life. Though he seemed to have a soft spot for Marian, on the whole, his upbringing had engendered an inability to connect with anyone.
Or maybe he was just British.
It didn’t matter. Robin refused to let anything get in the way of what was going on between him and Marian. The moment he’d figured out who she was, everything had clicked and his whole world had changed. The dark-eyed, dark-haired girl from his youth had grown up, and she was gorgeous and witty… and so kissable.
“Rob?” Marian’s hand was soft on his back, and he jerked to attention, trying to keep it cool that she was touching him and not the other way around.
He caught her hand and turned to cradle it against his heart. “I missed you too.” Robin was half joking, but he was surprised by how much he felt it. He’d always been a romantic sap.
Marian’s beautiful eyes widened. “This is serious. Where is your sister? She’s missing.”
Turning, Robin noticed the groom was also gone. “It’s okay. They’re probably together.”
That’s when her eyes flashed—he was mesmerized by the passion in them. “They aren’t supposed to be together,” she said. “She’s supposed to be going down the aisle.You’resupposed to be with him.”
That probably meant he should help her. He released her hand and gestured for Marian to lead the way. “Shall we drag them into place? I’ve got my shotgun.”
