Page 38 of A Husband for Esyllt
“You think I want you dead?”
“You said you’d killed your first husband. Compared to that, handing your second husband to others to be dealt with would probably weigh little on your conscience.”
“It’s not the same,” she managed to say.
“Is it not? You never told me what the poor man did to deserve his fate. But I’ll admit to being curious.”
He leaned in closer. Oh, God, he was not going to kiss her, he was going tokillher. It was the only reason why he would ask such a question, the reason why he had trapped her underhim, in this forest where no one would come to her aid and her body would never be found. Hers would be another skeleton found in a ditch, and in years from now, people might name their castle after her. The irrational thought whirled through her mind, causing her to suffocate in panic. Connor had not married her for love, but to obey his king. He had needed a match with a Welsh woman, but he didn’t need the wife that went with it. From the moment she had signed the wedding papers, her lands had been handed over to him. She had now outlived her purpose, so why would he spare her?
“Please don’t hurt me,” she croaked.
She was utterly at his mercy, already on the ground, already half dead with fright. She would never survive this.
“Hurt you?” Connor’s eyes clouded over at her plea. “Tell me, when have I hurt you?” He brushed a finger along her cheek and frowned. “Are you afraid of me? Please Esyllt, don’t be. I would never hurt you, I swear.”
It was the first time he had used her name. The way he said it, so perfectly, told her that he must have asked someone to help him with the unusual pronunciation, perhaps Jane or Siân. Dear God, she was a fool, and her overheated imagination had gotten the better of her for a moment. Of course he was not about to kill her, just because they were away from the castle! If he wanted her dead he would not have waited so long.
They slept in the same bed, the opportunity to hurt or kill her had been there from the start.
“I’m not afraid of you,” she said in a whisper.
“You just said ‘don’t hurt me’.”
“I’m sorry, I panicked again.” She knew she all too easily did that, and it was a habit that was hard to break. “You asked about my husband, and you had this strange look in your eyes... I could not make sense of it.”
He stilled, then leaned in to speak with his mouth at her temple. The feel of his lips against her skin was delicious, and the heat of his breath stirred her senses. This was not a threatening embrace, far from it. “That might be because I was about to kiss you.”
With those words he placed a finger against her mouth. Her heart almost stopped. What she had seen flashing in his eyes was desire, not hatred. How could she have mistaken the two? There was a brief caress and then the finger pressed against her bottom lip slid inside her mouth, stopping when it bumped against her teeth. It was as shocking as if Connor had caressed her intimate folds and slipped the finger inside her heated flesh instead of between her lips. Esyllt moaned and fought the urge to open her mouth further.
“Will you let me?” he breathed, evidently pleased by her reaction. “Will you let me kiss you, Esyllt?”
“You don’t need to ask. You are my husband.”
He had certainly not asked her permission to kiss hertherethe other day. Surely, he didn’t think this would be an even more forbidden act?
He shook his head, not satisfied with the logic of her answer. “I have never kissed a woman who did not want me. I am not going to start with my own wife.” He took his finger from her mouth and let it slide along her throat, stopping just at the swell of her breasts. “So will you let me kiss you?”
“Why do you want to kiss me?”
“For the same reason you want to kiss me.” With those words he brought his lips within touching distance of her. “Kiss me, Esyllt. I’m your husband. You don’t need to ask for permission.”
She could not resist. He was right. She wanted to kiss him but she couldn’t have explained why. Weren’t they supposed to be wary of each other? No, not anymore. The time to be wary had long passed.
The time to be bold had come.
The gap between them was bridged without her knowing who had moved first. Did it matter? No, as they wanted the same thing. And she instantly knew this would be a kiss like no other.
Connor’s lips were soft, as soft as the rest of him was hard, and though his intent was clear, she didn’t feel forced in any way. His tongue probed at her lips instead of invading her, coaxing them open. She obeyed the sensual command and allowed him to explore at his leisure and take them both to unexpected heights of pleasure. She had been shocked when he had made her body explode with his kisses on her womanhood, but she had not been surprised. It made sense that such a sensitive part of her anatomy should create mind-blowing sensations when properly touched. But the lips... How could a kiss’ heat spread through her every nerve ending in that way?
Deciding she would never find the answer to that question, she settled for enjoying the moment. As if he’d guessed her intentions, Connor growled into her mouth, the sound deeply erotic. Then there was another rumble, one that made the ground tremble under her back. Esyllt almost groaned in frustration.
No, not again! Not now!
Connor was on his feet before Esyllt could move because it was clear from the beat of the hooves that it was only one rider this time, so he had no qualms about being seen. Whoever this was, whatever their intention, he could handle them, even unharmed. The kiss with Esyllt had infused him with strength, and he felt ready to face a dozen men, so one would be no threat whatsoever. He would not hide anymore, he would defend and claim her as his to whoever dared approach.
But the rider didn’t stop. It was simply a lonely traveler cantering along the path, oblivious to their presence. He didn’t slow down, or even glance in their direction when he rode pastthe clearing. They weren’t in any danger. Connor turned in time to see Esyllt get up and brush the dried leaves from her skirts. She looked flushed and was unable to meet his eye.
She was also unutterably beautiful, and more precious to him than ever.
