Page 20 of Saxon Blade Norman Blood
Despite herself, she sighed in contentment. For the first time since the morning, she was comfortable.
Just as she closed her eyes a now familiar chuckle reached her ear.
“No protests? I guess you truly were cold.”
“Yes, I was. And I am also tired,” she answered with more than a touch of tartness. “I would like to get back to sleep now if I may.”
“By all means. I am tired myself.”
But sleep now eluded her. Behind her, William’s body relaxed, and his breathing grew steady once more. Her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, and once she was sure he was asleep, she turned to watch him.
His face was a marvel of beauty which fascinated her. How could a powerful, virile man possess such finely chiseled features? It occurred to her that the women who had shared his bed must have also done this once he had fallen asleep—feast their eyes on him during a rare, vulnerable moment.
What would her mother think if she saw her daughter lying in the arms of her husband’s murderer? A tear rolled down her cheek, then another, but she did not dare wipe them off, afraid of waking William if she stirred. He had proved he would be sleeping only lightly, ready to pounce at her slightest move. His decision to keep her close made it clear he trusted in his ability to stop her if she attempted anything, and he was right to be confident. Without any weapon at hand, what could she do?
Rowena had never been in a better position to accomplish her mission, yet so far from success.
When she awoke, the sun was high in the sky and the bed cold. Her whole body was stiff from the previous day’s exertions. Every single one of her muscles protested when she tried to stretch and take stock of her surroundings.
Where had William gone? She quickly checked the door. It was unlocked and unguarded as promised. Her situation had never been more strange. She was a prisoner, but she was free to go. She could do what she wanted, but there was nothing for her to do. She had slept in a man’s arms for the first time, but that man was her enemy. He wanted her, had touched her even, but she was still a virgin.
It was all confusing in the extreme.
A moment later William entered the room. “Are you ready to break your fast?” he asked with a smile.
Incredulity made her blink. Was that all he had to tell her? Next he would ask her if she’d slept well.
“I am.” There was no point in pretending she wasn’t hungry. She would need all her strength for what was ahead of her.
He gave her a long, assessing look which made her feel all but naked. It was perhaps not surprising, considering the dress he’d asked to be brought last night was far too big for her slender frame. It hung loosely over her shoulders, revealing far more of the swell of her breasts than she would have liked, something he had not missed if the grunt he gave was any indication. Before she could ask whether they could find her a different dress, he turned around and led the way into the main hall.
As soon as she sat, she busied herself with choosing a fruit from the basket filled with pears and apples. “Do you have a knife?” she asked, wrapping her fingers over a pear.
“I do.” Something in William’s voice made her look up. He was watching her with glittering eyes. Rowena’s heart skipped a beat.
“But you will not let me have one.”
“Precisely. I am not such a fool. You have, after all, expressed the wish to kill me, and it seems to me that the knife is your weapon of choice. I told you yesterday I could not afford to take the threat you represent lightly. Therefore, you will have to eat your pear whole, I’m afraid, or ask me to cut it up for you.”
“I’m not a child.”
William’s lips curled as if he had anticipated this tart response—perhaps even done his best to provoke it—and enjoyed her reaction. “I know. You already alluded to that fact once. No need to insist. Rest assured I was not mistaking you for one.”
The way his gaze caressed her curves told her he thought her a woman ripe for the plucking. Though she would have liked to disappear into a hole, she forced herself not to betray her confusion.
What was wrong with her? How could she be attracted to this man? He was her enemy, her captor. She should not be aroused by his suggestion that he found her to his tastes.
Very deliberately, she lifted the fruit to her mouth and bit into it. His eyes lit up in acknowledgement of her provocation and he chose a pear for himself. Just as defiantly as she had bitten into hers, he took his knife out and began to peel his.
It was all she could do not to stare at the way his fingers moved around the fruit, taking its skin off in slow, hypnotizing movements. It put her in mind of the sensual way he would disrobe a lady before taking her to bed. Her whole skin covered in goosebumps. With deft gestures, he cut the pear into slices.
Finally, he plunged his gaze into hers and slipped a slice into his mouth.
“Delicious,” he said, licking the tip of his thumb.
Rowena’s insides dissolved, and she almost gasped out loud at the shocking sensation. She could have sworn he had just touched her…there.
“I-I am not hungry anymore.”
