Page 32 of While Angels Slept
She pulled her face out of his chest, looking up at him. “Never have you done that. You are a man of too much honor.”
He gazed down at her, feeling that uncontrollable pull again. It was a supreme struggle not to kiss her, out in the open to the shock of her son. A massive hand came up, smoothing her hair away from her face as he absorbed her lovely features.
“My cousin will be here for a week or two,” he said quietly. “You and I will be separated for as long. Perhaps… perhaps it will give us time to discover what we really feel, if it is something more than pity or convenience or lust.”
She knew he was right, though she did not want to be separated from him, not even for a moment. “And if we discover they are true?”
He pulled her closer. “Then I will go to Paris. I will not stop until I have discovered what has become of Louisa.”
Cantia swallowed hard. “And if she is alive?”
“I will petition the pope to annul the marriage on the grounds of abandonment and cruelty. And then I will marry you, we will have a dozen sons just like Hunt, and we will grow old in each other’s arms.”
She smiled, loving the feel of him against her, loving the glorious handsomeness of his masculine face. The wind was kicking up, blowing his copper curls into her face. “But what if you cannot obtain an annulment? What then?”
“I will still adore you for the rest of my life. You and no other.”
Her smile faded. “And I will still bear you a dozen strong sons and we will still grow old in each other’s arms.”
“I cannot ask that of you.”
“You did not. If it is the only way I can have you, then I am happy to make that choice.”
His dark eyes glittered like shards of obsidian, hard and unyielding and powerful. “Madam, I cannot imagine a greater honor, but you should think carefully about that statement while we are apart. I may hold you to it.”
“I would hope you do.”
He wanted to kiss her so badly that he began to shake. Unable to control himself, he lifted both of her hands and hungrily kissed them, devouring her flesh, sucking on her fingers until Cantia gasped softly. He nibbled her palms, her wrists, even her fingernails. In his grasp, Cantia was breathing heavily.
“Oh, Tevin,” she gasped. “When you do that.…”
“I know,” he moaned, his lips against the back of her right hand. “If you could only feel my need for you now, madam, you would know how badly I want you. All of you.”
Shockingly strong words, but she was not surprised or offended. She was not a maiden and Brac’s want for her had been insatiable. She knew what it meant to have a man make love to her. She wondered what it would be like when Tevin did. And she had no doubt that he soon would.
She moved close to him, taking his face between her hands. “I will take Hunt back to the castle so that he may play with his dog in the yard,” she whispered, her face an inch from his. “And then I will retreat to my chamber. You may find me there in one hour. Alone.”
He stared at her a moment, unsure if he heard correctly. He knew what she meant simply by the look in her eye. “Are you sure?”
“Verily.”
“But… Cantia, I do not want you to think that I am only interested in conquest. I do not take this lightly.”
“Nor do I,” she whispered. With that, she pressed her open mouth against him, her tongue engaging in a delicate dance with his. The blazebetween them flared like a fire with too much dry kindling and, for a brief moment, Tevin was in danger of swallowing up her entire face. He couldn’t get enough of her. But just as quickly, she pulled away, walking hastily in the direction of her frolicking son.
Heart thumping painfully against his ribs, Tevin watched her go. He put his hand on his chest as if to stop the crazy beating. He couldn’t breathe. But she said she would be waiting for him in an hour.
It was the longest hour of his life.
CHAPTER SEVEN
With her healing ribs, Val couldn’t seem to find a comfortable position. The sling back chairs did not provide enough support and the benches were too awkward. The only way she could find even moderate relief was if she pushed a sling back chair against a wall and propped herself up with a pillow.
Ever since their return from the cathedral that morning, she had been seated in the solar in precisely that upright position. Though she hated needlework and wasn’t any good at it, she was giving it a moderate try. One of the serving women had given her a clean piece of linen on Lady Cantia’s old frame and several colors of silk thread. So, like a true lady, Val was attempting to do something other than shoot arrows and thrust swords. Truth was that she couldn’t do much else.
It was turning out to be a horrendous piece of work over the past few hours she had been attempting it. And it was difficult to focus, too, considering the solar door was near the entry of the keep and she could see all manner of traffic passing in and out. Cantia and Hunt came in at one point, the boy rushing into the great hall while his mother mounted the steps to the upper levels. Then Myles came in a short time later and parked himself in a chair next to Val just to pass the time. Val had always liked Myles. He was handsome, wise and good of character. But he only spoke of the weather and a new charger or the price of a good sword. Never anything she might like to hear, though she wasn’t sure what, in fact, she might like to hear from him. Still, she wished he would speak to her of something other than warring.
Tevin came in a short time after Myles’ arrival, entered the solar, and engaged Myles in talk of de Gael’s arrival. Myles seemed to have calmed after his initial outburst. In fact, he showed his reluctance whenTevin asked him to escort the ladies to another location for the duration of the earl’s visit. He wanted to stay, but Tevin convinced him that escorting the ladies was far more important. Val was secretly glad he would be going. Maybe she could coerce him into speaking on the color of her eyes instead of the color of battle.
