Page 28 of The Saxon Lord's Unwanted Bride
“Of course not; I’m merely eager for you to bathe me.”
He stepped into the bathtub, groaning with pleasure and closed his eyes. Eloise knelt beside the tub and picked up the washcloth, and rubbed it over his scarred, muscular body, massaging his limbs in slow, circular movements.
“Oh, Eloise, your touch unmans me.”
“His Grace is kind.”
“His Grace, indeed!” William scoffed. “You forget our friendship now I’m your king?”
Eloise withdrew her hand. “Of course not, my Lord, I’m merely giving you the respect as is your due.”
He closed his eyes and motioned to her to continue. With every sweep of her hand through the water, the soft scent of roses drifted through the air and she sighed.
“So heavy a sigh,” William murmured sleepily. “Are you unhappy here? Do you miss your brother still?”
“Not a day passes when I don’t think of Henri,” she said, “but I have a beautiful home here and a good, strong husband.”
“Do you forgive me for giving you to a Saxon, rather than one of your countrymen?”
“Are we not all the same now?”
“I’m gladyouthink so,” William said, fatigue in his voice. “Many would say otherwise.”
Eloise rinsed the cloth, letting droplets of water fall onto William’s chest and run down his torso. “I assure you I am not one of them. I’m grateful for your choice of husband.”
“As he should be grateful for his choice of wife,” William said. “I wish I were twenty summers younger. I’ll wager I can match him in virility.”
His hand snaked out from beneath the water and caught her wrist. Though she pulled away, his grip only tightened and he laughed good-naturedly.
“Come come, Eloise, ’tis an honor to serve your king so.”
Eloise smiled and kept her voice light and steady though she trembled inside, her stomach churning with a sickening fear.
“For shame!” she cried. “You have Matilda to whom no woman can compare. I insist you unhand me.”
William sat up and water sloshed out of the bath, partly soaking Eloise’s gown.
“Insist? You make such a demand of your king?”
“Aye, I do.”
“I could have you punished for disobedience.”
“For honoring my marriage vows?”
“Why deny me?” he asked. “Many a woman has been richly rewarded for giving pleasure to her king.”
“There’s nothing you can give me that I value, my lord. If I were so weak as to break my vow of fidelity to my husband, how could you trust me not to break a vow of loyalty to my king?”
William’s grip tightened, his voice hardening. “Look at me, Eloise. Look into the eyes of your king and say you deny him.”
Eloise lifted her gaze to meet his. His dilated pupils and darkened irises spoke of lust and anger. He leaned closer, nostrils flaring.
“I deny my king,” she said. “I deny all men save my husband.”
William’s scowl turned to a broad smile, his teeth flashing in the candlelight. He threw back his head and laughed.
“There are few individuals who would dare refuse me in this world of schemers and deceivers. Harald of Wildstorm is a fortunate man, Eloise. How I envy him!”
