Page 77 of The Knight's Pledge
He gestured with the bag. “Preparing Agrios.”
“Oh. I thought perhaps you were avoiding me”
“I was,” he admitted. “I thought it best if everyone could relax this last night.”
She began walking down the aisle toward him, not really even noticing it was happening, but unable to stop herself. “Is hewell? Agrios?”
“He’s well nearly anywhere he has fresh oatsand a dry bed.”
She was halfway to him now. He’d discarded his black gambeson and stood in the aisle in his white shirt and black trousers, like a charcoal sketch if only his eyes hadn’t glittered so pale blue inthe torchlight.
“Why areyouhere, Effie?”
She stopped then. “I was worried about you.”
He arched one black brow. “Ido doubt that.”
“We have a rule,” she continued inanely.
“I know the bloody rule,” he said. “That’s not why you’ve come. So why don’t you just come out with it?”
“I…” Effie stopped, swallowed. For some ridiculous reason, she felt as if she could burst into sobs at any moment.Vulnerable, a voice whispered in her ear.That’s what you are. Afraid.
“I just needed to know where you were,” she confessed at last. “I don’t know why.”
He turned his head away and muttered something that sounded like a curse.
“I do know why,” he said to her, and his eyes glittered. “But we both know we shouldn’t. Especially not now. Especially not tonight.” He tossed the bag in his hand into Agrios’s stall and then took a step toward her. “It’s too complicated.”
Effie, too, stepped forward, hesitated. “I know.”
“It will only make it harder for you.” Another pace.
Her breath caught in her throat. God, help her—what hadcome over her?
“I know,” she whispered. “But…but I don’t think Icare anymore.”
Lucan held his arms from his sides, his palms out. “Neither do I.”
Effie lurched forward, closing the space between them in a rush, flying into Lucan’s open arms and raising her face for the kiss that he granted her at once. His arms wrapped around her back, spanning her, lifting her against him, turning to carry her intoan empty stall.
“I need you, Lucan,” she said against his skin. “I can’t explain it. I just want you again so much.Everything is—”
“Shh,” he said against her neck as he backed her up against the wall of the stall. “I’ve got you.” His fingers gathered up the sides of the skirt little by little, letting the cool air caress Effie’s bare legs. “Help me,” he commanded, pressing his hips into her stomach.
Effie’s hands jerked at the laces at his waist until he was freed to her clutching hands, her skin delighting in the feel of him. He dropped his mouth back to hers with a groan. His hands wrapped around the underside of her buttocks and lifted her above him. He stepped forward, wedging her against the rough wall and then let her slide down, slowly, slowly, until she was fullyseated on him.
Effie let her head lay back against the boards and her eyes close, her breath coming in and out of her nose in the quiet stable air. Her hands rested on Lucan’s shoulders as he buried his face in her breasts, hooking his hands beneath her knees and pulling up. She ran her fingers through his hair, laying her cheek against his temple as she gasped open-mouthed, her eyessqueezed shut.
Seconds became minutes, stretching out into an eternity made up of nothing but the scratching of fabric on wood, wet whispers of flesh, ragged breaths in the quiet space. The shadow of the empty stall hid their wickedness, sheltered them, encouraged them, until their passions were spent.
Effie felt dizzy, hot, weak. He slipped out of her and let her down upon her feet, but kept her constrained against the wall as he kissed her again, without an ounce less desire than the first time. He caressed her breast, squeezed it gently.
“Better?” he murmured against her lips.
She nodded guiltily and he kissed her again.
“Go inside to your rest,” he advised. “You’ll be missed soon, and if you stay much longer, I’m going to turn you ‘round.”
