Page 46 of Promises Made at Midnight
“Aye, that he did, but I was talking more about taking you to our bed and making love to you until you tire of this old warrior,” he chuckled in return to her comment.
“Even when I’m old and grey, I’ll never tire of making love with you, Ulrick.”
“I may hold you to such a vow, wife.”
Bridgette turned from him to pour him a cup of wine. She offered the chalice and watched him take a sip. “You could have mentioned you were an earl,” she said, with a raised brow.
“Would that have made any difference to your agreeing to become my bride?” he asked warily, and she did a double take to see if he was joking with her. The seriousness of his features told her much. Obviously, this was a subject of much contention with the women he may have considered for his bride in the past.
“You know it didn’t. To me you were just a knight. I would have been perfectly happy to make our home here at Berwyck as long as Dristan and Amiria didn’t mind that we continued to live here. I don’t care about titles or whatever wealth you may or may not possess.”
“Which is why you, more than any other woman who may have crossed my path, are worthy of being my wife, Countess,” he replied, before setting the chalice down and pulling her into his arm once more.
“Countess… that’s going to take some getting used to,” she said while sliding her arms around his waist.
“Countess is hardly worthy of you. I would call you my Queen for all our days together, which would be more fitting.”
“Maybe while we’re alone together,” she laughed, “although that, too, makes me uneasy.”
“Then mayhap I should just continue to whisper sweet endearments,mon amour,” he said in a husky whisper, while the soft Norman French accent sent shivers throughout her body.
“No more talking, Ulrick,” she exclaimed, quietly. “I think there are better things you could do with your mouth right about now.”
She ran her fingers down his muscular chest, watching his wicked eyes urge her further in her exploration of his body. He pulled his tunic from his torso, revealing what was now available for her viewing pleasure. Ripple upon ripple of his six pack proved her husband spent many an hour with his training, and now his body was all hers to enjoy and explore. She took a cursory glance at the magnificent bulge outlined through his hose. An arched brow rose when she looked up into his handsome face.
“See what you do to me,ma chérie?” he asked with a roguish smile.
She only returned his smile with one of her own before she watched him strip away the rest of his clothing. When he stood naked before her, his fingers softly trailed over the skin outlined at the neckline of her robe. A simple tug of the tie at her waist with one hand loosened it, and his other pushed the fabric from one shoulder until the linen fell to the floor at her feet. He trailed his fingertips down her back and found her soft buttocks, giving them a gently squeeze. Her breath hitched and a chuckle escaped him. He pressed a kiss to her temple. She gulped hard when he turned from her to stride toward the bed as she watched the muscles of his back and waist and his own toned bottom in fascination. The mere presence of him caused her stomach to clench in anticipation.
He drew back the coverlet of the bed, not caring that some fell to the floor in his urgency to see to their needs. He sat on the edge and his look held her spellbound until an unspoken command for her to join him had her moving forward. She ran her fingers through his shoulder-length hair while his mouth suckled at her breasts. Her back arched, begging him to take her and she felt his powerful hands reaching for her waist until she lay atop him. Skin to skin, a rush of heat flooded her body and she leaned down to receive his kiss.
Ulrick devoured her mouth with deep sweeping strokes of his tongue. It was a hungry possession as though they had been waiting an entire lifetime to at last find the missing half of themselves. She became lost in his kiss until she could wait no longer to seal their fate together. She moved above his manhood and lowered herself upon his shaft. The exquisite tightness while he filled her completely made her head arch backwards before she once more lowered her mouth to his own. They began to move in unison while their tongues danced as each of their bodies melted together in this sacred union.
He urged her on, letting Bridgette take control of their lovemaking before he at last rolled her over. Where his body began, hers ended. They were one withTimeand never before had she ever felt this loved. The furious beat of her heart echoed with his as Ulrick brought them closer to the heavens. Every muscle in her body tensed in expectation before she screamed out his name when she found her release. With one last pulse of his body into her own, his seed filled her before his lips came crashing down upon her mouth again.
Their chests heaved against one another until their breathing at last returned to normal. Ulrick rolled over and he pulled her into his side while her head rested upon his chest. Her fingers rubbed at the hair tickling her nose before she snuggled into his warmth. Their fate had been sealed. They were as one. Their lives were complete.
CHAPTER32
Ulrick quietly opened his bedchamber door so as not to awake the beauty who still slumbered in his bed. Stepping inside the room, he gently shut the door before moving forward to watch his sleeping wife in the candlelight of the chamber. She appeared as an angel. Her perfection whilst resting caused his heart to fiercely beat inside his chest. Her hand resting beneath her cheek, a slight smile curved her lips and he pondered what she was dreaming about to cause the serenity of her features.
He sat down and reached over to carefully brush the silky black tresses from her face. He must have infiltrated her dreams, because her eyelids began to flutter open and the candle next to the bed became reflected in the green of her eyes. She began to stretch before she once more relaxed, holding out her hand for him to join her.
“You’re already dressed, Ulrick. What was so important that you left our bed before the sun has even risen for the day?” she asked in a breathy whisper whilst tugging upon his hand. Instead of joining her, for he knew he would not be able to resist the temptation she presented, he gathered her in his arms and nuzzled her neck, smelling the light floral scent that had parts of him rising to the urgency of his need if he but let the morning take its natural course.
“Good morning, my sweet,” he said in return. “We must rise if we are to begin our journey.”
She pulled back from him to stare at him intently whilst her puzzlement etched itself across her visage. “What journey? You did not mention we were leaving Berwyck so soon for Dunster Castle.”
He kissed her forehead before leaving her clutching the coverlet over her naked breasts whilst he made his way across the room. Aye. She was too tempting to continue to gaze upon her and there was much to do if they were to leave this morn.
“Yesterday’s festivities must have caused you to forget we have been summoned by the king, although I must admit I, too, would like nothing better than to continue our wedding celebration.” He gave her a wicked grin before turning his attention to the parchments upon the table.
She gave a sleepy yawn. “We did keep one another up for most of the evening,” she teased with a seductive tone, suggesting she would like nothing better than to continue where they had left off but hours ago.
Alas, there was no time to give in to his baser needs. He ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I have just left Lord Dristan’s solar. I have been asked to ride one last time with him and his men to Bamburgh Castle to meet with the king. The journey will not take long but there is much to pack. They will not wait for us if we are not ready to ride when the company is ready.”
“You’re taking me with you?” she asked as if she doubted his words.
