Page 15 of A Knight To Call My Own
Her words were cut off as his mouth quickly took possession of her own, for possess her he did, with just the slightest first brush of his lips. She gasped when a turbulent wave of searing heat radiated throughout her entire body. But, such a profound encounter only allowed him to further plunder her senses as his tongue began to frolic with her own.Sweet Jesus, what in the world is he doing to me?
She felt his hands cup her face ’til he tilted her head, allowing him better access to her mouth. An unexpected moan escaped her. ’Twas, apparently, what he had wanted to hear from her. The sound surely only confirmed his own damn suspicions that she had told a lie when speaking of the effect of Rolf’s kiss. She was certain such a revelation pleased him.
His hands began a slow descent as they roamed down her back ’til he cupped her bottom, bringing her up hard against his solid frame. She quaked in response to such intimacy between them. Her shock did not stop his arm from winding around her waist, keeping her firmly in place as he continued to devour her last shreds of reality. The disbelief of feeling his firmly muscled body pressed up against her own sent any sense of prudence to remain indifferent to him fleeing from her mind. How could one keep a hold on any form of rationality when all she could suddenly feel was the unmistakable form of his manhood pressed intimately against her?
She was lost, and she unexpectedly cared not. Nay…all she could recognize in her feeble attempts to remain level headed was the fact that any control of the situation she may have had up to this point had vanished as soon as Ian had kissed her. Her arms made their way up and around his neck to playfully finger his shoulder length hair. She mimicked what he was doing to her mouth, letting him teach her what he liked. She must have done something right, for she heard his own groan of pleasure whilst he tightened his grip upon her.
Was it just her imagination, or did her body seem to mold itself to his own, as if they had been made for one another, even whilst his hands roamed freely over her backside? And yet, she did not complain, or even make the slightest protest. This was how it felt to finally be in his arms. She had dreamed of this moment for so long, she was almost waiting for someone to come and wake her, for surely she must be dreaming. She reached out and clasped the nape of Ian’s neck as she urged him onward in this journey he was taking her on. ’Twas sheer bliss…bliss ’til she felt herself being rudely yanked from his embrace.
Lynet gazed around with passion filled eyes to see who had interrupted them, but there was no one near, except the man who had proved his point that Rolf was not the knight for her. Aye! The deliberate burning glare in those obnoxious hazel eyes told her he knew exactly what he had done to her, and he was glad for it, the bastard.
Ian leaned down from his towering height so they came almost nose to nose. “Lesson number one, Lynet, is never lie to me again. Rolf is a good man, but he will never be able to make you feel the way I can. I will be victorious at the end of the games, and you will be my wife.You…are…mine.”
He gave her but an instant for the words he proclaimed to register in her brain, which surely had been turned to mush. Afore she could even mange to form some limited response that would most likely be garbled jibber-jabber, Ian gave her a quick kiss upon her already tender lips, opened her door and gave her a gentle push through the portal. Once she was inside, Ian closed the door behind her.
Feeling completely numb, with her feelings a jumbled mess, Lynet could go no further into her chamber. Instead, she leaned back against the wooden door, trying to somehow control and still her racing heart. It took every bit of effort she had left in her just to turn her body and lift her arm in order to slide the bolt into place. Her ear pressed to the door, she listened intently for signs of Ian’s departure. She held her breath with the knowledge he, too, lingered just on the other side with only an obnoxious piece of wood now separating them. She heard it then...the unmistakable sound of his footsteps receding down the corridor to seek his own slumber.
With his departure, her breath left her in a swift rush afore her trembling legs crumbled beneath her. Sliding helplessly to the floor, her hands shook as she fingered her sensitive lips. Aye, she had indeed been most thoroughly kissed, and by one who knew, inevitability, she had enjoyed every instant of their encounter. Surely he had branded her as his own with the scorching warmth of his touch. She may as well call Father Donovan and get their marriage over and done with. May God above help her and give her strength for what was to come with that insufferable man she so wanted to hate.
Hate him, or love him…she was not sure which she wanted to believe more. Either one was just as bad. For what truly mattered where her heart was concerned, was that Lynet recognized she was in big trouble.
Chapter Nine
Lynet’s feet barely touchedthe turret stairs beneath her as she held on to the red wrap around her shoulders. She was late and knew for a certainty she would incur Dristan’s wrath for not being in her place on the platform erected for the family at the start of the games. How she had managed to obtain even a wink of sleep was beyond her comprehension. She had tossed and turned upon her bed for hours, thinking on Ian’s kiss afore she had thrown the coverlets from her to do something more constructive with her time.
She had a firm resolve this morn when she had risen after only a brief two hours of rest. Her brow furrowed thinking on that insufferable man. Ian was overly confident she would simply fall in love with him after just one kiss. Of that, there could be no doubt, but she was determined she would prove him wrong. She would not succumb to his charms so readily and become such an easy conquest. Nay, she would not!
With thoughts of Ian’s kiss seared into her heart, she pushed down the notion she would belong to him at the end of the games, no matter that she had wished to be his wife for almost her entire life. There was another who was equally ready to take on the role of her husband, and Lynet was sure that, with time, she could somehow manage to love him.
Silencing the small voice inside her head telling her she was making a horrific mistake, she kept onward in her quest to be the mistress of her own fate. Racing through the Great Hall, she took no time to grab even a bit of cheese to break her fast. She did not want to miss the opportunity of sending Rolf off to battle for her hand without a small token of her affection. Aye, the embroidered red ribbon she held tightly in her hand billowed behind her in the soft morning breeze as she continued her flight through the inner bailey. There was no time to lose if she was to bestow this token to the knight who deserved her loyalty after all he had done for her over these past many years.
Through the portal of the inner bailey, she saw him sitting tall and handsome upon his black as night steed. The mighty warhorse practically pranced with pride as it carried its rider, who held a banner with one hand and the reins with the other. Yet, she was wasting precious time staring at him, the little she had, and her common sense that she must needs hurry had her rushing through the tall gate to reach the outer baily wall.
Rolf was already riding out towards the postern gate, along with the other knights who thought to make her their lady wife. If she had stopped for even one instant, she might have been impressed by the display of colorful standards that flew in the air for the entire world to see. There were many who would be competing this day, but only one now drew her attention as she rushed towards him.
“Rolf!” She called out his name and watched as he pulled back upon the reins to halt his steed. His grin widened whilst she shortened the distance between them, moving forward to stand in the middle of a staircase which led down to the outer baily.
He maneuvered his horse ’til the animal became parallel with the steps to the back entrance of the keep. ’Twas just what she needed in order to gaze upon him, eye to eye, given the additional height the stairs afforded her.
“My lady,” Rolf murmured with an appreciative glance at her attire. “You are most lovely this day. The yellow of your gown is like a fresh breath of summer sunshine to brighten my day.”
Lynet blushed upon hearing the compliment, adjusted the shawl she had around her shoulders, and gazed at him shyly. “I have something for you. I was up all night working on it that I may bestow it on you and place it upon your arm.”
“You would honor me with a favor?” he asked, waiting for her response.
“Aye,” she declared with a simple acknowledgment and a slight smile. His brow rose as if in a silent question as to the wisdom of her choice. Lynet did not have long to wait to hear what she feared would come from his lips. This man knew her so well.
“Is there not perchance another who you would rather give such a token to, my lady?” he questioned honestly whilst keeping their gazes locked, one on the other. “Not that I would complain such a gift was placed upon my arm as long as your favor was freely given.”
Lynet began to squirm under his close scrutiny and averted her eyes to fumble with the ribbon. Hiding the heaviness of her heart, she raised her face. The confidence that had briefly filled her just moments ago, now left her shaking with her decision to press forward to wed Rolf, should he be the victor in the games. “Nay…there is no other,” she proclaimed holding out the favor. “See how I have embroidered it with your colors so no other would question my choice in a champion knight? It even matches the shade of your cloak.”
“’Tis in truth Dristan’s colors, my lady, as you well know, since I have no other place than Berwyck to call home,” Rolf said solemnly.
“Aye, I know that, of course. And yet, I would still tie this upon your arm if you would but allow me the privilege,” Lynet said breathlessly. She looked over Rolf’s shoulder to see another who watched her intently. Her heart began its erratic beating with his nearness and knowing he gazed upon her, yet she refused to allow Ian to change her resolve. “Will you allow it?” she asked returning her full attention to Rolf.
“I would be a fool to gainsay you and say you nay, Lady Lynet,” he answered, holding out his arm to her. “You do me a great honor.”
She finished tying the ribbon, but still lightly touched the chainmail on his arm. “Nay, ’tis I who am honored by your acceptance of such a meager offering for one who would go into battle for my hand. You will be careful, Rolf, will you not?” she asked with a slight tremor in her voice. She would hate to see anyone hurt because of her.
