Page 47 of A Knight To Call My Own
“I do not consider it scheming in order to get what I want out of our marriage.”
He whirled to face her. “By forcing my hand?” he yelled.
“’Twas the only way I could think of for you to come to your senses.”
“Come to my senses?” he repeated. “Was it your desire to have every man in that room ogle you like some common strumpet?”
Lynet ignored such an offensive comment and shrugged. “I only cared that one man was gawking at me. Were you, or were you not, intrigued having me dressed like my sister?”
A grunted laugh escaped him. “You would bring up Amiria, now, of all times?”
“Aye! I want no mistake that when you bed me, ’tis me, and not my sister, you think of.”
“You should not have dressed like her then, if you were looking for a different outcome, for she is exactly who I first thought of.”
“I am not my sister,” Lynet said firmly and felt dismay, realizing she may have erred trying to emulate Amiria.
“Nay, you are not.”
“’Twas meant to get your attention.”
“I assure you, lass, you obtained your objective.” His arms folded across his chest. He waited for her to continue.
“I want no misunderstandings between us, Ian. I only did what I needed to do in order to earn some respect in this household. Your mother has ruled with an iron fist, as if this keep was still hers to command.”
“She is my mother. That will not change.”
“Nay, ’twill not. Yet, ’tis time she also learn her place, now you have brought home a wife.”
“I am sure there is no doubt in her mind where her place is after handing you the keys to the keep, Lynet. You are now chatelaine, and none shall go against your orders, or they will answer to me.”
“And I thank you for it, although it should have been determined from the moment we walked through the front gates.”
“There were other matters of more import to attend.”
“Not to me,” Lynet answered, lifting her chin, yet again. “I wanted some reassurance of my place, along with knowing you no longer have feelings for Amiria.”
“The only feeling I have for Amiria is that she is your sister. Anything else that happened in the past is just that, and best left there.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“But what of you?” Ian asked with raised brow. “Will there be the memory of another man in our bed, Lynet?”
Rolf’s face flashed briefly in her mind. “Nay, there has been no other holding my heart but you,” she declared honestly.
“Then all is settled between us,” Ian declared.
“Not quite.” Lynet was not sure what sound emitted from the man who was holding his temper in check by the barest of minimums.
“What more do you want of me?” he jeered.
“I want everything.” Lynet willed herself to remain where she was, instead of going to him. ’Twas one of the hardest things she had ever done, besides defy him.
He was upon her faster than she thought humanly possible. His breathing was ragged, as though he tried to control himself from what only he knew for sure. She put her hands upon his chest to hold him off. ’Twas a mistake, she knew, but she would tell him her heart’s desire and pray he felt the same.
“What is that supposed to mean?” he asked with furrowed brows.
Lynet reached up to smooth the wrinkle upon his forehead afore placing both her hands upon his cheeks. “I want to beyoureverything, Ian, just as you are mine. When your eyes behold the beauty of a sunrise, I want you to think only of me and the love we share. I want to be the air in your lungs when you take a breath, the blood in your veins as it goes rushing to your heart to pump the very life into you, the tingle in your fingertips when we touch, the sweetness tasted upon your lips and tongue. I want my kiss to be the one that puts your soul at ease.”
