Chapter Fifteen
Annis woke tothe unaccustomed sensation of being cuddled by a large sleeping male. Emrys had his arms round her, snugging her into his chest, and a thigh between her legs. It was remarkably comfortable and comforting. It was also quite late in the morning, judging from the amount of light coming through the window.
Which wasn’t what she had planned at all. She had meant to wake early and abscond before he woke and stopped her. But then last night hadn’t gone as she had expected, either. Far from him taking her for his pleasure, he had pleasured her and forfeited his own. This was not how she had imagined congress between a man and a woman would progress. Everything she had been led to expect was that the primary purpose (apart from procreation) was to bring the man relief from his physical urges.
She had heard precious little about the pleasure to be obtained by the woman from the act. Not that they had performed the act, as she understood it. He’d made reference to it with his salacious comment about fingers, candlesticks, tongues, andcocks. The word curled inside her, deliciously wicked.And women desiring long hard objects...She bit her lip to silence the involuntary sound that wanted to escape. She had made a lot of involuntary noises last night. She flushed remembering how she had behaved.
He stirred, making a snuffling noise, and murmured something unintelligible. His arm tightened round her and pulled her closer against him, his thigh pressed deeper between her legs. He lifted his head blinking.
“Annis.” His voice was thick and deep this morning. “You feel delicious,” he murmured, nuzzling her neck and pressing kisses into her skin.
Was he even awake?
“Emrys?”
“Yes, love?”
Love? What did he mean by that?
“Shouldn’t we be getting up? I think it is quite late.”
He rolled onto his back and stretched. “I suppose so. I’d much rather stay in bed with you.”
She flushed. “Would you?”
He grinned wolfishly.When did my gentle paladin become a wolfish rogue? And when did I start thinking of him as mine?
He rolled toward her, pushing her back into the pillows. “I can’t wait to start teaching you things. I feel you are going to be a very apt pupil, my governess.”
“What—what things?”
He slid his hands over her body rubbing the fabric of her nightgown over her nipples and cupping her breasts, his head dipping to nuzzle at her neck. “You’re so delicious I don’t know how I’m going to keep my hands off you until I get a ring on your finger.”
“About that—” she began, and yelped when he grazed her neck with his teeth. “Did you not pay attention to anything I said to you last night?”
“I paid very close attention to everything you said last night,” he said, transferring his mouth to one breast and suckling a nipple.
She panted. “Then—then how can you contemplate letting me anywhere near your children?”
He let go of the nipple slowly and lifted his head. “Annis, my children have grown to care for you. You must know that.”
She nodded, trying to suppress the lump in her throat. “And I for them.”
“Nothing else matters,” he said simply. He sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “I will apply to the Bishop of Leicester for a license to wed and we will be married in Robert’s chapel.”
“You’re being very feudal, my lord.”
“Yes, I am, aren’t? It’s very unlike me, you know. Generally, I’m the most easygoing of chaps.”
“You cannot force me to marry you.” she said quietly.
“I know, and I would not want to.” He turned to face her. “Do you not wish to marry me, Annis?” She bit her lip, and he went on rather doggedly. “I’m no oil painting, I know. But am I such a bad bargain? One slightly worn widower with terrible dress sense and three small children... Well, perhaps there are better options.”
She threw a pillow at him. “Don’t pretend to be pathetic. It doesn’t suit you!”
He grinned and pounced on her, pinning her to the bed. “Annis Pringle, once you’re Lady Ashford I am going to do terrible things to you,” he said, nuzzling and blurting his lips against her neck.
“What sort of terrible things?” she asked, trying not to laugh and failing.
