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His hands eased her back onto the cloak. The soft fur trim brushed the back of her neck, sending a delicious shiver down her spine.
She lifted her hand to his face. The soft bristles brushed her palm. ‘And the next lesson is?’
He gave a throaty laugh. ‘Allow me to see all of you. I’ve dreamt of you and the things we will do together. How good we will be.’
He’d dreamt of her! And from his expression, it was easy to guess that his dreams had resulted in the same frustrated excitement that hers had.
She reached her arms up and he pulled the gown off. Her undergarments swiftly followed. The spring breeze caressed her flesh, bringing an awareness of her nakedness.
Her hands went over her breasts and groin, suddenly uncertain of what he might think. All the doubts she had about her body crowded back in. Her breasts were too small and her hips too large. She waited for him to turn away in disgust.
He gently moved her hands to her sides. He gave a sharp intake of breath as his hot gaze roamed all over her, warming her far more than the sun ever could.
‘You are so beautiful, Edith,’ his low voice rasped. ‘Far more so than I imagined. I wish I could show how you look lying against the redness of the cloak with your dark hair spilling out over your creamy flesh.’
Edith’s cheeks burnt and she turned her face away. ‘Should I believe your flattery?’
‘You need to see my appreciation? Very well, it shall be done.’
He bent his head and caught one of her nipples, suckled, wrapping his tongue about it and turning it into a hardened point. He repeated the exercise with the other breast while his fingers toyed with the nipple he’d just suckled. Her body arched off the ground. A thousand lights burst inside her.
His mouth slowly travelled down the length of her, leaving a trail of fire behind. She knew she should be ashamed of her response, but it no longer mattered what was acceptable, all that mattered was what he did to her body and how he played it as the finest bards play a lute, coaxing and demanding a reaction.
Her body arched off the cloak when his mouth touched the apex of her thighs and his tongue found her inner core. Deep within the heat exploded and circled outwards.
‘What was that for?’ she asked after her senses stopped reeling and she found him propped up on one elbow watching her.
‘Next time,’ he growled, cupping her cheek with a surprisingly gentle hand. ‘Don’t belittle yourself. It doesn’t become you. Now are you prepared to accept the compliment? You in the flesh are a thousand times better than you in a dream.’
‘I’ll think on it.’ She gave a throaty laugh which he joined in. It felt good to be laughing, with her skin touching his. She’d never thought of a man joining with a woman as a time for humour and teasing, but with him it was. And that made it all the better.
She buried her hands in his long dark blond hair, pulling his face to her, making it a curtain about them. ‘Is that an order?’
He nipped her chin. ‘You may take it as such.’
He moved his hips and the tip of his erection pressed against her. Her body opened and welcomed him in. She wrapped her legs about him and pulled tighter. The length of him slipped in and filled her with pulsating warmth.
Always before when this moment of joining came, she had resisted and tried to lie as still as possible, thinking of other things. Now she welcomed it. Her hips began to move, urging him to delve deeper and harder. Wave after wave of sensation crashed over her. Each time, she seemed to be lifted up to greater heights. Finally a great shuddering engulfed her.
* * *
Brand watched Edith sleep, a tiny crease between her brows and her dark red lips faintly puckered as her long dark hair flowed over them both. He hadn’t intended for this to happen when he suggested the ride. But he refused to be sorry. Already his body wanted to be with her again. This time in a warm bed, rather than on the cold ground. With plenty of time to truly explore all the facets of her. He hadn’t lied when he said she was better than he’d dreamt. There was something about her, a bit like one of the mosaics he’d admired in Constantinople—the closer you were to it, the more intricate it became and the more you wanted to study it.
He smoothed a strand of dark hair away from her alabaster forehead. It amazed him that Edith was so confident in so many ways, but with lovemaking she was timid until she forgot herself and allowed her passion to take over. Her passionate response had been more than worth waiting for.
Brand stared up at the clouds skittering past. What did he want in his ordered life? Before Edith, he thought he knew his life’s path, but now with her, he appeared to have taken a detour. Detours were fraught with problems. He’d learnt that lesson a long time ago. He knew what was important in his life and why he wanted it. His long-term future did not include this Saxon lady.
