“Did you get the necklace?”
She shook her head and before he could move, she seized his cloak. Draven frowned as he watched her hands gather the fabric under his plain brooch, then unpin it. She placed his brooch between her teeth and in its place, she pinned an elaborate gold piece inlaid with a black enameled raven that was surrounded by dark red rubies.
She pulled his old brooch out of her mouth and smiled. “It reminded me of your emblem.” She smoothed his cloak. “And I thought you might have more need of a happy memory than me.” Her hands lingered on his chest as she tilted her head to look up at him.
Overwhelmed, he didn’t know what pleased him most. Her smile, the feel of her hands against his chest, or the fact that she had thought of him.
“Thank you, Emily, I will treasure it always.”
Her smile widened. “Do you realize that is the first time you have used my name while addressing me? I had begun to wonder if you even remembered it.”
She took his arm again and started back to where they’d left the horses.
“Thank you for the day,” she said. “It was one of the best ones I’ve ever had.”
He swallowed. It was without a doubt the best day of his life. He covered her hand with his and reveled at the feel of her fingers beneath his own. He gave a gentle squeeze and led her to their mounts.
She wasn’t nearly as talkative on the way back and about halfway there, Draven turned to see why. She had her eyes closed and looked as if she were trying to sleep. She jumped as if startled and then blinked her eyes as if to clear them. And then she covered her mouth with her hand and gave a wide yawn.
Draven reined his horse to a stop and caught her reins. She looked at him with a puzzled frown.
“You’d best ride with me before you fall from your horse and break your neck.”
Before she could protest, he lifted her from her saddle and set her down across his lap. Heat seared him as her hips contacted with his loins.
She said nothing as she wrapped her arms about his waist and settled herself against his chest like a small child. The top of her head brushed his chin, and he could feel her heat the length of his entire body. Her breath fell softly against his throat, raising chills all over him.
For a moment he couldn’t move as he fought against the urge to kick his horse into the woods and lay her down upon the grass and take her.
He tightened his grip on the reins. He would not touch her. By all that was holy, he would not!
Forcing himself, he tied the reins of her horse to his saddle and continued on toward Orrick’s home. His horse had barely gone three yards before he felt her body relax as she drifted off to sleep. It was only then that he allowed himself to relax.
Impulsively, he tilted his head down to rest his cheek against the top of her head where he could inhale the sweet honeysuckle scent of her and feel the soft strands on his skin, his lips.
“Ogres can be fun,” she mumbled under her breath, never waking from her sleep.
“Even in slumber you speak,” he said, amused by the knowledge, and even more by the fact that no other man knew that about her.
Only him.
Draven tilted her head and stared into her face. He rested her cheek against his shoulder and gently cupped her chin in his hand. Her lips were parted ever so slightly, and it would be so easy to lean forward and take possession of them.
If only he hadn’t given his word.
All his life, his word had been his bond. He’d never once broken it. But never before had keeping it been so torturous.
“Lilacs,” she whispered. “There are lilacs afoot.”
Whatever was she dreaming of? He couldn’t imagine.
Tenderly, he ran the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip, remembering the sugar that had been there earlier. She poked her tongue back out, touching it lightly to his thumb.
Draven drew his hand back as if she had scalded him, and indeed it felt as if she had.
Upbraiding himself for his foolishness, he spurred the horse to get them back before he did yield to his lust.
Once he was within sight of Orrick’s walls, he gently shook her awake. She stretched languidly against him like a soft kitten. When she opened her eyes and saw his face, she jumped ever so slightly.
