“So?” His lips were now a hair’s breadth from hers. It took all her resolve not to bridge the tiny gap between them.
“So what?”
His mouth brushed along her cheek to come murmur in her ear, causing goosebumps to race all over her skin. “So what is this very special woman waiting for to ask me to marry her? Is it because of her promise to wait until her father was no longer reeve? There are still a few months to go. Is she waiting for the winter to ask the question?”
Gytha stilled. Shehadsworn to herself that she would wait for the winter to start looking for a man to marry, but how did he know that? In any case, she had changed her mind. Chances had to be seized when they presented themselves, and she had already concluded that Haakon was not interested in her father’s occupation.
“No. She has decided that she didn’t need to be so wary and trust that men could want her for the right reason.”
His grunt indicated that he agreed. “What is stopping her then?”
“Maybe she’s worried you might think it is the role of the man to ask the question.”
He shrugged, as if the idea had never even crossed his mind. “Things are not set in stone where manly and womanly roles are concerned. Women can propose marriage to men, in the same way that they can be the ones riding their lover.”
Gytha took in a sharp inhale as an impossibly lewd image exploded in her mind. Her, sat astride a naked Haakon, her head thrown back in ecstasy. “Women can ride their lover? I had no idea. How does it?—”
“Saxon. Please. Ask me. Now, before I go mad.”
Oh, she had really driven him to the edge of patience. But she couldn’t resist one last taunt. “Are you saying that you’re not one of those men who think it is the role of the man to propose?”
Haakon actually rolled his eyes, just what she had hoped. “Not that. The other thing, you infuriating woman.”
She let out a shaky breath and went for it. “Haakon. Will you marry me?”
“Yes. Try to stop me.”
Gytha was lifted off the ground before she had time to even blink.
A moment later she was sitting on the table and her head was level with that of the gorgeous Norseman nestled between her spread legs. The man she was going to marry. Would he seal their promise with a kiss? Would it be scorching or sweet? Demanding or tender?
“I love you, Saxon,” he said, talking against her mouth. Her whole body started to tingle in anticipation but still he didn’t kiss her. “Thank you for making my dreams come true, even the ones I never knew I had.”
“It is my pleasure. Just promise me something,”
“Anything.”
“Anything? Mm.” She drew back and pretended to consider this for a moment. “I think this is worth remembering, you know, for when I?—”
“Just tell me what you want me to promise now.”
Gytha’s lips stretched into a smile. He was not taking too well to teasing today. “Please, will you carry on calling me Saxon, even when I become a Norsewoman?”
Judging from the way his blue eyes softened, everything within him had melted also. “You will always be my Saxon dream woman, never fear. But I will call you whatever you want, especially mine.”
This declaration was followed by the kiss she had been aching for. It was so fierce it burned her bones to cinders. She moaned into his mouth. Haakon growled and said something in Norse. Even though she had no idea what he’d just said, Gytha’s core contracted at the dark promise in his voice.
“I don’t know what that means,” she breathed. And yet she didn’t mind. It had aroused her like nothing else.
“No, I imagine you don’t. I will have to teach you Norse when we are married, as I have a tendency to use it in bed without even knowing it.” Yes, she remembered that from their night in the shed. And she would learn, because she never wanted him to use any other language while she was in his arms. It was far too arousing. “In the meantime, I can translate what I say.”
“Yes. Or you could always show me what you mean instead.”
Haakon stilled, then gave a throaty laugh. “As invitations go, this one is impossible to resist. And your wish is my command. So let me show you what I want you to do.”
He wanted her to spread her legs wider in readiness for his caresses, Gytha understood, when he placed a hand on her right knee and coaxed it further to the side. And she was only too happy to comply. With a smile, she pushed him back a little, so he could see what she was doing, then slowly she gathered thehem of her skirt up to bare herself to him. As she lay there, exposed to his heated gaze, she wondered where this brazenness had come from. What would Haakon make of it? Would she have dared do such a thing with another man? Then she realized that she would never have to worry about that. She was withthisman, would be for the remaining of her life. With him there would never be any shame.
“Would you like me to take it all off?” she asked provocatively.
