“If I was you, I’d spend the rest of your life begging your wife’s forgiveness. Now leave me.”
Caroline raised her arm in a swift motion and the raven darted for the nearest window, escaping into the approaching night.
Chapter 11
“Icouldn’thavehadthe attendants make your bath extra hot?” Johnneth grumbled as he followed the queen down yet another staircase, having to bend low to keep from bumping his head. They’d walked together through the bowels of Roskide many times before, but never this deep. Absently, he wondered if this was where the vault of the treasury was, too. Only Caroline and Angus knew that location.
“Trust me, it will be worth it,” she said, and took another turn. “Here we are.”
Caroline pushed the wooden door open, and he followed her inside. The cavern looked natural, hewn by the flow of water from the mountain. It was hard to know in the tunnels under the castle what was carved by man versus the Gods.
Johnneth sat the satchel he’d been carrying down on one of four stone benches that were clearly hand hewn. He put the torch in a metal holder affixed to the wall, then pulled out the items Caroline had requested.
There was a small alcove to the side of the space which Caroline headed toward after she’d snatched a towel. “Don’t set the wine on the bench. It will heat it and ruin it,” she instructed and slipped behind the rock lip. Her shoes plopped to the floor as she took them off.
Johnneth touched his hand to the stone bench. Sure enough, it was hot, but not enough to burn. The perfect temperature to soothe tense muscles and he understood why she’d wanted to visit the spring. She still ached from the payment the Gods had extracted from her the night before. He couldn’t believe it when she didn’t cancel the Petitions which began early that morning.
Opening the wine, Johnneth poured her a glass, then corked it and set it on top of an extra towel.
“Through here,” her smooth voice echoed across the stones. He followed it around a corner, which opened into a slightly bigger space, tall enough so he could stand at full height.
“Gods, Caroline,” he swore, almost jumping back at the shred of a towel that was flimsily secured around the queen. She smiled over her shoulder at him, a devious glint to her eye, then dropped the towel, tossing it to the side, but keeping her back toward him. Her hips swayed, commanding his attention as she moved closer to the little pool, the curving silhouette of her body better than any dream he might have had.
“What are you doing?” He swallowed, thankful that he wasn’t being admonished for using her name.
Caroline moaned as she dipped a toe in the steaming pool in front of her. The metallic liquid rippled, rings of water reflecting the light for the torch she’d moved into the room, reverberating away from where she’d entered the water.
The small pool wasn’t big enough for more than two or three people. He was transfixed as Caroline fully submerged herself in the dark water, then rose, pushing her soaked black locks away from her face.
“It’s not like you haven’t seen a woman before, Johnneth. Angus told me about your little romp with the castle girl.”
He repressed a groan. Angus had told on him. And he had been with other women. Plenty of them. But he’d never seen a woman who controlled the heat of his blood with the slightest effort like Caroline did.
Resting her elbows on the warm stones, she beckoned for him to hand the glass of wine to her. “There’s no one down here to protect me from, Johnneth. Feel free to join me.” Caroline splashed the water beside her. “I promise I won’t look.” A feral grin crossed her face.
Just because she is inviting you into the water doesn’t mean she wants anything more. You don’t want anything more either. How did she always get the upper hand in these situations? His visit to Kelsey wasn’t paying off nearly as much as he’d hoped it would, and he clamped down on the male urges trickling into his awareness.
Sweat beaded on Johnneth’s skin, and he glanced down to see the dampness collecting on his loose tunic and trousers as it ran down his body. Damn this steamy room. The rosenwood dagger was tucked inside his pants in the hidden pocket he’d fixed, but if his clothing clung to his skin any more, it might expose the weapon’s location. He could pass it off as something for her protection, but what if she asked to see it?
“Fine,” he said, then went to the other room to strip and collect his own towel. And of course, hide the dagger in the satchel he’d brought.
“More wine,” she called.
He ran a hand across his buzzed head. This was completely inappropriate, which on one hand was ideal for his plan to up the odds, but if Angus hadn’t left and somehow found out, his ruse would be over. Johnneth tucked his towel around his waist and grabbed the bottle, resigned to his soak with the queen. He set the bottle on the folded-up towel next to her as he poured her another glass.
To his surprise, Caroline bobbed over to the other side of the pool with her glass and turned to the wall. Johnneth narrowed his eyes at her, fully expecting her to turn around. But she never did as he dropped the towel and slipped into the water.
“You didn’t peek,” he said, not sure if he should be offended that the glimpse of his torso hadn’t tempted her.
“You’re disappointed,” she said, turning around to face him, leaning against the opposite wall. The tops of her breasts were visible right above the surface, and like a bad guard, his eyes strayed toward them. He had to mechanically raise his eyes to meet hers.
“No, I only thought you might.”
“One thing you’ll learn about me, Johnneth, is I’m not a liar. You can count on what I tell you to be true, and I will always hold to my word. Even if it isn’t what you’d think. No matter howtemptingit might be.”
The scorching heat in her gaze made him glad his lower half was beneath the water, as the queen seemed content not to act upon their mutual desires. Being with her this close and unclothed was too much of a temptation, and she knew it. He could see the amusement that played in her eyes. For now, he could play along, and perhaps have a little fun too.
Caroline ran her fingers through the water, watching the little waves she created, letting the heat between them dissipate. “I’ve been thinking. I could grant you time off to visit your family when Angus gets back.”
