“I won’t wear a plaid.”
“Fine then, no plaid. But you’ve other clothes. I have seen them in the trunk.”
True, he did own a pair of cloth breeches and civilian tunic. But he couldn’t recall a single time he’d worn them.
He had no idea why he was even considering her request, except for the strange realization that making her happy mattered to him. It shouldn’t, but it did. And it was such a small request...how could he deny it?
“Very well, milady, no armor for today.”
The pleased look on her face sent a raw stab of desire straight to his groin. The woman was truly beautiful. “There will be a quiet picnic for us at noon out in the meadow behind the castle.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but she placed her hand over his lips. “No arguments. For this day, you will be mine and I will show you around the village. Look for your rebels if you must, but I intend to show you the other side of life.”
“What other side of life?”
“The one worth living.”
His eyes turned dull at the bitter reminder of his past. He had seen that side many times in his life and had no wish to see anymore of it. “I have seen it, milady.”
“Aye, but today you will live it.”
This was complete and utter madness. And yet he couldn’t find it within himself to turn her away.
She rose up on her tiptoes until they were eye to eye. He saw her desire for him and a tender emotion that made no sense to him whatsoever.
“Just give me this one day, Sin, and I will ask no more of you.”
By her face, he saw how important this was to her. For whatever reason she wanted to do this, he would humor her. “Very well. You have this day where I shall try and be a non-brooding, happy,” he cringed at the word, “man. Come the morrow, I return to being an ogre.”
“I’ll accept that so long as you agree to being mine completely today.”
“Agreed.”
Smiling, she kissed him lightly on the lips.
Sin growled at the satiny feel of her lips on his. Before he could stop himself, he crushed her to him and opened her mouth with his to taste the heaven of her tongue. She ran her hands over his naked back, her nails gently scraping his flesh.
Oh but this woman felt incredible in his arms. So warm. So giving.
Closing his eyes, he lifted the hem of her kirtle until he could touch the bare skin of her hips, her back. Dear Lord, how he craved her.
“Make love to me, Sin,” she whispered against his lips.
Her passion-laden words tore through him. But his reason still reigned supreme. “What if I leave you pregnant?”
She cupped his face in her hands and stared up at him with earnest eyes that scorched him. “Then I will love our child. Whether you stay or not, I shall keep our baby safe and make sure no one ever harms him. He will be as dear to me as his father is.”
He felt his resistance slipping.
She returned to kissing him and trailed a hand down the front of his body, over the planes of his chest and stomach. Then, she reached into the waistband of his breeches, her fingers brushing gently against his lower abdomen, until she could take him into her hand.
Sin hissed in pleasure as his thoughts scattered. His emotions raw, he reacted on primal impulse. Unable to wait another instant for her, he tore her kirtle from her and carried her to the bed where he lay her down to devour her.
Callie stared up at him, knowing she had won this battle, and something inside told her it was an important victory.
She shivered as he left her only long enough to remove his breeches.
He returned hurriedly and gathered her into his arms where he kissed her so furiously that it took her breath. This wasn’t the same tender lover who had been so slow and easy with her before. He was like a beast possessed. One who couldn’t get enough of her taste.
