Sin laughed out loud.
Draven merely growled again.
Simon turned his attention away from his brother. “And Sin, such a great big, tough knight you are. Why, I just don’t know if I can stand here and watch you. It just makes me all jittery.”
Sin laughed no longer.
Simon turned to look at Callie and Emily. “Ladies, while the men play with each other’s swords, what say you we adjourn inside and Emily can show me all about damp kirtles and Cal?—”
Before he could finish the sentence, Draven and Sin charged him.
Sin caught him about the neck at the same time Draven caught his waist. Together they lifted him from his feet and tossed him into a water trough.
No doubt they would have done more damage had Callie and Emily not run forward to grab them.
Callie pulled Sin’s helm from his head and kissed him quickly before he could get away.
Sin froze at the taste of his wife’s cool lips against his hot mouth.
He was weary beyond simple endurance and sweating, yet she didn’t seem to notice the stench of him.
She pulled back and gave him a smile. “Tell me honestly, are not famished, my lord?”
Aye he was. He starved for her in a way that was truly terrifying.
Draven made a disgusted noise, distracting him. “I’ll go in when Sin cedes defeat.”
“You’ll go inside right now,” his wife said, “or you’ll be sleeping in the stable this night.”
Sin opened his mouth to taunt Draven, but was stopped by Callie’s hand on his lips. “One word from you and you shall join him.”
Simon’s laughter rang out as he dripped his way toward them. “Who would have ever thought the two greatest knights in England could be laid low by simple maids?”
Both men growled and would have seized Simon had their wives not taken their arms.
“Boys,” Emily said, her voice stern, “would you please behave and go inside to eat. You’ve done quite enough damage to poor Simon and to each other for one night.”
“Yea,” Simon said, wringing his shirt. “Besides, I know not why you’re angry at me. You two get to go to bed with these two beautiful ladies while I get to cuddle my pillow.”
Emily patted his wet arm. “Poor Simon, ever abused. We shall have to find a wife for you, isn’t that right, Callie?”
“Aye, we shall.”
Callie could swear she saw a look of panic fleet across Simon’s face.
They went inside to eat while Simon headed up to his room to dry off.
After the men had finished eating, Callie took Sin to their room where she could help him remove his armor.
“You must be terribly sore,” she said, noting the bruises and red marks on his flesh. Luckily, there were no wounds.
Sin scoffed. “‘Twas friendly exercise. I am fine.”
“Friendly? Well then, I pray I never see you fight in earnest.” She meant that, too. Though it had irritated her, his skill had been beyond measure. She’d never seen two men fight better than they had.
“Here…” She urged him to sit on a stool so that she could rub his shoulders and arms.
Sin sat down. He couldn’t fathom what she wanted until her soft, gentle hands began kneading his shoulders and neck. He moaned at the pleasure of it. No one had ever done such a thing for him before.
