Page 58 of The Champion

Stryder caught her up, the froze as the full softness of her body contacted with his. Her laughter caressed his skin.

Before he even realized it, he was kissing her.

Rowena moaned at the taste of him. He was like touching a dream.

And as she tasted him, wicked images went through her mind. The sight of him naked in his tent. The thought of lying beside him as she allowed him to touch her in ways no man ever had.

Aye, he would be incredible in her bed. Even though she was a virgin, she knew instinctively, he would treat her kindly there.

Stryder pulled back from her lips, before he buried his face against her neck and inhaled the warm fragrance of her skin and perfume. “Rowena,” he breathed. “Be grateful I’m not a knave.”

“Why?”

“Because if I were, you would be mine this night.”

She trembled at the deepness of his voice.

He pulled away and looked down at her. “I’d best get you back to the others, before my lust overrides my common sense, and I do something we shall both regret come morning.”

Would she?

Rowena bit her lip at the disturbing thought. In truth, she wasn’t sure if she would regret laying with him.

Before she could speak, he took her hand and led her to the castle where the other nobles were still caught in the throes of their celebration.

She looked about for her ladies-in-waiting, but could find neither them nor Kit.

Her uncle, however, came instantly to her side. “Where have the two of you been?”

“I was teaching Lord Stryder to play,” she answered honestly.

Her uncle arched a brow at that. “So, you intend to partake of this lunacy?”

Stryder drew a deep breath. “It would appear so.”

“Then you are a braver man than I am.” Passing a look between them, her uncle drifted off into the crowd.

Rowena hesitated at leaving Stryder. She didn’t want him to go. And that shocked her most of all. But as he said, if they stayed together…

“Sleep well, my lord.”

Nodding, he took a step away, then came back to her side.

“Thank you for making me laugh, Rowena.” He placed a chaste kiss to her cheek.

For a moment, she thought she might actually swoon from the tenderness of that gesture. “Any time you need a good tickling, my lord, just call.”

He laughed again and she fought the urge to place her fingertips to his dimples.

There were several women nearby who cast murderous glares at her, but Rowena didn’t care. They might covet Stryder’s attention, however they knew nothing of the man.

She had seen sides to him she was sure he shared with very few people.

And she was honored to be one of them.

He kissed her hand and then left her there.

She didn’t move again until he was gone from her sight. But he wasn’t gone from her thoughts. There he stayed, for the rest of the night.