Page 44 of Lionheart

"Howoften do you do this?" Lionheart asked as he lifted her into the saddle.

"Dowhat?"

"Visitthe villeins without an escort?"

"Mairwas with me."

""Tis not good enough. I forbid you to leave the keep without one of mywarriors in attendance."

"Youcannot bully me," Vanora contended. "I did as I pleased before youarrived and shall continue to do so long after you are gone."

"Youwill obey me in this, Vanora. Once I am gone, you can do as you please."

"Yougo too far," Vanora said as she dug her heels into her palfrey's flanks.The horse shot forward, leaving Lionheart behind in her dust.

Cursing,Lionheart caught up with her and grasped her reins. "What are you tryingto do, kill yourself?"

"I aman expert rider," Vanora retorted. "I am merely anxious to return tothe keep."

A wickedglint came into Lionheart's eyes. "I am glad, but I doubt you are asanxious as I am."

Fuming,Vanora had no choice but to let Lionheart set the pace back to Cragdon. Surelyhe did not intend to bed her in the light of day, did he?

He did.

Ignoringher protests, he escorted her through the hall and up the stairs to the solar."Take off your clothes."

"'Tis the middle of the day," she sputtered.

"Thinkyou I care? I want you, vixen. Morning, night, it matters not. I crave yourfire, your spirit; I want your passion. I do not wish to waste a moment of thetime left to me at Cragdon."

Fightingthe desire Lionheart roused in her, Vanora shook her head in violent denial."You confuse my senses and overwhelm my weak body," she cried."Take what you want and leave me my dignity."

"Ishall take what I want but not without wringing a response from you. You are apassionate woman, vixen. Why not admit it and give yourself over to mycare?"

"Yourcare? You care naught for me. Temporary insanity brought us together inmarriage. I submit because I have no choice, and because I know you will not behere forever."

"Willyou not miss me a little? Am I not a good lover?"

"Ihoped for more in a husband. I expected to become a true partner to the man Imarried, to be respected and loved for myself, not for the worldly goods Ibring to the marriage."

"Idoubt Daffid ap Deverell would have been the kind of husband you seek."

"Foronce we are in agreement," Vanora admitted.

He removedhis doublet and peeled off his chausses. "Let us cry truce during ourprivate moments," Lionheart said. Grasping her hand, he brought it to hisgroin. "Take me in your hand, Vanora. See what you do to me? I can thinkof better things to do than fling insults at one another. When we are in bed,we are lovers, not enemies." Vanora curled her fingers around hiserection, gasping when she felt him harden and expand. Her gaze flew up to meethis. His expression was hard and sensual, his eyes dilated and dark witharousal. Her breath seized; she was stunned by her body's instinctive responseto his seduction. She grew so hot she wanted to tear her clothes off and bareher body to him. Only her pride prevented her.

"Shallwe get these clothes off you?" he whispered, as if she had given voice toher thoughts.

His handswere swift and sure as he undressed her. Then his gaze swept over her, leavingheat in its wake, and when he raised one hand toward her, Vanora's breathcaught and her flesh tingled in anticipation.

A scaldingheat flared between her legs, and her nipples hardened into rigid peaks. Lostin the blaze of his eyes, she began to tremble as his hands swept over herbody, down her thighs and between, his fingers brushing the bud of her sex. Sheshuddered, bowing to the inevitable as she melted against him.

When hismouth slanted down over hers, passion flared instantly between them. Theturbulence of their clashing wills only added to the heat exploding betweenthem.

Lionheartswept her up into his arms and carried her to their bed. Any lingering angerhad turned to burning fever. He no longer wanted to argue with Vanora. Whenhe'd been told that she had left the keep without an escort, his temper hadflared. She had deliberately ignored the danger that existed beyond the keep'sprotective walls. But now all he wanted to do was love her.

Castingall vestiges of anger aside, he lifted her up and set her astride him. Vanoragasped as he slowly impaled her, yet her body accepted him without resistance,sheathing him in silken heat.