Page 63 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

“Now?” She gripped the drying cloth more tightly to herstill damp body. The long strands of her hair, wet from the bath, clung to herskin. No man had ever seen her in such a state.

“Yes, now.” His eyes considered her carefully, and he shookhis head. “God knows I’ve left it overlong.”

While still staring at her, he shed his spurs and boots anddoffed his linen shirt, leaving his chest bare and his lower body clad in onlyhosen and braies. He was a beautiful man with his bronze skin and muscledchest. Her eyes were drawn to the white cloth circling his upper arm.

“Your wound,” she said, as she focused on the white bandagearound his upper arm. The wound from the arrow he took for Jamie. How could shenot love such a man?

“Aye.” He glanced down at the bandage. “My token from thesiege at Exeter.”

“Does it pain you?”

His gray eyes narrowed intently. “If you are asking if itwill impair my performance in our bed, nay.”

Serena could not take her eyes off his body as he peeled offhis hosen and unwound his braies, leaving his long lean form exposed and hismanhood rising from a thatch of dark chestnut hair at his groin.

She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry and her teeth bitinginto her lower lip. She had never seen a man fully naked. Or one whowas…aroused.

Gingerly stepping out of the water, she thought to delay hispurpose. Maggie had told her his first taking would bring her pain. Serenawould postpone it if she could.

“Our marriage has yet to be blessed, my lord.”

“Maugris tells me the priest will return on the morrow,” hesaid sternly. “There will be a blessing then. But I shall claim my bride now.I’ll not risk you disappearing in the dark again while still a virgin anotherman can claim. Come here, Serena.”

Seeing the desire in his eyes, Serena knew the time hadcome. She would not shy from a fate she had come to accept. One she had chosen.

The pride of a thegn’s daughter rose within her as shelifted her chin and slowly stepped toward him, her gaze ever steady. Sheshivered as if his hands were already touching her.

Closing the distance between them, he pulled the cloth fromher, tossing it to the floor. The cool air against her bare skin caused hernipples to pucker. She covered her breasts, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I would see all of you, Serena.” He pulled her hands awayfrom her chest. She met his gaze, determined not to cower before him. His eyesraked her body from her breasts to the flaxen hair at the apex of her thighs.“You are more alluring than any woman should be, bride or no.”

Serena was suddenly shy in the face of his devouring gaze.She had known this moment would come, but it was all so new.

Pulling her against his powerful chest, their bodies met.The heat from his naked skin was a welcome warmth causing her breasts totingle. She looked into his eyes, a darker gray than before, and saw hisintent. Nothing would stop him now.

He kissed her, a kiss of possession. Deeper than any he’dgiven her before. Her breasts pressed into his muscled chest and she breathedin his scent of horses, leather and sweat—the scent she recognized from hisfirst kiss. Sliding her hands up his arms, across the bandaged arm, she wassharply reminded this man was a warrior who had known many battles, and mayhapmany women.

His tongue claimed her mouth as his hands roamed freely overher buttocks. He gripped them and pulled her into his hardening flesh.

Grasping his shoulders, she steadied herself. Then she waslost in his kiss, in his touch, in the feel of him surrounding her. A part ofher wanted to flee, but another, stronger part, wanted to stay.

This must happen. It would be the end of her old lifeand the beginning of a new one. And somewhere deep inside, Serena knew she hadwanted this man for a long while.

His aroused flesh grew more rigid against her belly, hissize frightening her at the thought of what she knew was to come. She wouldsoon know this man more intimately than any other. She would be the Red Wolf’swife in truth.

The kiss ended and his lips swept across her neck and to thetop of her shoulder, sending ripples of pleasure through her. She knew the manwho held her so tightly was one of the dreaded Normans, but all she could thinkof was the passion his touch was stirring within her. It was a passion she hadwanted and only from him. She tilted her head back to allow him better accessto her throat and reveled in the enticing feel of his lips nibbling at the skinat the base of her neck.

There was no enemy here, only a man whose every silentquestion her body answered with “yea.”

Bringing his hands to her face, he cupped her cheeks. Herlashes fluttered open. The Red Wolf’s eyes were like liquid silver. Hisbreathing came hard, as did hers, her heart racing like a wild doe before apredator.

“It is time, Serena.” He took her hand and led her to thebed. Pulling back the cover, he gestured her forward. She lay down, lifting herdamp hair onto the pillow, and looked back at him in nervous anticipation.

“I have waited long to have you. But never before have Itaken a virgin. Though I do not intend to hurt you, I may.”

She did not speak but found comfort in what she saw in hiseyes. The anger was gone. He would try to ease her pain if he could.

He joined her on the bed and pulled her against him, his armstretched possessively across her chest where his hand kneaded her breast,until she moaned with pleasure. She turned into his embrace. A tingling achearose at the apex of her thighs as he slipped his knee between her legs.