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“I said no!” It would put Vienne and everyone else in the castle in danger.
She scowled mutinously. “Then how the hell are we supposed to safely help him escape?”
Setting my hands on my hips, I cursed liberally at the ceiling before scowling at both kids. “Fine,” I muttered. “But we’re blindfolding him so he can’t find his way back in.”
Chapter 43
Urban
Dawn was approaching, and the sun had nearly crested over the horizon, when I finished for the night and started for my room. As I neared it, however, I felt Vienne’s presence grow stronger with every step I took, causing a smile of realization to spread across my face.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw the lump on my bed under the covers where she lay.
I immediately started toward her but a whimper from the corner of the room waylaid me. I turned to blink in surprise, not realizing a crib had been stationed there until the baby inside it started to stir. Shaking my head, I smiled before changing my course to check on the babe.
Anniston had kicked off her blanket and lay on her back windmilling her legs with a speed that made me chuckle, while she gurgled, blowing bubbles from her mouth.
“Well, hello there.” I picked her up, grinning softly. “It’s nice to see you in such good spirits. Happy to be home again with your mother, I presume?” Then I nodded and shifted her up against my shoulder so she could rest her cheek against me. “Yes, I would be too.”
But as soon as I went to pat her back, I felt wetness against my fingers. Ah, damn. She’d pissed through her clothes. Again.
“Now I see what woke you.” I winced through a knowing nod. “I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t be able to sleep, covered in my own urine either. Let’s see what we can do about that.”
I’d never changed a nappy before, but Anniston didn’t seem to mind my fumbling attempts. She quite enjoyed the added freedom to kick even more when I peeled away all the wet material cloaking her. It made me feel bad about having to wrap her up again. But she didn’t seem to mind that either. I laughed and shook my head, sure she was going to be either a swimmer or a runner, what with those legs of hers.
But then I checked out the nappy I’d just fastened into place and groaned. It looked quite crooked and out of sorts.
How the hell did Vienne always make them look so neat on this squirming kid?
Oh, well. Anniston didn’t seem to mind. I swear the babe actually grinned up at me, happy to simply be alive.
My heart melted. I blinked a few times, refusing to cry over changing a simple, damn nappy. But she was such a cute little thing. And she was alive. Mere hours ago, I had feared I’d never see her again.
“Well, then,” I said, clearing my throat and picking her up so I could stroke her head and kiss her soft cheek. “We bumbled our way through that mess, now didn’t we?”
“I think you did splendidly,” a voice answered from the bed.
I glanced over, lifting one eyebrow to find Vienne still lying under the covers but perched upright on one elbow with her chin resting in the palm of one hand. She smiled a smile that melted me all over again.
Like mother, like daughter, I suppose.
“My lady,” I said, my cock perking to immediate attention. “I believe you’ve wandered your way into the wrong bed.”
“Did I?” she asked, glancing around as if noticing for the first time that she was indeed in another bedchamber than her own. “Hmm. I could’ve sworn this room was yours.”
My smile was slow and predatory. “It is.”
Her gaze returned to me, the light in her eyes warm and inviting. “Then I’m exactly where I want to be.”
I drew in a sharp breath. “Are you sure? You haven’t even been a widow a full day yet.”
She flipped the sheets off her to reveal nothing but bare woman underneath, the curve in her hips dipping down to her waist only to flare back up toward full, proud breasts. My gaze slid up her long shapely legs, and a moan worked its way from my throat. I felt suddenly very awkward about holding a small infant in my arms while in a state of full arousal.
But, damn…
“I like that answer.”
She nodded. “I rather thought you might.” Then she glanced at her child and lowered her voice. “She’s fallen back to sleep if you want to lay her in her crib and join me.”
