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He sat down and grabbed for the bread, but her hand shot out and her fingers gripped tightly around his wrist.
“Ye’re bleedin’.”
“I . . . cut myself while shaving,” he lied, already feeling bad but not able to tell her the truth. She wouldn’t understand that he rid himself of the facial hair because he saw himself as the devil. Nay, that would only cause her to ask too many other questions that he didn’t want to answer.
“I like it,” she said, taking a bite of venison, studying his face. She reached out and ran her fingertips against his smooth jawline. “Yer skin feels so soft.”
God’s eyes, didn’t she know what she was doing to him? Every time she touched him it made him want to take her to his bed.
“I’ll take some wine now,” he said, picking up the bottle and looking around. “We don’t seem to have a goblet.”
“We dinna need one,” she answered, grabbing the bottle from him and taking a swig. “Just do it like that. We can share.” She handed the bottle back to him.
“Aye,” he said, raising the bottle to drink, tasting the sweet essence of her lips on the rim and wanting to taste them directly instead.
“I see ye had a bath prepared. And I still see steam comin’ off the water.”
“I haven’t had a chance to use it yet. I was going to sit in the tub and eat my meal, but I won’t be doing that now.”
“Why no’?” she asked. “Dinna let me stop ye.” The naughty playfulness of her words reflected in the sparkle of her eyes. What kind of dangerous game was she playing with him, daring him to undress while she was in the room?
“Quit acting like a temptress, my little fey.”
“Fey?” She looked up with her big doe eyes and blinked.
“Don’t act so innocent. If you want to join me in the tub, then just say so.”
“Join ye?” Her eyes darted over to the tub and then back to him. “Nay, of course no’, dinna be silly. I just meant that I didna want to stop ye from whatever ye were doin’ when I arrived.”
Actually, he welcomed her intrusion because now he had something else to think about instead of his dilemma.
“I suggest we eat our food. Mayhap when I’m done, I’ll have my wine in the tub as I relax by the fire.”
“Of course, my lord.” She smiled slightly and looked down to the food, no longer able to meet his gaze. She had never called him my lord before, so he knew she was nervous. Had she come here purposely to share his bed? And if she stayed, would either of them regret it in the morning? He wasn’t sure about anything anymore.
“You never told me what you were doing in that garden.” The food was delicious. His favorite meal was venison with a rich, brown gravy. Also on the tray besides the bread were pickled beets and what looked like an apple tart.
“I was there to think,” she told him. “Just the same as ye’ve been doin’ for the past few days locked away in yer chamber.”
“I beg to differ. I am sure it isn’t the same at all.”
Her hand stilled and she kept her focus on the table. That told him she was lying. He could have questioned her about it again, but decided, what did it matter? After all, he’d been lying to her, too. Mayhap, if they were both liars they did belong together after all.
He encouraged small talk as they ate, asking about the other knights and how their audiences with Lady Ernestine went. They shared a few laughs and talked about nothing of importance. Then, right when he was getting ready to tell her he had to break the betrothal, she got up and stretched and headed over to the fire.
“Why dinna we sit down by the fire on this blanket?” she asked, making Bedivere jump up and run over to the hearth. His weapons were under there and he didn’t want her to see them. She reached for the blanket, and he realized he had to cause a distraction quickly or she was going to find out who he was.
So, doing the only thing he could think of that would get her mind off of the blanket, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
“Mmmm,” she said, with her head tilting back and her eyes half-closed. “I like that.”
“So do I,” he admitted, having lustful thoughts again.
“Take off yer clothes,” she told him.
“What?” He jerked away from her as if he were burned.
“I willna look. Go ahead and get in the water before it gets cold. I’ll bring yer wine to ye.”
