Awakened by a Kiss (33 page)

Tristan strived for patience. His uncle and brother didn’t know what kind of woman they were dealing with, although her mode of dress should have alerted them to the obvious—she was trouble. Willful. Acting as though society’s mores didn’t apply to her because she was the King’s favorite daughter. A week with Elisabeth running about in her tight-fitted, stirring attire. Of her trying to garner the very physical reactions she’d wrought from his unruly cock.

Jésus-Christ
, of her entertaining herself at his expense.

It wasn’t going to happen.

Yet, if she wished to stay, he couldn’t toss her out—just as she’d gleefully pointed out. He may not be in His Majesty’s employ any longer, but was still obliged to his King. And he had to oblige the King’s favorite daughter, because of it.

However, the key here was
if
she wished to stay.

This was his home. His domain she was under. And there were a number of highly appealing ideas flitting through his mind on how to sway her into wanting to leave and abandon the fencing lessons she was demanding.

For the first time since she’d arrived, he found himself fighting back a smile.

“Are you sure you’d be comfortable staying here for these lessons, madame?” he asked. “This isn’t Versailles.”

She smiled at him, though it didn’t reach her large hazel eyes. “I’ll manage,” she said tightly. For the first time he saw a break in her façade. He’d irked her. She didn’t like his comment that suggested she was pampered. Odd. Why would the obvious annoy her?

“I’d like to refresh myself now. Could you order me a bath?” Elisabeth’s features were schooled once again, and she was speaking as though the matter were settled. As if there were never any doubt he’d comply with her demands.

Normally he’d be vexed, but he wasn’t, not while plans were taking shape in his mind. By the time he was through with her, she’d bend to
his
will. And leave, taking his former men with her.

“Of course,” Tristan ceded, and caught the surprised looks on his brother’s and uncle’s faces. Tristan called to his majordomo standing in the vestibule. “Please escort our guests upstairs to the east wing.”

“The east wing?” Gabriel said. “But, Tristan—”

“The. East. Wing.” Tristan gave his brother a look of warning, silently ordering him to hold his tongue.

Once the women were upstairs, Gabriel didn’t waste any time in questioning his decision. “Why did you give them rooms there? In the summer those rooms hardly get any breeze at all. They’re terribly hot.”

Richard shook his head. “That is exactly why he chose them, isn’t it, Tristan?”

“Precisely. I want them gone. The sooner the better. I don’t want to be responsible for any more of the royal brats. Especially Elisabeth de Roussel. She’ll be uncomfortable and she’ll leave.”

It was Gabriel’s turn to shake his head. “Brother, you are daft. She is beautiful, and in case you missed the way she looked at you, she’s all but begging you to fuck her. How could you have missed the signs?”

“I missed nothing, Gabriel. She’s not begging for anything of the sort. She’s flirtatious with no intent on carrying through with an amorous encounter. It is nothing more than a coquettish act. One I’ve seen her play many times.”

“Oh,” Richard and Gabriel said in chorus, clearly disappointed.

“Are you sure, Tristan?” Clearly, Gabriel didn’t want to let this go. “She certainly looked as though she’d be willing . . .”

“She’s not. And even if she were, I am not fucking the King’s daughter.”

“Why not? You bedded Veronique.”

“Veronique is not the King’s favorite daughter. Elisabeth is. And she holds no appeal for me.” Liar. His stiffened cock proved otherwise. Before she put him through any more discomfort, he was getting rid of her.

There were a number of ways to chase her away. If the hot rooms didn’t work, he could start responding to her sexual attempts. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more appeal it held for him.

He just might teach her a lesson on the folly of arousing sexual interest with no intention of finishing what she started.

“She’ll be here a day, two at most.”

She wouldn’t last the week.

Elisabeth was miserable. It was early in the morning, the sun still new in the sky. Waiting for Tristan and her first lesson, she stood in the gardens—if the weed-ridden expanse littered with poorly tended shrubs and bushes could be considered a garden. Her scabbard rested against her hip, her precious sword sheathed within.

He was late.

She was exhausted.

She hadn’t slept at all last night. Tossing and turning in her bed, thoughts of Tristan, images of his aroused body warming her, added to the heat in the stifling rooms. In fact, she suspected that if she’d slept in the kitchens near the cooking fires, she’d have been more comfortable.

She was no fool. It didn’t take long for her to realize he’d selected the “east wing” for a reason. To make her stay as uncomfortable as possible so that she’d pack her trunks and return to the palace. Elisabeth was willing to wager the other rooms at the opposite end of the château were much cooler.

Yesterday, she’d bathed. She’d primped. Spent the better part of the afternoon preparing for supper and had donned one of her favorite and most becoming gowns. With her pulse racing with nervous excitement, she’d made her way to the
Salle de Buffet
with Claire, only to find Richard and Gabriel there.

But no Tristan.

Gabriel had offered Tristan’s apologies, claiming that his leg was troubling him. But she didn’t believe it. She was troubling him. He was avoiding her.

And she hadn’t traveled out to his château to be thwarted this way.

If he was avoiding her, then she was affecting him strongly. Good.

That made the time she spent with him during the fencing instruction all the more important to advancing her plan.

From the moment she’d laid eyes on him years ago, she’d been hopelessly enchanted. Other men paled in comparison. She’d tried not to look his way at the palace. She’d tried not to think of him. She’d tried to silence the errant emotions her heart had attached to him.

She’d failed.

She wouldn’t fail this time. This was her final opportunity to quell this maddening infatuation.

The sooner he bedded her and diminished his hold on her, the better.

Then, if she succeeded in marrying Tristan, she’d have the civilized marriage she’d always wanted to a husband she respected and shared common interests with, like fencing—without the unsettling influence he presently had on her.

The sound of footsteps snatched her out of her thoughts. She snapped her head up and saw Tristan approaching, cane in hand, his baldric across his chest. He looked strong, despite the cane. And fierce. A formidable opponent on any battlefield, she often heard others say. He was well respected by his men. Admired by the realm. A highly decorated officer, his valor in battle was legendary.

His tan-colored breeches outlined his powerful thighs, his plain white shirt hung loosely from his broad shoulders, yet she could still detect the dips and ripples of his chiseled chest. A tiny thrill shivered down her spine when he stopped before her.

He looked so good, it hurt.

“Good morning, Tristan.” She smiled.

“Let’s begin.” Again no mincing of words. No exchange of pleasantries. She tamped down her irritation. Would it kill him to be less abrasive?

He unsheathed his sword. “I trust you know the basics?”

She knew more than the basics. Her passion for fencing was great. As a young girl, she’d watched the Musketeers practice as often as she could sneak away. Whenever they entertained the court with demonstrations of their skills, she’d been transfixed. It had taken carefully planned, carefully worded conversations with the King over a period of months before she’d finally managed to secure her first instructor. That was years ago. Prior to her marriage. She still fenced. Still took it seriously. Practiced whenever she could.

She’d become so good at swords, she’d bested all of her instructors.

She was about to impress Tristan at last. Perhaps even garner herself a bit of praise for her skill and elevate his opinion of her.

“I’m no novice at swords.” She unsheathed her blade and squeezed the hilt. She felt strong and it felt so right in her hand.

“Good. Then show me what you know. Step back and begin when you’re ready.”

She was smiling now as she assumed the proper stance.
“En garde
.
”
She lunged at him on the attack.

His arm whipped up, his blade striking hers with stunning intensity, his defensive move ripping the hilt from her hand, sending her sword spiraling in the air before it landed twenty feet away with a
thump
in the weeds.

Her mouth agape, her palm throbbing, she simply blinked at him, astounded, reeling over how easily he’d disarmed her.

Calmly, he sheathed his sword and stepped close to her, a mimic of what she’d done to him yesterday. Slipping his fingers under her chin, he tilted her head back, bringing her mouth within inches of his. For a moment, she forgot to breathe.

“Lesson one.” His warm breath caressed her lips. “If you are going to engage in a sword fight, hold on to your sword.”

He released her and walked away.

Her chin nearly collided with the ground in open-mouthed astonishment. Ire erupted inside her. She clamped her mouth shut and raced up to him, jumping in the way of his path, halting him in his tracks, her fists clenched at her sides.

“What was that?” she demanded.

He cocked a brow. “What was
what
?”

“That,” she said, jabbing her finger in the direction of where they’d been. “Surely you don’t consider what just happened there a lesson.”

“You didn’t specify how long these lessons had to last. I feel I’ve taught you something. Practice holding your sword. And speak to your father. You told me you know the basics. Your instructors have either been inadequate or you lack the ability to grasp basic concepts.”

“L-Lack the ability?” she sputtered, so outraged she could barely speak. Oh, how she wanted to plant her fist against his arrogant jaw. It was the first time in her life she ever wanted to strike a man—anyone, actually. “I do not lack ability!”

“Really,” he said blandly.

“Yes!
Really
. You hit my sword—” Abruptly, she arrested her words.

“Too hard?”

She cringed, embarrassed that he’d guess what she was mistakenly going to say. Her palm and her pride both hurt. She’d never come up against an opponent as large and as strong as Tristan.

“Madame, I assumed you were interested in being able to take on any opponent. Are you only going to fight
women
?” She hated the slight taunt in his tone.

“I
can
fight any opponent. I have only fought men. And I’ve bested them all!” She stalked away; so scorching was her fury, she wondered if her eyebrows had been singed off. She was infuriated with herself for being so easily beat, and with him for being so insufferable. She didn’t care that she was showing too much emotion—knowing full well that by showing anger she was showing weakness—alerting Tristan to the fact that he had enough influence over her to affect her this strongly.

Nor did she care a whit that she was doing what others didn’t dare—chastising the mighty Tristan de Tiersonnier.

He needed a dressing-down. He deserved one.

She turned and marched right back up to him again. “You—” She poked him in the chest with her finger. “You are . . . rude! And
arrogant
.”

She marched away, picked up her sword, and sheathed it with an angry stab.

Tristan was having a difficult time holding back his smile, the corners of his mouth tugging hard. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes ablaze, and her breasts rose and fell with her quickened breaths. She looked adorable and incredibly alluring in her fiery state.

She stomped back to him. Back for another round. This time Tristan had to fight even harder to keep a straight face.

“And another thing—you know nothing about me.” She rose onto the balls of her feet and stuck her pretty face in his. “NOTH-ING!” She stormed off. Tristan watched her stalk away.

Now, that’s not true
. He knew she had the sweetest derrière he’d ever seen. In her breeches, it was perfectly defined and inspired an assortment of salacious thoughts. He wanted nothing more than to strip away her clothing, push her down on all fours, grip that luscious behind, and sink his stiff cock into her warm, wet core.

She disappeared into the château. At last he allowed himself to break into a smile.
Dieu
. The woman wasn’t dull, and she had more fire in her than he’d have guessed. He’d rather direct all that fire into more carnal endeavors.