Return of the Warrior (13 page)

Surely no man could give a better kiss than Christian. He pulled away from her mouth to bury his lips against her throat, where his tongue toyed with the tender flesh. “Your wound, my lord. You will reopen it.”

“Damn the wound,” he growled.

He rolled over on the cot with her, pinning her beneath him. She trembled as he gently stroked her breast through her gown and fire spread through her veins.

Christian knew he shouldn’t be doing this, but his pride wanted to show her that he did know how to please her. Not to mention his body craved hers with a passion that he had a hard time fighting.

Adara held her breath as Christian lifted the hem of her gown. She tried not to cringe in fear of the pain that was to come.

“Relax, Adara,” he murmured against her throat.

She tried, but couldn’t, especially not when he spread her thighs so that he would have access to her. She forced herself not to lock them together.

He is your husband. You have to do this!

It was a wife’s duty. If she ever wanted a child, they would have to do this again.

She felt him pause. Opening one eye, she looked to see him watching her.

“You look like a condemned felon on the gibbet.” He gently stroked her inner thigh.

“I am fine, my lord. Please, continue.”

He didn’t look as if he believed her. “I’ll make you a promise. Trust me in this, and if I do anything that displeases you in any way, all you have to do is call my name and I will stop immediately and let you leave.”

Would he really? “Promise?”

“Aye. I promise.”

Adara took a deep breath and forced her body to relax. Christian shook his head at her. He bent her legs up and draped her gown so that she couldn’t see what he was about.

“What are you doing?” she asked as he positioned himself at her feet.

His answer came as a tender nibble against her inner thigh. Hissing in pleasure, Adara jerked and started to put her legs down.

“Keep your legs where they are,” he said gently, his hot breath scorching her skin.

Adara did, but it was difficult while his tongue traced circles over her thigh and hip. Every nerve ending in her body jumped and twitched.

Christian took his time with her so as not to scare her again. But it was hard. Just as he was.

He worked his way from her knee, up her thigh,
toward the part of her that he yearned for. He couldn’t wait to taste her. When he left her after this, she would never again fear his touch.

Adara arched her back as she felt his fingers gently stroking the hair at the juncture of her thighs. Her body was on fire. And when he lowered his thumb to gently massage her, she cried out in pleasure.

“Why does this feel so good while the other hurts?” She hadn’t realized she’d spoken aloud until Christian answered her.

“I’m a large man, Adara, and you weren’t adequately prepared for me last time.”

Adara licked her lips as he stroked her with both hands. It was all she could do to stay reasonably still as he worked magic on her. And then he did the unthinkable.

Her body jerked in ecstasy as his tongue took the place of his fingers against her.

“Christian,” she moaned, pulling her gown down so that she could see him.

He pulled back from her, his eyes dark. “Did I hurt you?”

Unable to speak, she shook her head.

His gaze held hers as he returned to what he’d been doing. Adara’s eyes widened as she watched him please her. Surely this wasn’t proper, was it?

But he was her husband and she was supposed to surrender herself to his will.

Christian growled at the sweetest taste that was his wife. He could see the uncertainty in her gaze,
and the passion and pleasure. He pulled back from her long enough to reassure her. “There is nothing shameful in what we do, Adara.” He gave her another long, luscious lick.

He pushed her gown up farther until the whole of her lower body was bared to him. She was beautiful.

And he wanted to see more of her. He placed his body between her legs as he leaned over her and kissed her rounded stomach.

Adara cupped his head to her as he gently lapped at her navel. He flicked his tongue over her flesh, making her quiver as she felt herself growing moist.

Then he rolled her to her side so that he could unlace the back of her gown. The heat of his hands was searing, but it was no match for his lips as he kissed her bared skin and set her up on her knees.

Suddenly he pulled her gown free. Embarrassed, she tried to cover herself with her hands as he moved to kneel before her on the cot.

“What is this?” he asked incredulously. “Is this the same brazen queen who bared herself to me the first time we met?”

“I wasn’t fully sober then,” she confided.

He pulled her hand away, then took her breast into his mouth. Her head spun at the sensation of his tongue and lips teasing her.

This was the most incredible moment of her life and it was her husband who gave it to her. Her stomach jerked with every lick he gave. He
dipped his hand down to stroke her again until he buried his finger deep inside her. His body moved gently against hers while his fingers toyed with her body.

His touch consumed her as her body began to move of its own accord to seek out more of his touch.

And just when she was sure she would die from it, her body tore itself asunder. Her cry caught in her throat as Christian straightened up to watch her. Still his hand pleasured her while her body spasmed in absolute bliss.

Christian waited until he had wrung the last tremor from her before he pulled his hand away. “That is the pleasure to be had in a man’s touch, Adara.”

It was truly glorious. Even now her body felt sensitive, as if the slightest touch could send her over the edge again. “What of your pleasure?”

He moved away from her to remove his hose. Adara swallowed at the sight of him. He was a large man. No wonder he had hurt her so much before.

“Don’t be afraid of me, Adara,” he said as he lay down beside her.

Christian watched her as she looked at the size of him. He took her hand into his and kissed her palm before he led her hand to his swollen shaft.

Adara frowned at the foreign feel of him in her palm. “It’s soft.”

He laughed at that. “Not really. It gets much softer and smaller when you’re not around.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “However, when you are around, it tends to stay like this to the point that it causes me pain. Constantly.”

“This hurts you?”

“If it goes too long unsated, aye.”

Cocking her head, she studied him. His body was so different from hers. The hair between his legs was a dark brownish blond that nestled his rigid shaft. She traced the length of him until she reached the soft sac. She hesitated until he covered her hand with his and showed her how to cup and stroke him.

He gave a pleasurable hiss as he lifted his hips. Wanting to please him more, she carefully stroked him. “You’re getting harder,” she said in wonderment.

“I know.”

“I can see why this hurt me. You are far too large for my body.”

“Nay, love, I’m not.” He rose up from the bed and took her into his arms.

Adara frowned as he moved behind her. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to take you like a stallion takes his mare,” he whispered raggedly in her ear.

Adara started to protest until he bent his head and buried his hot lips against her neck. She sank
her hand in his hair as he nipped and teased the sensitive flesh below her ear. He cupped her breasts in both of his hands as he gently stroked and coaxed their tips into hard nubs.

The familiar fire started inside her. It roared to life as he dipped one hand down and returned to stroking her again.

He nudged her knees farther apart. She started to protest until he plunged himself deep inside her. Shocked by the pleasant fullness of him, she shuddered.

He nipped her shoulder, then pressed his cheek to the spot he’d kissed so that he could watch her. “Am I hurting you?”

“Nay.”

His smile warmed her before he straightened and began to thrust himself against her while his hand stroked her in time to his movements.

Christian wanted to howl in pleasure. She felt wonderful. Her sleek heat welcomed him as he slammed himself even deeper inside her.

Even though she was a novice, she was the best lover he’d ever taken to his bed. He couldn’t remember a time in his life when it had been this important that he please his lover. But with her, he wanted to give her satisfaction over and over again.

Christian ground his teeth as ecstasy assailed him. He thrust faster as she ground herself against him, heightening his pleasure.

Adara moved in time to him, wanting to feel
him even deeper inside her. This was an incredible moment of sharing. She felt connected to him in a way she’d never felt connected to anyone. No wonder they called this intimate relations.

She arched her back and cried out as she came again. Christian quickened his strokes and listened to her cry as it crescendoed. He took pride in her pleasure until his own body found its release.

He buried himself deep and let his release sweep him away from this tent into heaven.

Adara collapsed against him. She wrapped an arm around his neck, then tilted her head back until she captured his lips. In that instant, he swore something inside him shattered and released some forbidden tenderness that he hadn’t even known he possessed.

It was something he’d never felt before.

“That was incredible.” She practically purred the words at him.

It was indeed. He smiled at her before he pulled himself out of her body. She looked down at him and frowned. “It is smaller.”

“Aye.”

She reached down to touch him. Christian shuddered again as she gently squeezed him in the palm of her hand.

“Did I hurt you?” she asked.

“Nay, but if you keep doing that, I’ll grow hard again and want another taste of you.”

“Is that wrong?”

Nay, that would be paradise.

And that thought terrified him.

She gasped in alarm as she saw his side. “You’re bleeding again.”

Christian looked down to see his wound reopened. “But it was well worth it.”

Adara rolled her eyes at his teasing tone. “Lie down,” she said, pushing him toward the cot before she got up to get a new bandage and her poultice.

Christian remained quiet while she tended him. In truth, he enjoyed the sight of her concern for him. Especially given the fact that she was naked as she cleaned and bandaged his injury.

“You have bewitched me,” he said after she had finished.

“Is that so bad?”

Christian didn’t answer. Truthfully, he didn’t know.

As she reached for her gown, he stopped her. “We’ve come this far, Adara, you might as well stay with me. Come to my bed, wife, and lie with me this night.”

Adara held the gown to her in indecision, but the contented look on his face succeeded in winning her to his cause. She dropped it and returned to his cot.

Christian scooted over to make room. As soon as she lay down, he wrapped his body around hers.

Adara inhaled the musky scent of him as he lay her head on his biceps and held her close.

Christian closed his eyes and breathed the
sweet scent of her hair as he rubbed his cheek against the softness of it. For the first time in his life, he felt peaceful. Whole.

He draped his arm over her and took her hand into his. Kissing her cheek, he savored her skin. “Good night, my lady.”

“Good night, Christian.”

He settled himself down behind her and let her softness lull him to sleep.

Adara lay there letting the strength of Christian seep into her. It was strange to have carnal knowledge of him after all this time wondering what it would be like, trying to imagine the feel of him.

Now she knew.

And he hadn’t sent her away afterward. For a man determined to keep himself cold toward her, this boded well. Mayhap there was some hope for them. It was certainly worth a try.

Smiling at the thought, she stroked his strong hand that bore the mark of his Brotherhood and hoped that in the end everything would work out. She wanted the life she had glimpsed all those years ago. One of love and kindness. Mutual respect.

But they both had enemies who would see them dead and a war to be fought that could easily take her husband away from her.

For the first time, she understood why Christian’s parents had run away from Elgedera, and she couldn’t blame them at all. It was tempting to think of having a life where she lived for no one
but her husband. Where nothing existed except the two of them.

But unlike his mother, she wasn’t the younger daughter. She was queen.

He would be king.

And both of their first priorities would always be their people. Yet as she lay here, feeling his body pressed to hers, it was hard to think of royal responsibility.

Love me, Christian,
she begged silently. Just once she wanted to hear someone say those words to her.

She only hoped her husband was wrong and that he was as capable of such emotion as she thought him to be.

Christian sat in his wooden chair, staring at Adara, who still slept in his bed with his blanket entwined around her lush, full curves. He was already hard and aching for her. Just the mere thought of her soft limbs around him was enough to fan his desire to a dangerous level.

“My lord?”

He held his hand up to silence Samson and motioned him out of the tent. Getting up, he moved so that the knight couldn’t see his wife in her peaceful slumber.

Christian closed the flap behind him. “Aye?”

Samson handed him the large parcel in his arms. “This came from a merchant who said you wanted it at first light.”

Christian nodded as he took it from him. He looked around at the small handful of tents that
were left standing. Most of the camp had already been dismantled.

“Also, Lord Ioan wanted you to know that we will be ready to ride within the hour.”

“My thanks, Samson.”

He inclined his head, then walked off.

Christian’s stomach clenched as he turned with the package to go back inside. Yesterday his path had seemed clear. Today, not so much. But he had started down this way and there was no way to undo it.

Strange, how he could face a full-grown man in armor in a fight to the death and not flinch, but one buxom, unarmed woman terrified him beyond all reason.

Uncertain, he returned to his wife and knelt beside her. “Adara?”

She stretched like a kitten and made a low murmur that set fire to his blood. But it was the smile on her face when she woke up and saw him that was his complete undoing.

No one had ever given him such a pleased, adoring look. “Good morning,” she said as she reached to brush his hair from his face. “Did you sleep well?”

Aye, better than he’d ever slept before. He’d awakened to the scent of his wife on his body, to the feel of her wrapped in his arms, and had been unable to find a single fault with the world.

“Did you know you talk in your sleep?”

She pulled back. “What do I say?”

He smiled as he remembered her whispered words. “I know not, it is truly unintelligible.”

“Did it disturb you?”

“Nay,” he answered honestly. It had actually charmed him. “I hate that I have to wake you, but we’ve a long journey ahead and need to break the tent.”

“I shall be but a moment.”

Adara watched as Christian got up to leave. He hesitated in the center of the tent with a package in his hands.

“Is something amiss, my lord?”

“I…” He looked as if some matter had him torn. After a pause, he returned to her cot and set the package beside her. “I shall see you outside.”

Adara frowned as he all but ran away from her.

Why?

“I don’t bite,” she said, then smiled as she remembered biting him a time or two the night before.

Her entire body grew warm again as she remembered the way he’d held her. The way he’d felt inside her. Thrilled with the memory, she untied the parcel, then froze as she saw what it contained.

It was a gown of the softest red silk that was trimmed in sable. Elaborate gold trim decorated the hem and sleeves. There was also a silk bliaut to wear beneath it and a golden mantle.

Truly, ’twas a gown fit for royalty.

Adara got up and washed, then dressed. She wished herself home, where she had a full-length looking glass, so that she could see the beauty of
the gown that shimmered in the dim light of the tent. She quickly combed and braided her hair, then wove it around her head.

As she finished, she heard someone ask for admittance from outside the tent. Adara pulled back the flap to find a short bald man who carried a square leather box in his hands.

“May I help you?”

“I am looking for a lady named Adara. Are you she?”

“Aye.”

He looked relieved as he handed her the box. “This is for you, my lady. I hope you like it.”

Adara opened the box and felt her jaw fall open at what it contained. ’Twas a golden crown encrusted with diamonds and rubies, as well as a necklace and two brooches to match.

“Where did this come from?”

“My lord, the master jeweler of York. He is truly the finest in all of England.”

“But who commissioned it?”

“It was a collection my master prepared for the faire this coming fortnight that he’d hoped to sell. A monk came in yester afternoon, saw it, and purchased it immediately. He bade my master to have it delivered to you this morn.”

She couldn’t believe Christian had gone to such expense for her. “Thank you. Tell your master that I adore his work. ’Tis truly the finest I have ever beheld on any continent.”

He beamed delightedly. “I shall tell him, my lady.”

Adara blinked back her tears as the man left her and she returned inside the tent. Her hand shook as she removed the crown, then placed it on her head. The good jeweler had even included pearl-tipped pins to hold it in place.

She’d never expected her husband to do something so thoughtful.

She used the brooches to fasten her golden yellow mantle into place, then put her necklace on. Even though she had finer gowns at home, none of them had ever been more beautiful to her than this one.

As she turned to leave, a thought struck her. Christian’s mother had been dressed in scarlet and gold when she and Christian had married. Had he done this apurpose?

But then, she knew he didn’t remember their wedding. Not the way she did.

Wanting to thank him for his gifts, she left the tent to find her husband. He was in the middle of the camp, with knights all around him.

She paused as she saw him there. He was again garbed as a black-robed monk, but he had taken time to shave this morning. There was no sign of the sword she knew he had strapped to his hips and she could barely catch a glimpse of his mail-covered leggings beneath it.

He was handsome, her prince. More so than
any man in the group. He, Phantom, Ioan, Lutian, and three men she knew not at all were standing in a circle as they discussed some matter.

Her heart light, she approached her husband from behind.

Ioan was speaking. “You know, Abbot, I hear wormwood helps with that problem.” He held his hand up and crooked his finger down as if it were suddenly limp.

All the men save Christian laughed, while Christian glared murderously at Lutian.

“Look to the good of it,” Phantom said as he sobered. He appeared to be imparting grave advice to her husband. “I hear all men have trouble from time to time with their sexual performance. Mind you,
I
have no personal experience with that, but…” His voice trailed off as he looked past Christian to see Adara glowering at him.

Struggling not to strangle the men who mocked him, Christian turned to see what had disturbed Phantom to find Adara standing behind him.

His groin jerked awake at the vision she made in her finery.

She was beautiful. The gown fit even better than he had hoped. Unlike her peasant garb, this one laced in the front and at the sides, pulling the cloth into a perfect fit that showed every lush curve of her body.

The only thing that sparkled more than her jewels were her brown eyes.

“Thank you,” she said softly before she kissed his cheek. “I had a most wondrous night.”

Christian was too dumbstruck by his lust to even respond.

Lutian bristled at her actions and if she didn’t know better, she’d swear he was jealous. “Nay. Tell me this isn’t so. Why are you kissing him, my queen? It was me.
Me
. I’m the one who told him what to do. He had no idea how to please you. None. He was lost and confused when he sought me out. He didn’t even know how to do the most basic thing. It was me, all me.”

Every man there gaped at Lutian’s words.

“Christ’s toes, Christian,” Ioan said in disbelief. “Are you a monk in truth? Don’t tell me you had to take advice from the fool on how to please a woman? You should have come to me. At least I know what I’m doing.”

“You can’t be a virgin,” Phantom said. “What about that Norman tart in Hexham? Surely you did more than talk to her when the two of you vanished to her room?”

“Nay,” another knight said. “I saw him drunk in Calais with two women.”

“Aye,” another knight began. “I was with him in London when he vanished for three days with a widowed countess.”

Christian ground his teeth as this conversation quickly degenerated, while Lutian continued to take credit for instructing him on how to please Adara.

Lutian still held Adara’s attention. “I’m the one who got him—”

Enraged, Christian lunged for the source of his current humiliation.

“Christian!” Adara snapped as he seized her fool. “Don’t hurt Lutian.”

He wanted to do much more than hurt the fool. He wanted to tear the man’s head from his shoulders. Growling in frustration, he let the fool go.

“Thank you, my queen.”

“’Tis my place to hurt him.” She glared at her fool and smacked him on his arm. “I fully intend to take this up with you later.”

She walked over to Ioan. “And for your information, my lord…” She lifted his hand and put his index and middle finger upright. “I assure you that there is nothing wrong with Christian’s technique or prowess.”

Corryn, who had paused beside the group after Christian had lunged at Lutian, broke into laughter.

Ioan hissed at her. “What are you laughing at?”

“I was just thinking of why we can’t go to Scotland anymore. Someone should tell Christian about your
little
problem.” She held up her pinkie and wiggled it, then burst into laugher.

“You’re not supposed to know anything about these matters!”

Corryn rushed off before her brother could grab her.

He yelled out something in Welsh, then glow
ered at all of them. “We needs be going. Break your fast, my lady, while we pack your tent.”

“And I wasn’t a virgin when I took her,” Christian called after him. “I’ve had more than my fair share of women.”

Adara propped her hands on her hips and gave him a miffed look.

Christian started sputtering. “I mean, I was—”

“Surrender before you sink in even deeper,” Phantom said, clapping him on the back. “You should have held your silence.” He inclined his head to her. “Later, my lady.”

The group broke apart to leave her alone with her husband, who was still squirming a bit.

“I am sorry they teased you,” she said quietly.

“Don’t be. I’m rather used to it, though not quite on that subject matter, I have to say. Up until you—”

“You had best stop referring to these other women, husband, else I might seek retribution on you after all.”

“I’m sorry, Adara.”

“It’s all right, I am teasing as well. For the most part.” She took his hand into hers and squeezed it tight. “But I do thank you for the gifts. They were most welcomed and unexpected.”

He looked at her sheepishly. “But there is one missing.”

“There is?”

Adara frowned as he pulled up the hem of his robe to reach his purse.

“There’s one last thing that you should have.”

He took her left hand into his and slid a large ruby ring onto her third finger. Adara’s throat tightened at the sight of it there.

A wedding ring. A real one.

Without thinking, she walked into his arms and kissed his lips. He seized her fiercely and crushed her to his chest as he gave her a hot, exhilarating kiss.

“Should we leave your tent intact for a bit longer, since you seem to have found your missing manhood?” Ioan asked as he passed by them.

Christian pulled back to glare at his friend. “My patience runs thin,
Lladdwr
.”

“As long as the steel to your sword is as thin, I have nothing to fear, eh?”

Christian gave her a disgusted look that made her laugh.

“You certainly know how to pick your friends, my lord.”

As Christian led her toward the wagon where they’d packed up their foodstuffs, she saw a great commotion as an earl rode into camp with three knights behind him.

“Ioan ap-Rhys?” he called angrily.

Ioan sauntered out from his men to address the nobleman. Corryn came up behind her brother to see the man, too.

“What have you with me, my lord?”

“My steward told me that you were packing your camp to leave. What do you think you’re doing?”

Ioan looked around his men. “Leaving.”

The earl glowered at him. “You cannot leave. I forbid it.”

Ioan gave him a devilish grin. “Well, see, therein is your problem. We are all freemen here. Not a serf amongst us. We come and we go as we please.”

“I have paid you good money!”

“Corryn!”

His sister moved to his side. “Aye,
brawd?
”

“Have you the earl’s purse?”

She handed it to Ioan, who in turn handed it to the earl. “I prorated our services, but the refund is all there for the rest of this month.”

The earl’s face turned bright red. “I need this army. You cannot do this!”

Ioan shrugged. “I can do anything I please, my lord. I lead more men than you.”

Cursing them all, the earl snatched the money from him, then led his knights away.

“Why did he need your army?” Adara asked Ioan after they left. “We are not putting his people into danger by taking you from him, are we?”

Ioan shook his head. “Rest assured, Majesty, the earl didn’t need my army. He had a minor skirmish with a serf rebellion that was quelled before we even arrived. My men were here for no other purpose than to intimidate his peasants and townsfolk.”

“We’ve long grown weary of being here,” Corryn said. “The knights are fat and lazy.”

“Careful, little Spider,” Ioan warned. “They think you’re a man and might attack at such an insult.”

Corryn gave Adara a droll stare. As soon as Ioan left them, she came forward. “No man here believes for an instant that I am male. But none dare to contradict him for fear of his sword, nor will they come near me. You would think I carry the plague.”

Adara laughed. “Be grateful you have such a brother, Corryn. He loves you.”

“I know. It is what keeps me from poisoning his mead at night.”

Christian listened to them talk for a few moments as he dwelled on what Adara had said. According to Lutian, her brother had betrayed her. Though how he could have, Christian would never understand.