Ria Cantrell - Celtic Storm 03 (12 page)

Rhianna lowered her head and Erik thought he heard a playful giggle. He said, “So, you find kissing me funny?”

“No. I am a woman who is not used to games. I am used to speaking my mind.”

“Yes, so I remember.”

“Well, then I think perhaps I should tell you the truth.”

“Yes?”

Erik could not imagine what she was going to say. His shock at her words was like he had received a punch to his middle. She said, “I was not mad at the weeds in my garden.”

“I thought you may not have been. Go on.”

“Well, to be honest, Sir Erik, I was thinking that I should like to know what a kiss from you felt like when it was not meant to punish me and I was wondering how I could get you to do it.”

The look on his face was astonished and when he got over his shock, he let go a deep belly laugh. So the minx wanted to kiss him, did she? Enough of this little soft pecking! If the girl wanted him to kiss her; then kiss her he would.

He pulled her into his arms and he kissed her until he felt her yield to him. Her mouth opened slightly and he nudged her lips apart, darting his tongue against the softer inner part of her mouth. Rhianna knew she should have pulled away, but she could not. Even as she tried to back away a bit, his strong hand eased under her thick tresses, resting gently on the back of her neck. Her head fell back and she looked through her long lashes at him. His mouth hovered just slightly over hers and he whispered, “Say my name.”

“Sir Erik.”

“No. Call me by name, Rhianna.”

As her mouth opened and she said, “Erik…,” he sealed his mouth to hers. She felt the gasp in her throat as his tongue touched hers but she was not horrified. She was lost to the sensation of his mouth on hers and her tongue wanted to find his again. When it did, it was Erik who moaned slightly. The innocent way the tip of her tongue lifted to his was damned enticing. This was truly her fist real kiss and she was enjoying it. It was a pity that no one had ever kissed this beauty before, but Erik was glad it had been saved for him. Pulling her across his outstretched legs, he rested her against his arm and chest. His other hand touched her waist and he felt her suck in her breath at the contact. He did not give her a chance to think too much about it and he lowered his head to kiss her again. He nibbled gently on her lower lip, softly catching it between his teeth. Then he planted soft kisses on her chin and jaw, working his lips down the beautiful length of her neck. He placed gentle nibbles there and he heard her breath escape in a loud sigh.
Ah, the lady likes her neck to be nibbled.
He took advantage of this new knowledge and he traced soft bites down her throat to the small hollow between her collarbone, where he could feel her pulse fluttering wildly. This time she said his name unbidden and it was more like a moan. That sound fired him and he felt himself rise hard beneath her. Her eyes opened widely and she looked horrified, but Erik was not going to let her be daunted by it. He kissed her deeply, this time, mating his tongue to hers and he felt her moan against his lips.

“Erik, I…you…you are…oh God….”

“Ssh. It’s alright.”

“But we shouldn’t…I should not have….”

“Yes, you should have. Hush or I shall have to go back to using my kisses as a punishment.”

He laughed so she would know he was being playful and he drew her tighter into his arms. He felt her arms rise about his neck and he lowered her to the blanket beneath them. She felt him rest her back and he moved over her to kiss her again. He could feel the rise and fall of her breasts as the kiss deepened and ardor grew.
Damn it. It wasn’t the only thing that was growing.
His leather trews were much too tight to be kissing this woman this way. He groaned at the pressure he was beginning to feel and Rhianna looked up into his eyes. The smoldering passion she saw there scared the hell out of her, but the awakening passion inside herself was scarier still. She felt a moist heat pooling inside of her and she was mortified. She wanted to still kiss him, but she was suddenly more frightened than she had ever remembered being in her life. She was feverish and embarrassed and she tried to pull free from him. At her sudden struggle beneath him, Erik stopped and sat up. Rhianna scrambled to her feet, which was an accomplishment of itself, for her legs felt like they had been liquefied. She was horrified at the compromising position she had put herself in.
What would Erik think of her now? Would he think her wanton and wicked?
She forced her legs to move and she fairly ran back to the keep, leaving her basket and tools with a stunned looking Erik.

“Bloody Hell,” he cursed. He should not have let it go so far. She was an innocent maid and he had lost himself in the passion of the moment. He was a fool. He had scared her to death and the pressure in his groin bordered on being painful at the moment.

Muttering an oath again, he got to his feet. Erik picked up Rhianna’s things and made his way slowly back into the keep. What he needed was to plunge himself into the frigid pond behind the garden, but instead he carefully walked back inside. He knew he needed to find her to apologize, but he was quite certain she would run scared again. He hoped he would not encounter anyone that would demand an explanation from him and he hoped no one would see the state he had gotten himself into. He draped the blanket over his arm to conceal the evidence of his excitement, should he run into anyone on his way back.

~Chapter Sixteen~

Rhianna was mortified. She had acted despicably with Erik and she did not know what to do. She closed herself in her chambers and felt hot tears forming in her eyes. She did not understand why she wanted to cry, but she could not seem to stop it. The kiss had been so wonderful. Erik had been so good to show her how to kiss properly. It was better than she expected and she did not want it to end, but when he had laid nearly atop her, and her body had reacted so wantonly to him, Rhianna felt her tightly held restraint crumble. She was innocent, yes, in the ways between a woman and a man, but she felt his body react to her. She knew about what happened to a man when a woman enticed him. She felt so ashamed. She did not know how she was going to face him at the evening meal. She should have never let him kiss her like that.
It was not just him, you know. You did your fair share of kissing him back.

Rhianna put her hands over her ears as if she could stop the voice of her conscience. She
had
kissed him. She had more than kissed him. The kiss had made her feel things she had never experienced before. It made her body react as one with loose morals. She had brought shame to herself and to her household.

The funny thing was that he did not seem upset, so why was she? He was surprised when she left him abruptly, but he did not try to pull her back, nor did he come after her. She was a fool. She had made a fool of herself and had once again painted herself in a less than gracious light. She would be wise not to be alone with him again. She would only embarrass herself further.

~~~~~

Andarra had seen Rhianna running into the keep and hurrying up the stairs to her chambers. Sir Erik was not far behind her and was walking slowly, but not chasing after the girl. He was carrying her things and he looked none too happy. What had Rhianna done now? That girl was giving her a fair share of headaches in the last few days. She wondered if she should question Sir Erik, but when she saw his look of consternation, she thought better of it. Well, it was up to the Mistress’ chambers, then and hopefully the girl would confess just how she had displeased Sir Erik this time.

~~~~~

Drew propped himself upon the hearth near Erik. Erik sat brooding once again, and just glanced over to his guard. Drew said, “Are things not going well with you and the lass?”

“Not particularly. I think I’ve gone and done it now.”

“You? Really? What have you done?”

“I kissed her.”

“Again? And she did not take to it?”

“Oh, she took to it, alright. In fact, she confessed she had been hoping I would.”

Drew’s brow creased in confusion. “I don’t understand. So what happened?”

Erik sighed. “Things went a bit, uhm, too far and I think I scared her to death.”

“Too far? Erik, she is still a lady. Did you compromise her?”

“No of course not,” Erik bit out. “I would never do that to her. I just forgot how sheltered she may have been.”

Drew nodded and said, “Ahh, I understand. But if you don’t mind me saying, you seem a bit more upset about it than I thought you would be. You aren’t falling for the maid, are you?”

Erik tilted his head and cast Drew a withering look.

“By the saints, you are, aren’t you? You are smitten with your betrothed, the hag and crone you so vehemently wanted to avoid marrying.”

“You are a fool.”

“I am not the one sitting here like a lovesick youth pining over a misbegotten kiss.”

“Shut up.”

“Well, what do you portend to do about it?”

“Well, first I need to apologize to her, only she will not speak to me. She has locked herself in her chambers.”

“Shall I speak to her on your behalf?”

Erik shot Drew a menacing silent threat. He still did not like that Rhianna seemed to have no problem talking to Drew. He said, “No. I think I can find a way to speak to her on my own, thank you.”

“Just trying to help, my friend.”

“Yes, well your help with the ladies is not needed here.”

Drew grinned and clapped his friend across his shoulder. “Not to worry, lad, I do not wish to turn your lady’s head.”

“Well, just the same, leave it to me. If we are to be civil to one another, I need to do this on my own.”

Drew shrugged casually, but he said, “I am rather glad you like her. It will make marrying her that much easier.”

The fact was that Erik did like her. He felt a pull to her that he neither expected nor believed would be part of the marriage contract. He had thought it to be a business deal and nothing more. He did not think he would develop any feelings for her for some time and even then, he thought he would only develop a comfortable fondness if anything. This was madness. He was drawn to everything about her; from her sassy tongue to her independent handling of the keep, and still to the innocent passion she stirred within him. He had never experienced anything like this. He was a man of discipline and had learned about self-restraint long ago. When it came to Rhianna, he felt his years of training fall by the wayside.
God’s teeth, was he falling in love? Was she his destiny?
He remembered that blasted dream again, and he thought how vivid it had been. Erik suddenly felt like Rhianna was indeed his destiny, as he would be hers. He silently vowed to protect her. If nothing else, she would learn his intentions were honorable if she believed she could count on his protection. His vow was soon to be tested in ways Erik had not dreamed of.

~~~~~

Andarra heard the girl crying and she tried the latch on the door. Surprisingly, it gave way and the door opened into the chambers. She was startled to see Rhianna weeping. Her stoic charge was not prone to bouts of tears and so she wondered if she had come to scold the wrong party.

Sitting beside her, Andarra asked, “What is amiss?”

“It’s Erik.”

“So I figured. What has happened, now?”

Rhianna hiccupped a sob and she said, “I m--made a fool of myself.”

“How? You mean yesterday? I thought you both had spent time together in the village. Surely he has seen you at your best today.”

Rhianna shook her head. “No, this has nothing to do with yesterday. Oh, Andarra, I am so ashamed.”

Now Andarra was starting to become alarmed. She would thrash the big Viking herself if he had hurt her precious girl.

“What happened”, she repeated as calmly as she could.

“I…I…kissed him.”

Andarra forced the smile from her lips.
Well, that was not what she had expected to hear.

“You mean he kissed you.”

Shaking her head again, Rhianna said, “No. I kissed him. I did. I made a complete fool of myself…and shamed myself in the process.”

Stroking down Rhianna’s back, Andarra said, “I would gather you have not. Did he seem to not want to kiss you?”

“Oh, no. He wanted to.”

“Then there is nothing to be this upset about.”

Rhianna sniffled. She still looked stricken and then Andarra understood.

“You are beyond the age to marry, but that still does not mean you know all. He is going to be your husband. He…will know your body as you do. I think you are afraid of what you do not know; afraid of what is sacred between a man and his wife.”

Rhianna looked horrified and she said, “Andarra, please, do not say another word. I
know
what happens between a man and a woman.”

“Aye, you know for you have aided in the birth of babies; you are not as innocent as you fear, but you are innocent in what your lot is with this man. You do not know what to do with him, when you go beyond the kissing. Erik will teach you what you do not yet know, but trust me. You are a woman of passion. He will learn from you as well.”

Rhianna was aghast at this improper conversation. It fortified her mortification of the afternoon’s events. She wished she could spend the night in the village so she would not have to see him or now for that matter, Andarra. Her face felt flushed with heat. This had gone from bad to worse. Still, she could not stop the fluttering of her heart when she remembered how it felt to be in his arms or how it felt to have his kiss burn her lips; or how her body had reacted; how his body had reacted to her. Rhianna could not help thinking how it was the most wonderful thing she had ever experienced. That wonder made her vulnerable and she certainly did not like that either; not one bit.

~Chapter Seventeen~

As Rhianna sat quietly beside Erik at the evening meal, she pushed her food around her charger unable to eat it. She tried not to look at him, but she could feel his heat as his arm practically touched hers. He tried to talk to her but she only offered words when asked direct questions. As the meal ended and the trestle tables were cleared away, Erik could stand no more of the awkward discourse or rather lack of discourse that they had shared. He took her hand and he said, “Might I have a word with you, My Lady?”

“I do not think we should.…”

“My Lady, Rhianna, I think we should have a word. Now, if you please.”

Erik was not going to let her shut him off because of a little kiss.
And, for that matter, a little stiffening in his trews.
He took hold of her hand and fairly dragged her to a quiet corridor off of the main hall. She could hear the snickers behind them as she felt pulled along against her will. She again felt her face burn like a brand and when they were in a secluded little spot, she crossed her arms over her chest protectively and she said, “I do not like being forced to your bidding.”

“Yes, I know. But this time, I would ask you to indulge me. I know you were upset about, well, about what happened this afternoon. I wanted you to know that I did not mean to…what I mean to say is that I am sorry.”

Rhianna was completely taken off guard.
He was apologizing to her? How could that be?
She was the one who had humiliated herself with her wanton display and her uncomely behavior.

She looked up at him. In the dim shadows, his eyes appeared dark and unreadable. He was so handsome, her breath caught in her throat. She murmured, “I don’t understand. It was my fault…I should be the one….”

Placing a finger to her lips he said, “You did nothing wrong. I am so sorry that I upset you. I did not think a little kiss would….”

Hanging her head, she said softly, “It was not
just
a little kiss.”

“Still, I did not mean for you to feel upset because of it. That really was not my intent. I think when you admitted you had wanted to kiss me I lost all sense of reason.”

“I think I should not have told you that.”

His mouth rose in a playful smirk and he said, “Why? Didn’t you mean it?”

She met his eyes and saw the teasing light reflected in them. She just could not stay angry with him. She said honestly, “No, I meant it. I just should not have said it.”

“Oh. Well, I am glad you did.”

“You are?”

“Rhianna, I really enjoyed sharing that kiss with you. And even though it upset you, I truly hope you will reconsider doing it again, soon.”

“But you…we…it made you…I mean it made me…”

“Oh, that. Well that does not matter. That’s sort of the point of kissing; so two people can learn to desire one another. Anyway, I will not do it again until you are sure you are ready. We can take our time, Rhianna. We have to post our banns and I imagine there will be plans to be made.”

Rhianna felt her anxiety slip away. She tilted her head back to look into his face in the dim corridor. She said, “Are you asking, Sir Erik?”

“I believe I am. Will you agree to the betrothal?”

Rhianna did not know why but she felt herself nod to his question. It was as if she had no will to deny him and she was compelled to accept. And then, to seal the bargain herself, she stood on her tiptoes, for he was so very tall and she reached up to kiss him of her own volition. Erik was overjoyed and he took her into his arms, lifting her slightly off her feet, bringing her up to meet him. He kissed her, like he had before, gently nudging her lips to accept his tongue.

She was going to open fully to his kiss when they heard the rushing of footfalls heading down the corridor. Erik lowered Rhianna, but still held his arm about her waist. Tristan bowed before them and he said breathlessly, “My lady, I am sorry to interrupt…but we have received word that there was an attack on one of the neighboring villages. We do not know who has done this, but I wanted to fortify our forces and stand at the ready.”

Rhianna broke from Erik’s embrace and concern marred her beautiful face. She said, “Have our men prepare. I will send word to the townsfolk to seek protection inside the fortification of the keep.”

Erik stepped from the shadows and he addressed Tristan. “Add my men to your ranks. I will take my scouts to see who has caused this destruction.”

Rhianna looked at him and silently conveyed her gratitude. This was not his fight, but he was ready to do battle for her people. She nodded and turned again to Tristan, saying, “Send one of your men to have my horse readied. I will ride tonight to warn my people.”

Tristan and Erik exchanged glances and Erik said, “I am sorry, Rhianna, we cannot risk it. We will send word to the village and open our gates to aid them, but it is much too dangerous to let you ride out alone.”

“Then, let me have an escort. I must tend to my people.”

“My lady, I would have to agree with Sir Erik. The men needed to protect your ride would be men better used here or with Sir Erik.”

“Then I shall ride with him.”

Erik shook his head, “No.”

She was set to argue, but he said, “You have just agreed to our betrothal. It is my duty to protect you and I cannot allow you to be put in danger.”

“Allow? You cannot be serious. This is my home…and I…”

“You agreed to the betrothal, thus my protection is part of that bargain. Your people are mine. Besides, I will not risk your life so quickly.”

“Erik, I am used to handling things here.”

“Aye and now you do not need to do them on your own. I am here to aid you. Do not think to fight me on this.”

Ohhh that man can be so infuriating! How dare he override my decisions!
The magic of the kiss and the moment they had just shared was broken. In fact, Rhianna wanted to throttle him. Erik left to follow Tristan. He had only been at du Montefort Keep for two days and he had not familiarized himself with the castle’s defenses well enough. He chided himself for brushing his warrior instincts aside to play the love-sick swain. He was a soldier first and by God, his skills were going to be quickly put to the test.