Read Online Always by Lynsay Sands - Free Book Online

paused as her gaze fell on his man-thing. Much to her surprise, it seemed to have grown since she had last seen it. Impossible, she told herself, but there was the proof of it. He was larger than when she had last looked. Impressive. Amazing, really. Though, of course, it was still not as large as the cucumber Eustice had described. Shrugging such considerations away for now, she glanced at his face to see the irritation there and sighed. “Is there something amiss, my lord? Can you not simply get this business done? My father is waiting on us.”
    â€œTime is almost up,” came the king’s voice through the door. Aric grimaced as he glanced to the chest to see that, indeed, as he had been suffering the tortures of the damned, the candle had burned away three-quarters of hisallotted time. Cursing, he mounted the bed behind her and grasped her hips, then paused. The situation aside, the king aside, and even her unfavorable comparison of him to her damn bull aside, he could not simply plow into her and cause her the pain he knew such behavior would inflict.
    Sighing, he considered her back and shoulders briefly, then leaned forward slightly and slid his hands up her waist until he was cupping her breast beneath the chaste cloth of her gown.
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    Rosamunde stiffened, confusion running through her, as she felt his large, rough hands close over her breasts. She had no idea what he thought he was about, and Eustice’s words were pounding in her head: Lips are for speaking and breasts for milking—and that is that. Did he think to milk her like a cow? Good Lord, her new husband was proving himself incredibly slow in doing what needed doing.
    She felt something bump about between her thighs like a curious dog sniffing; then his mouth pressed against the base of her neck. She decided to get this ordeal over with. Bracing her hands on the top of the hard cot, Rosamunde thrust backward into him, impaling herself with one determined thrust. Then she promptly commenced a howling that had the king pounding at the door.
    â€œWhat the devil is going on in there? Burkhart! What have you done to my daughter? Burkhart!”
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    Aric sighed as he heard those angry words over his new bride’s howls. Marriage to the king’s daughter, as he had feared, was turning out to be quite a trial.
    â€œBurkhart!”
    â€œJust a minute,” Aric shouted impatiently toward the door, then grasped Rosamunde’s hips when she started to pull away from him. “You, too. Just stay still for a minute.” He felt her stiffen again and sighed. “Wait until the pain passes, else you will just hurt yourself more.”
    He saw her head bob in a brief nod and he grimaced to himself, grateful at least that she had stopped her wailing. After another moment, during which he felt himself shrink within her, he cleared his throat and glanced at the back of her head. “I am going to withdraw now.”
    She hesitated, then peered back uncertainly. “Are you not going to stir it about and plow in and out?”
    Aric felt sympathy tug at him as he took in her tear-filled eyes and flushed face. As hard as this had been on him, for her it had been worse. Yet here she was, ready to allow him to continue if necessary. “I think ’twould be better if we just saved that for next time.”
    â€œThank you.” She sniffled, and he rolled his eyes, wondering if there would ever be a next time. She would probably never let him near her again. She certainly had made this about as hard on herself as she possibly could have. Good Lord! It hadn’t exactly been a joy for him, either. Muttering under his breath, he drew himself away from her. The moment he was clear of her body, she went limp, collapsing on the bed in a heap as if he had taken her backbone with him.
    Shaking his head, Aric shifted off the bed, turned, and offered her a hand, helping her to her feet when she accepted it. Once she was standing,