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Authors: Amanda Forester
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likely his only friend either within the castle or without. And she was adorable.
But how had he come here, to be lying on a pallet in what appeared to be a dark storeroom? With some effort, he recalled she had brought him to the storeroom and made him drink a sleeping potion. It must have done its job because he had slept through the night. Perhaps he should not have drunk so much, but he knew he would accept anything she offered.
He struggled to sit up but was held down. A girl, Gwyn to be precise, flopped over onto his chest, snuggled up to him warm and comfortable and right. He could not remember what had brought her here. Try as he might, the last thing he remembered was drinking the medicine. What had happened after that? Why was she in his bed? If something interesting had occurred in some sleep-induced haze, could they do it again now that he’d regained his full faculties?
He rolled onto his side, his arm naturally cradling Gwyn closer. She was beautiful. So beautiful. His heart skipped and all thoughts of pain and fatigue vanished. He kissed her perfect, warm cheek. She smiled in her sleep. It was enough encouragement to plant a trail of kisses leading to her lips.
She stirred but did not open her eyes. The pink lips smiled in encouragement. He kissed those lips, reveling in their velvet smoothness. She murmured and responded, kissing him in return. He drew her closer into his arms and deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him closer as heat surged through him. In a flash, he knew he would never be the same. This lady must be his. Nothing else mattered. He would give up anything. All he needed was her.
“Good morning,” he whispered when they finally broke the kiss.
Her eyes fluttered open, wide with surprise. “Oh!” She disentangled herself from his arms and sat up. “Ye kissed me!”
He sat up beside her. “Forgive me for saying, but you kissed me in return.”
“I was asleep!”
“I am confused.” He ran a hand through his hair. “The sleeping draught you gave me last night did a good job. I remember nothing until I woke and found you here, and I thought…”
Her eyes narrowed. “Ye thought what?”
He cleared his throat. He may not have a lot of experience with women, but he knew enough to know when he was going down with a millstone about his neck. “I thought that you were the fairest lady I had ever beheld. I wondered at first if I was being attended by angels.”
Her face softened and she fought against a smile. “Ye will get nowhere wi’ flattery. Besides, I gave ye the draught two nights ago. I was lying here beside ye because ye almost died, ye daft fool man.”
“Truly?” He was surprised. “I do not recall. I must thank you, most fervently.”
“And how will ye thank me, sir knight?” She leaned a little closer and looked up at him through long lashes. The effect was stunningly fast, and he was glad he was under a blanket so as not to be quite so obvious.
“I will thank you with…with…” He leaned forward and kissed her again. She was in his arms in a heartbeat, and they were kissing again as if nothing else mattered.
“With what?” she asked breathlessly.
“With my love.” The words were spoken before he could censure such a declaration.
She stared at him and he at her. The words were out there now, unable to be retrieved.
“Yer love?” she asked.
Jack swallowed. Perhaps it would be better to hold his tongue, but he could not. “Yes. I know we should be enemies, but you have shown me kindness, compassion, and protection in a dangerous time. I fear I have grown to adore you.” He put his hand to her soft cheek. “I should be concerned about what my uncles are doing now or what your brother might do to me, but all I can think about is being with you.”
Gwyn’s eyes shone a seductive sage green in the muted early morning light. “I fear I feel for ye in much the same way.”
Jack could not help but smile. She liked him.
But how had he come here, to be lying on a pallet in what appeared to be a dark storeroom? With some effort, he recalled she had brought him to the storeroom and made him drink a sleeping potion. It must have done its job because he had slept through the night. Perhaps he should not have drunk so much, but he knew he would accept anything she offered.
He struggled to sit up but was held down. A girl, Gwyn to be precise, flopped over onto his chest, snuggled up to him warm and comfortable and right. He could not remember what had brought her here. Try as he might, the last thing he remembered was drinking the medicine. What had happened after that? Why was she in his bed? If something interesting had occurred in some sleep-induced haze, could they do it again now that he’d regained his full faculties?
He rolled onto his side, his arm naturally cradling Gwyn closer. She was beautiful. So beautiful. His heart skipped and all thoughts of pain and fatigue vanished. He kissed her perfect, warm cheek. She smiled in her sleep. It was enough encouragement to plant a trail of kisses leading to her lips.
She stirred but did not open her eyes. The pink lips smiled in encouragement. He kissed those lips, reveling in their velvet smoothness. She murmured and responded, kissing him in return. He drew her closer into his arms and deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him closer as heat surged through him. In a flash, he knew he would never be the same. This lady must be his. Nothing else mattered. He would give up anything. All he needed was her.
“Good morning,” he whispered when they finally broke the kiss.
Her eyes fluttered open, wide with surprise. “Oh!” She disentangled herself from his arms and sat up. “Ye kissed me!”
He sat up beside her. “Forgive me for saying, but you kissed me in return.”
“I was asleep!”
“I am confused.” He ran a hand through his hair. “The sleeping draught you gave me last night did a good job. I remember nothing until I woke and found you here, and I thought…”
Her eyes narrowed. “Ye thought what?”
He cleared his throat. He may not have a lot of experience with women, but he knew enough to know when he was going down with a millstone about his neck. “I thought that you were the fairest lady I had ever beheld. I wondered at first if I was being attended by angels.”
Her face softened and she fought against a smile. “Ye will get nowhere wi’ flattery. Besides, I gave ye the draught two nights ago. I was lying here beside ye because ye almost died, ye daft fool man.”
“Truly?” He was surprised. “I do not recall. I must thank you, most fervently.”
“And how will ye thank me, sir knight?” She leaned a little closer and looked up at him through long lashes. The effect was stunningly fast, and he was glad he was under a blanket so as not to be quite so obvious.
“I will thank you with…with…” He leaned forward and kissed her again. She was in his arms in a heartbeat, and they were kissing again as if nothing else mattered.
“With what?” she asked breathlessly.
“With my love.” The words were spoken before he could censure such a declaration.
She stared at him and he at her. The words were out there now, unable to be retrieved.
“Yer love?” she asked.
Jack swallowed. Perhaps it would be better to hold his tongue, but he could not. “Yes. I know we should be enemies, but you have shown me kindness, compassion, and protection in a dangerous time. I fear I have grown to adore you.” He put his hand to her soft cheek. “I should be concerned about what my uncles are doing now or what your brother might do to me, but all I can think about is being with you.”
Gwyn’s eyes shone a seductive sage green in the muted early morning light. “I fear I feel for ye in much the same way.”
Jack could not help but smile. She liked him.
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