Faery Kissed by Lacey Weatherford Page A

way.
They sneak to the gardens to make love under the trees.” She smiled
and I winked at her.
    “ I can’t imagine why anyone
would want to do that.” I brushed my lips against her forehead. “So
people are free to come and go as they choose?”
    “ For the most part. There
are always guards and sentinels watching over the place. Things are
well protected.”
    I glanced around. “Well, I certainly haven’t
seen any guards.”
    She smiled wider. “That’s the whole point.
Trust me, they’re there and watching us right now.”
    I ran one hand into her hair and kissed her
hotly, moving my lips over her with a familiarity that surprised
even me. My other hand roamed freely over her lithe frame,
exploring her slender curves. She gripped my shoulder, allowing my
tender assault, and when we broke apart she was panting.
    “ What was that
for?”
    “ You said I needed to keep
up appearances. Just doing my job. Was I besotted enough?” I
laughed.
    “ Oh, is that all it was?”
She looked disappointed, turning to walk away.
    I grabbed her and pulled her back. “No,
that’s not all it was.” I kissed her again, and she giggled against
my mouth, wrapping her arms around my neck.
    “ I thought you wanted to go
home.”
    “ This delay isn’t so
bad.”
    “ We can do this—and more—at
home.” Her eyes were twinkling.
    “ You’re right. Lead the
way, my princess.” I stepped away and gave a formal bow.
    “ Very nicely done. It’s
nice to see you have manners,” she teased.
    “ I’m not a complete
heathen—only a partial one.”
    “ I hope you will never
change. I love you just the way you are.” She smiled softly, her
love radiating through her eyes, and also something that looked
like hurt.
    I felt bad that I couldn’t offer her the
sentiments she desired to hear, but I was positive they would come
with time. While I was obviously extremely attracted to her, I
honestly enjoyed her company. She was kind, thoughtful, and easy to
be around. I liked her—of this I was sure—and we were married.
Certainly, love would follow.
    Despite my earlier resolve, a moment of
regret over Ceridwen stabbed me again. I wished something could be
done to help ease the pain she must be going through. My honor
wouldn’t allow me to let it go completely. I hated that I was
moving forward in my life without her. I hated that I had just
disappeared and couldn’t send word and explain my feelings to her.
I hated that even if I could send word, my message would hurt her
just as badly.
    There wasn’t even the possibility of blaming
fate for all of this. No, my conscience would never be clear. I
only had myself and Eirian to blame for everything. I’d made the
choice to come. She’d made the choice to enchant me. It seemed
terribly unfair that we would be the ones trying to get the happy
ending at the expense of Ceridwen.
    “ You miss her.” Eirian was
crestfallen.
    I didn’t reply. I wanted to be able to say
something that would comfort her, but there was nothing but the
truth.
    “ Will you always feel this
way?”
    “ Eirian, I’ve loved her
since my youth. That’s a long time to love someone. It will not be
easy to forget her.”
    She stood still, biting her lip before she
spoke again. “You weren’t always faithful to her in your
youth.”
    I closed my eyes, thinking of the things in
my life she must have seen.
    “ No, I wasn’t. She was
younger than me—a child still—when I came into my manhood. I grew
impatient, and I let the ways of my physical nature and curiosities
overtake me at one point. Another beautiful woman caught my
attention, and I went to her. It was wrong of me.”
    “ Was it?” she asked. “That
young widow you were with greatly enjoyed the company you gave her.
You were good to her—good for her—and helpful as well. I think she
was in love with you.”
    I chuckled softly. “I was but sixteen
summers. She was three years my elder.”
    “ What does age matter to
love? Ceridwen is