Joust of Hearts by Genella deGrey Page B

of memory presented her with the vision of Devin upon her chamber’s ledge, and Melisande seemed to transform into a saucy creature, one over which she had no control. “Good day to you, Devin,” she said, turning fully to look up at him. His handsome face nearly made her knees buckle. Would he catch her and pull her into his big strong arms? Get hold of yourself, Melisande. She mentally tried to shake off her lustful thoughts and contradictory feelings. Her thoughts would insist upon one thing and out from her mouth came the opposite. The battle going on inside between my body and mind… Why, no knight, no matter how strong, could stand up to its force . Of this she was certain.
    The group started forward following Lord Bergavny, and Devin continued to speak close to Melisande. “You are a pleasant sight to look upon this day, my lady.”
    “And I was not last eve?” she asked raising an eyebrow, hoping to draw from him confession and summon as many smart retorts from her own lips as possible.
    “I wanted to do more last eve than look,” he purred into her ear.
    “You did do more last eve than look,” she whispered sarcastically, even though her heart threatened to pound its way out of her chest. Oh, how this man excites the senses.
    “Aye, and you were most agreeable.” He placed his hands on her waist from behind and gave her a squeeze.
    Melisande felt unsettled. The control of the situation seemed completely out of her hands now, and she wiggled away from his grasp. “Mayhaps. Now be still that I may hear what Lord Bergavny has to tell.”
    Much to her relief, Devin did not speak again until they left the stables. Quietly, from behind, he offered, “Did you dream of me after you retired?”
    “I… I never remember having dreams,” she lied. In her dream he’d come back through the portal and made love to her . He’d no doubt enjoy hearing that , she thought wryly. Melisande folded her arms in front of her to stop her hands from shaking. She was thankful that he could not see her burning cheeks.
    “You visited my dreams. Would you like to hear of it?” he enquired, stepping so close that the tips of his boots became lost under the hem of her robes.
    She tried to pull away. “I am sure I would not be interested—”
    “Oh, but you would.” Devin caught her by the arm and made her face him.
    “Very well, what type of gown was I wearing?” she asked, yielding to his insistence. At least now he would have a topic to stick to, and not wander back to the indiscretions of the night before.
    He slid his palm down her arm, lingering at her wrist. “You did not wear a single strip of cloth in my dream,” he admitted, just above a whisper.
    As fast as lightning she spun away from him, but Devin leaned his chest forward so that he was gently pressing against her back. She could feel the heat of him through their garments. “Nothing but your golden hair covered my pillow as we lay there together.”
    In an attempt to escape Devin’s insolence and equally brazen topic, she cleared her throat and hastily searched for a subject to present to the lord of the manor, “Pray tell us, Lord Bergavny, have you any plans for additions to your gardens?” Melisande blurted a bit too loudly.
    Devin chuckled softly as she strode a pace away from him.
    Lord Bergavny went on and on about his ideas about stone pathways, fountains, topiaries and the like.
    Melisande desperately wanted to look interested, and at the same time was trying to control her capricious composure. This man Devin simply had to appear and she was taken completely out of her normal character.
    She wanted to remove her outer robe, for the heat seemed to rise from the ground. Then Melisande realized that they were standing in the shade. It was Devin that warmed her, mind, body and spirit. He was a danger to her very existence as she knew it.
    Melisande folded her arms across her chest and pressed her lips together. She heaved a breath noisily out of