his chin.
Beautiful? Truly? She recalled the image she had caught in the pool earlier. Aye, she was not unbecoming, but to be told she was beautiful ...
It warmed her to know he desired her, and she felt a sudden sadness this could not last—that after tonight she would never see him again. Deciding to spend her last minutes cherishing him, she searched out his body again, feathering her fingers over him and thrilling when she felt him tremble at her touch.
Were it possible, she thought she could stay with him forever. Though she was unfamiliar with the notion of love beyond what she had felt for her mother, there was something here she desperately wanted to hold to.
A noise from the wooded area broke through her dreamy consciousness. Immediately, the man raised his head. A moment later his body followed. Moving so swiftly Graeye momentarily lost sight of him, he retrieved his sword.
She wrenched herself from her stupor and stumbled to her feet There was no cover for her, though, and the person moving through the woods was making good speed. He would be upon them any moment. Frantic, she stepped back into the water.
"Wait," the man called.
Graeye spared him only a glance, then waded farther out. She simply could not be discovered, especially if the person approaching was one of her father's men—or the king's—come to battle the trespasser. There would be time aplenty to feel the old man's wrath, but now she had to escape.
Looking one last time over her shoulder at the man who had become her lover, she was surprised to find him following. Lunging forward, he caught hold of her and pulled her back to him.
She tried to push him away, but he held fast. Desperate, she met his gaze and shook her head, entreating him to release her.
"My lord," a voice called from the trees.
She felt the man's tension dissolve.
" Tis but my squire," he explained in that wonderfully thrumming voice. "You need not fear."
Finding no comfort in his words, she again tried to pull free. It was to no avail, for he had no intention of releasing her.
"Joseph," he called, "come no nearer."
The crackling of leaves ceased immediately, and a short-lived quiet fell over the wood. "But, my lord—"
"Remain where you are!" the man commanded, then looked back at Graeye. "Stay with me," he murmured. "I have yet to give you what you gave me."
It was all she could do not to shout at him and demand her release, but she kept her lips sealed and shook her head.
He searched her face a long moment, then, unexpectedly, recaptured her lips with an urgency that vied with his earlier possession of her.
In spite of her body's yearnings, Graeye was too fearful to respond, remaining still beneath his expert ministrations.
When he finally lifted his head, he wore a puzzled expression. "I will release you that you might seek cover," he said, "provided you vow to stay near until I have finished with my man."
Surprised at his stipulation, Graeye paused before setting herself to a course she prayed God would forgive her for. She placed one hand over her rapidly beating heart and nodded, knowing all the while it was a vow she could not keep. She saw doubt in his eyes, but then his hands fell from her.
Fearful that he might change his mind, she wasted no time in crossing the pool to the opposite side. Without a backward glance she boosted herself from the water and hurried to where she had left her clothes. She snatched them up and sprinted for the shelter of trees. There, immersed in the tall shadows, she peered back at the pool and saw that the man stood unmoving.
She would have donned her clothes then, but she had the most peculiar feeling he was every bit as aware of her location as she was of his. Unmindful of the chill that raised the fine hairs along her arms, she turned and ran deeper into the woods, her vow to the man shredded upon the breeze stirring the leaves.
***
Leading his destrier into the clearing where a temporary camp had been erected for the
Beautiful? Truly? She recalled the image she had caught in the pool earlier. Aye, she was not unbecoming, but to be told she was beautiful ...
It warmed her to know he desired her, and she felt a sudden sadness this could not last—that after tonight she would never see him again. Deciding to spend her last minutes cherishing him, she searched out his body again, feathering her fingers over him and thrilling when she felt him tremble at her touch.
Were it possible, she thought she could stay with him forever. Though she was unfamiliar with the notion of love beyond what she had felt for her mother, there was something here she desperately wanted to hold to.
A noise from the wooded area broke through her dreamy consciousness. Immediately, the man raised his head. A moment later his body followed. Moving so swiftly Graeye momentarily lost sight of him, he retrieved his sword.
She wrenched herself from her stupor and stumbled to her feet There was no cover for her, though, and the person moving through the woods was making good speed. He would be upon them any moment. Frantic, she stepped back into the water.
"Wait," the man called.
Graeye spared him only a glance, then waded farther out. She simply could not be discovered, especially if the person approaching was one of her father's men—or the king's—come to battle the trespasser. There would be time aplenty to feel the old man's wrath, but now she had to escape.
Looking one last time over her shoulder at the man who had become her lover, she was surprised to find him following. Lunging forward, he caught hold of her and pulled her back to him.
She tried to push him away, but he held fast. Desperate, she met his gaze and shook her head, entreating him to release her.
"My lord," a voice called from the trees.
She felt the man's tension dissolve.
" Tis but my squire," he explained in that wonderfully thrumming voice. "You need not fear."
Finding no comfort in his words, she again tried to pull free. It was to no avail, for he had no intention of releasing her.
"Joseph," he called, "come no nearer."
The crackling of leaves ceased immediately, and a short-lived quiet fell over the wood. "But, my lord—"
"Remain where you are!" the man commanded, then looked back at Graeye. "Stay with me," he murmured. "I have yet to give you what you gave me."
It was all she could do not to shout at him and demand her release, but she kept her lips sealed and shook her head.
He searched her face a long moment, then, unexpectedly, recaptured her lips with an urgency that vied with his earlier possession of her.
In spite of her body's yearnings, Graeye was too fearful to respond, remaining still beneath his expert ministrations.
When he finally lifted his head, he wore a puzzled expression. "I will release you that you might seek cover," he said, "provided you vow to stay near until I have finished with my man."
Surprised at his stipulation, Graeye paused before setting herself to a course she prayed God would forgive her for. She placed one hand over her rapidly beating heart and nodded, knowing all the while it was a vow she could not keep. She saw doubt in his eyes, but then his hands fell from her.
Fearful that he might change his mind, she wasted no time in crossing the pool to the opposite side. Without a backward glance she boosted herself from the water and hurried to where she had left her clothes. She snatched them up and sprinted for the shelter of trees. There, immersed in the tall shadows, she peered back at the pool and saw that the man stood unmoving.
She would have donned her clothes then, but she had the most peculiar feeling he was every bit as aware of her location as she was of his. Unmindful of the chill that raised the fine hairs along her arms, she turned and ran deeper into the woods, her vow to the man shredded upon the breeze stirring the leaves.
***
Leading his destrier into the clearing where a temporary camp had been erected for the
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