“So sorry,” his elbow propped on the arm of the chair, he cupped his chin in his hand. Splayed fingers covered his smirking lips. “Do hurry. I shall die of old age before you finish.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Surely that is of no surprise, considering your advanced years,” the bindings fell away, revealing an exquisitely carved box. Arissa’s mouth opened with delight. “Oh, Richmond, it is lovely. What a wonderful box!”
He snorted. “Silly wench, the gift is inside. Open the box.”
She giggled, her gaze lingering on him as she carefully opened the lid.
A beautifully crafted rosary lay upon a bed of satin. Made from polished beads of a beautiful pale wood, it glistened in the dim light as she drew it forth from the box. Richmond watched her face as she inspected the string of beads, delighting in the play of emotions across her lovely features.
It was a simple rosary, perfect and solid. It would be the one item the nuns at Whitby would most likely allow her to retain when she surrendered all of her material possessions. He had planned it that way.
“The wooded beads are from the Holy Land,” he said softly. “Look at the base of the cross.”
She scrutinized the delicately carved cross, her eyes widening when she realized what she was witnessing. Astonished, she looked to him. “You had your name carved into it.”
He nodded faintly. “I am sure some would consider it sacrilege. But I wanted you to remember who gave it to you.”
She swallowed hard, fingering the exquisite piece. “As if I would forget,” she turned it over in her hands, the resplendence of the gift inadvertently reminding her of her dictated destiny. When she began to blink rapidly, chasing off the threat of tears, Richmond reached out and pulled her onto his lap.
“No tears, kitten,” he whispered, knowing her thoughts. Naturally, she disobeyed his command and sobbed quietly onto his shoulder. Listening to her muted sniffles, he kissed her head tenderly. “There is no need for sorrow. All will be well.”
“But…. but I do not want to go,” she wept softly. “You said yourself that I will have to keep my appointment, and I do not want to. I want to be with you.”
He held her tightly, as if to chase away all of her fear and sorrow with his imposing presence and strength. “And you shall be, I promise. Have I ever gone back on my word?”
She shook her head unsteadily and he smiled, stroking her raven-colored hair. “Your father and I are going to come to termswith the change in the situation soon enough and I do not want you to worry,” he grasped her gently by the chin, forcing her to look at him. “Do you comprehend me? Any more tears from you and I shall most likely join you. ’Twould be most humiliating for a knight of my standing to be seen sobbing like a woman.”
She tried to smile, wiping at her tears. “I-I shall try.”
His expression was soft as his gaze caressed her damp face. Gently, he helped her dry her eyes. “Now tell me; do you like the gift?”
She nodded eagerly, gazing down at the strand of wooden beads clutched in her hand. “I love it. I shall always carry it with me.”
“Good,” his gentle hand moved from stroking her cheek to touching her shoulder, trailing down her arm. A surge of excitement bolted through her slight body when his hand came to rest on the small fist that clutched the rosary. Squeezing her fingers tightly, he buried his face against her fragrant neck.
From one emotion to the next, from one level of tenderness to the very heights of arousal, Arissa moaned softly as his lips came to bear on her tender flesh. The heat of passion electrified the very air between them as Richmond took great delight with her delectable skin.
Arissa gripped his shoulders tightly as his mouth moved down her neck, roving tauntingly over the soft swell of her bosom. His wicked tongue, hot and lusty, lapped at the sweet valley between her breasts and she groaned breathlessly, one hand weaving itself into the thick silk of his hair while the other, still clutching the rosary, grasped his shoulder with a death-grip.
The fire crackled softly in the hearth, sending sparks into the chimney as Richmond swept Arissa into his arms and deposited her upon her curtain-shrouded bed. Gently, he deposited kisses over her face, her eyelids, her nose, moving to her chin and neck as his fingers went to work on the stays of her surcoat.
Arissa turned on her side, allowing him free access to the garment, wondering how far they were going to progress before he called a halt to their mounting passion. With a growl, Richmond flipped her onto her stomach, kissing the flesh of her back as the last of the fastens were disengaged. Arissa groaned softly with the pleasure of his scorching lips, realizing that she did not want him to cease the process of their new-found desire. She never wanted him to stop.
Richmond removed the surcoat inch by exquisite inch, running his lips and tongue over every delectable portion of exhibited flesh. Arissa remained on her stomach as the surcoat came off her shoulders, her arms, baring her breasts against the fluffy bedrug. Although she should have been properly embarrassed when he pulled the surcoat over her hips and slid it the length of her buttocks, she was not fearful in the least.
He moved down her legs, kissing the back of her knees and drawing giggles amidst the moans. Tearing the surcoat free of her feet, he gently removed her slippers and ran his tongue over the tips of her dainty toes.
Arissa wallowed in the boneless, lethargic state of desire as control left him. Aye, he’d promised not to ravage her by way of fancy speeches and displays of restraint, but gazing at her perfect body, nude and supple in the soft illumination, he was not entirely sure that he could keep his promise. Trouble was, he did not seem to care.
He ran his hands up her legs, feeling the satin skin beneath his calloused palms. His breathing came in ragged gasps as his fingers delicately traced the rise of her bottom, perfect and heart-shaped. Up her back his hands moved, touching her, feeling her, loving her. God’s Teeth, he’d waited so long for her.
His hands reached her shoulders and he straddled her slight body, seductively massaging away the tension and concerns of the day. Arissa groaned softly under the care of his experiencedtouch, loving the erotic sensations his unhindered power provided. Although his strong hands against her spine was a remarkable experience, she distinctly liked it better than the way he had touched her once before.
She rolled onto her back. Pale green eyes bore into eyes of brilliant blue, glistening with all of the uncontrolled passion and emotion she was feeling. Grabbing his hands, she pressed them to her breasts.
“Like this, Richmond,” she whispered, gazing deep into his smoldering eyes. “Touch me like this.”
The last shred of control left him and he growled, descending upon her luscious body. His mouth slanted over her lips savagely, licking and stroking her into the unbridled world of madness. Arissa’s cries were muted against his ferocious lips, gasping softly into the still night air as his mouth moved hungrily over her breasts, whimpering softly when he took possession of a taut nipple. Writhing beneath him, her legs instinctively parted to make way for his substantial weight and, without further thought or reservation, Richmond moved to touch the unfurling flower between her legs.
