She frowned in confusion. “What will change by the morrow? It is alreadylate....”
Rolfe chuckled and she gasped with a maiden’ssurprise.
“But without my looking upon you? How could we...” She flushed and he admired that she had the courage to ask what she clearly believed to be a very bold question. “Is this to be a consummated match,sir?”
He moved so that they stood toe-to-toe. Her breasts were but a finger’s width from his chest, and he looked down into the glory of her widened eyes. He could smell the scent of the roses from her bath, mingled with the lady’s own sweet scent, and his anticipation of their union rose. He would introduce her gently and sweetly to the arts of love. He would seduce her. He would ensure her pleasure. And he would do as much as many times as she desired. He would win her with his touch. “This match will be complete in every sense of the word,” he assuredher.
Her flush deepened to a darker hue of crimson. “You looked!” shewhispered.
He shook his head and lifted her hand to his lips. “No, but I wanted to. You are alluring in sleep, my Annelise, but the honor of a lady must not becompromised.”
He kissed her fingertips, well aware that she strained to see hismouth.
He continued with resolve, using her apparent concern as an excuse. “We must consummate in darkness so that you are not burdened with the sight ofme.”
Annelise bit her lip and he guessed that her compassion for himgrew.
“What about the morrow? Why did you say I could look upon youthen?”
“Perhaps my situation will havechanged.”
She frowned, but Rolfe silenced her question by raising the ring between them again. The garnet snared the moonlight and glowed a dull red. “Do we have vows to exchange,Annelise?”
“There is no priest,” she whispered, though the heat was gone from herprotest.
“Marriage is the only sacrament for which one does not need a priest,” he reminded her. “Annelise?”
She stared at the ring. She bit her lip. She sighed and Rolfe had a moment to fear that she would still decline him. What would he do then? A panic rose within him for he could not take what she would not give, or compel her to accept him, yet the breaking of the curse relied upon her agreement. How could he persuadeher?
Then Annelise lifted her left hand toward the ring, sending relief surging through Rolfe. “I will, sir.” She sighed. “I concededefeat.”
It was not the most encouraging agreement of a proposal, but Rolfe was heartily glad ofit.
He brushed a fingertip across the end of her nose, unable to keep from teasing her. “Ah, my Annelise, why do I suspect that you never truly admitdefeat?”
Her eyes sparkled then, filling with a merriment that stole his breath away. “Perhaps we do come to understand each other,sir.”
Rolfe laughed as the lady smiled up at him. “I might have to believe in destiny, after all, since the Fates brought me such a bride,” he said, then bent to claim her ripe lips with akiss.
She would be his bride and his salvation, and Rolfe would ensure she never regretted thischoice.
* * *
Annelise hadno time to feel disappointment in her choice, for it had not truly been a choice at all. She knew her host had cornered her with logic and she took encouragement from his determination to hold her to her word. She liked that he coaxed her smile, as if he had feared she would stilldecline.
She had not anticipated his triumphantkiss.
He bent quickly and touched his lips to hers, then when she caught her breath in surprise, he slanted his mouth over hers and deepened his kiss. The hood of his cloak shrouded her face from even the light of the moon. One of his arms was around her waist, drawing her against his heat, while his other hand heldhers.
Annelise had never been kissed like thisbefore.
It was amarvel.
His kiss was sweet, coaxing her response, inviting her to participate instead of claiming his due. He did not force himself upon her: instead, he persuaded her to respond in kind. His kiss was a marvel and a delight, one that set her pulse racing and her anticipation rising. Her very flesh was on fire and she found herself rising to her toes, wanting onlymore.
It was a persuasive kiss and one that fed her confidence in her choice as nothing else could havedone.
When he lifted his head, Annelise found herself struck to raresilence.
