* * *
Marcán managed to move a few of the barrels to clear a spot for them to lie down. Astrid’s mantle and his bathing cloth, slightly damp from where he’d gently cleansed away her virgin blood, served as their pallet. Resting her head on his solid chest, Astrid slept in his warm embrace. Her dreams were of sunny days beside clear loughs and children playing nearby.
Warm kisses across her shoulder awakened her.
“Mmm, that’s it.” Marcán’s quiet voice was like a caress. “Open those beautiful eyes.”
She did, impaling him with a look. “Ye believe my eyes are beautiful?”
“Ah,grádh,there is nothing about ye that is not beautiful.” He continued with feather kisses along her shoulder before rising over her and taking her face in his hands. He followed a trail to her mouth. His lips were gentle but insistent, and she opened her mouth to him.
“Mmm, nothing.”
His hands explored her body as if he couldn’t get enough of touching her, and her eyes drifted shut in pleasure. When he clasped a breast and lowered his mouth to suckle her, she let out another moan.
“And that is a surprise.” His words did not interrupt his ministrations.
She decided it wasn’t actually necessary to open her eyes, not when she couldfeelso much more with them closed. “What is a surprise?”
“How much ye speak to me in yer passion.”
That did require her to open her eyes. “Speak to ye?”
“Sighs too deep for words.”
It was a familiar phrase. “Is that not referring to prayer?”
“Sighs of pleasure are still sighs too deep for words.” Marcán smiled. “God created us for this pleasure.”
It was strange to hear him speak of God. The priest put so much emphasis on abstinence or only joining for procreation.
“Then pleasure is not a sin?”
“I believe God created us to find pleasure in each other, just like this. Bone of my bone. Flesh of my flesh. And he said that it was good.”
“As husband and wife.”
Marcán gazed into her eyes. “Only a formality.”
He gripped her hand, intertwining their fingers, then closed his eyes. “May God, who knows the heart of all His children, bestow His blessing on our union, that we shall never again seek another or cause dishonor to His name. Amen.”
“Amen.” Astrid was awed by his devotion to her. “Ye do still love me?”
“I have loved ye forever, wanting no one but ye for my wife.”
“I was so blind.”
Marcán kissed her lightly. “Ye are here now. Ye are where ye should be.”
Astrid did like the sound of that. “Oh, but I did not call out yer name! Did I?”
“Ah, my love, ye will. This was only the first of many times when I will bring ye to yer release.” He exhaled, dipping his head into the crook of her neck. “And I am wanting ye again.”
Astrid hadn’t missed the persistent length of him nudging her. She quirked a brow.
“But I am not heartless. Ye will be sore.”
He put his head on her shoulder, looking down upon her nakedness, a hand following along.
