“Empty flattery. I was terrible, and my legs hurt.”
“Aye, they will until ye learn the trick of it. Ye were close a time or two.”
“Close, but I moved so slowly that a man hobbled in both legs could have run me down.” She smiled faintly when he laughed. “This is not a trick one can learn quickly or easily.”
“Nay. I was taught when I was just a small lad, and e’en though the young can learn quickly, it was a long, long time ere I could do it right and without thought.”
“And just why would you be taught such a skill? You are a mounted knight.”
“Aye, but I could lose my mount, or a horse can become a hindrance if I am on a raid where stealth is necessary.” He leaned closer to her and began to kiss the side of her neck.
“A raid?” She did nothing to stop him as he gently pushed her down onto the grass. “Thievery.”
“Weel, aye, there is a wee bit of that.”
Her soft laughter was stopped by his hungry kiss. As he began to tug her clothes off, she was briefly concerned about doing something so intimate in the full light of day, and in the open on the grass. Then he started to kiss her breasts, and she decided she did not care. Tentatively, she began to help Nigel shed his clothes as well, and when he revealed only approval of her aid, she grew bolder.
Once they were both naked, Nigel moved so that she was on top of his clothes, her soft skin protected from the ground. As he kissed and caressed her, Gisele moved her hands over his strong body with increasing daring. Cautiously, she slid her hand down his stomach and, after taking a deep breath to steady herself, touched his erection. When he gasped and jerked beneath her shy touch, she started to pull her hand away, but he quickly put it back.
Although shocked by her own boldness, Gisele stroked him. Nigel had shown her that this part of a man could bring pleasure, and she realized that knowledge had roused her curiosity. The way Nigel’s breathing grew fast and unsteady, the faint tremor that began to ripple through his lean body, told her that he liked her touch, and that made her even more curious. Then, suddenly, Nigel tugged her hand away, and Gisele feared that she had grown too bold or had even caused him some pain.
“I am sorry,” she whispered, although she was not quite sure what she was apologizing for.
“Nay, lass.” Nigel pressed his forehead against hers, lightly kissed the end of her nose, and struggled to regain the control he had almost lost. “Ye did nothing wrong. In truth, ye did everything right.” He began to trail kisses down her long, slim neck.
Gisele threaded her fingers into his hair and held him close as he covered her breasts with kisses. “If I did everything right, then why did you stop me? I thought I had hurt you in some manner.”
“There is only so much pleasure a mon can endure, lass.” He kissed her taut stomach and teased her soft skin with brief licks of his tongue. “If I had let ye continue your delightful play I would have been finished, and I didnae want that, nay so quickly.”
Before she could ask him what he meant by finished, she felt the warmth of his mouth between her legs and cried out in shock. Gisele tried to pull away from the intimate kiss, but Nigel gripped her by her hips and stopped her retreat. A heartbeat later, shock was replaced by intense pleasure. She opened to him, welcoming his caress, giving him free reign over her body. She called out to him as she felt her desire reach its height, but he ignored her, and Gisele arched into his kiss as she cried out with the power of her release.
She barely had time to catch her breath before he was restoking her passion. This time when she called out to him, wanting him to share in her pleasure, he returned to her arms. She groaned with delight as he joined their bodies, then gasped with surprise when Nigel suddenly rolled onto his back. He gently urged her to sit up, then moved her body on his, silently showing her what he wanted her to do. Gisele shuddered and quickly took the reins of their lovemaking into her hands. Even as her release ripped through her body, she felt Nigel grasp her more firmly by the hips and hold her tightly against him. He shuddered and moaned her name. She savored the warmth of his release as she collapsed in his arms.
Nigel gave her no time to catch her breath, to really begin to think about what she was doing. Gisele recognized the game he played, and she decided to just let him play it. It was fun to forget all of her worries, to act as if she were completely carefree, able to do whatever she pleased without fear of any consequences. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck when he picked her up and carried her to the pond.
“Can ye swim, lass?” he asked, grinning widely as he stood by the edge of the pond.
“Oui, my Nana insisted that I learn the skill,” she replied. Then her eyes widened as she realized why he was asking. “Non!” was all she managed to scream as he laughed and tossed her into the water.
She was just bobbing to the surface, prepared to call him every crude name she could think of, when he leapt into the water beside her. Gisele laughed and swam away from him. For a little while they feigned a game of “catch me,” then Gisele allowed him to win it. The grin on his handsome face told her he knew she had.
They made love in the water, then bathed each other. She and Nigel knelt on the bank of the pond and washed all of their clothing, spreading it out on the grass so that the sun could dry it. Then they sprawled face down on the grass themselves, letting the sun warm them even as it dried the water from their skin.
Gisele began to wonder if she had gone mad. It was difficult to believe that she was lying naked next to a man she had only known for two weeks. She smiled faintly. It was difficult to believe that she was lying naked in front of anyone at all. It was shocking and shamefully brazen, but she felt no great urge to slip away and cover herself.
When Nigel idly ran his hand down her back Gisele knew exactly why she was behaving so immodestly. He had shown her the pleasure to be found in lovemaking, and she hungered for it. That delight pushed aside all of her fears and all of her worries. While she was in his arms, her desire hot and wild, she could think of nothing else but the man and how he made her feel. After a year of being surrounded by dark memories, fears, and suspicions, she craved those moments of blind passion. Her greed for something she had feared for so long amazed her. As Nigel pulled her closer, she was pleased to realize that her greed was fully shared.
Nigel smiled as he spread a blanket over the sleeping Gisele. She had not stirred since he had risen from her arms and spread out their bedding next to the cold campfire, not even when he had picked her up and carried her to the bed. He left her dagger where she could easily reach it, slipped on his clothes, and walked into the forest.
It was past time he looked around to be certain that they were still safe. He had allowed himself to become completely entranced by Gisele, firmly captivated by her passion. Although it had been satisfying and great fun, it had been somewhat foolish. He had not sensed any encroaching danger, but he was no longer sure that his special gift was working properly, or if he would even have been aware enough to notice if it had tried to warn him.
The depth and heat of Gisele’s passion had been a surprise to him, albeit a very welcome one. He had never known a woman to be so free and daring in her desire. Gisele was willing to try anything, suffering only the occasional but fortunately brief pinch of modesty. Once her fear had been taken away—at least her fear of any and all men—it was as if she had become curious to know all she had missed.
As soon as he was sure that there were no DeVeaux closing in on them, Nigel went hunting. After having spent most of the day in vigorous lovemaking, he was hungry for something far more filling than bread and cheese. He smiled when he thought that Gisele probably would be, as well. The woman was proving to have a healthy appetite for a great many things.
Gisele awoke to the mouthwatering smell of roasting meat. Her stomach growled loudly, she heard Nigel chuckle, and she cursed. Reaching out from under the blanket she retrieved her shirt and braies from the pile of clothing Nigel had set next to her. She knew she was amusing him as she struggled to dress herself beneath her blanket. She could almost feel his grin. He would probably never understand that, although she had spent most of the day romping naked in the glade, the mood had changed. She was not sure she really understood. There was also the fact that she needed to slip into the forest to attend to her personal needs, and she did not want to be away from the camp wearing nothing but her skin.
Even in amongst the thick trees she could still smell the tempting aroma of food. She did what she needed to do as fast as she could and hurried back to the camp, a little annoyed when her haste seemed to further amuse Nigel. Everything appeared to be amusing the man at the moment.
