"Ah,my pretty, honey-tressed Saxon, it does. It has had to be since I first seteyes upon you."
Herreply was slain by his mouth as he pressed her for a fuller kiss. She tried toremain cold beneath him, but her body refused to obey her mind's pleas. Eadareleased a soft cry of helplessness as her mouth softened and her desirerapidly responded to his. She was not even able to refuse the invasion of histongue, the gentle strokes within her mouth robbing her of what littleresistance she had been able to muster. When he eased his heated kisses to herthroat, she simply tilted her head back to allow him greater access then cursedher own meek surrender.
"Youmean to take the land and the power from my people," she said, her voicethick and husky. "Must you rob me of my honor as well?"
InwardlyDrogo winced, but he replied, "You have told me no, have requested me tocease. Let that soothe your honor. All who have seen you know you are myprisoner and know just what I shall steal from you. They will not judge youbecause of this. You are but a tiny woman, and although I know you could put upan astonishing fight if the fever you now curse did not steal away yourresistance, you could never win. Even your own people will see the truth ofthat."
Drogowas unlacing her night rail, touching each newly exposed patch of skin with akiss, and Eada found speech difficult. "My people will see me as atraitor."
Althoughhe ached to simply rip the thin gown from her body, Drogo continued to moveslowly. He did not really want to discuss the right or wrong of doing what hecraved to do, for he knew it was wrong. Talking aided him in reining in thedesire raging through his body, however. He also hoped that he might yet findjust the right words to ease and defer all her future regrets andrecriminations.
"Somepeople will think that any Saxon who does not kill a Norman, even if the man issleeping and unarmed, is a traitor. Most will think little ill of you and ofthe other women who will soon be held in Norman arms."
"Heldwith no thought to where her heart may belong or the man she might belongto?"
Heglanced at her face and cursed the dark, for the shadows made it difficult tocorrectly read her expression. "And does any man hold a claim to you,Eada?"
"No.I am a widow."
"Good.It means I need not make you one now."
Hissoft, cold words shocked Eada. She struggled to reply but a moment later lostall her ability to even think of a response. He gently cradled her breasts inhis big callused hands, brushing his thumbs over the hardening tips until theyached. When he replaced his thumbs with his tongue, she cried out and clutchedhis broad shoulders. She trembled inside and out from the strength of thedesire he stirred in her, a desire so powerful she was unable to fight it.
AsDrogo smothered her breasts in kisses, he quickly removed her night rail. Tensewith anticipation, he eased his body back on top of hers and groaned withpleasure as their flesh met. He covered the crown of her breast with his mouthand drew the nipple deep inside. A soft growl of need escaped him when she moanedand moved, rubbing invitingly against his body.
Eadalost all ability to think and all interest in doing so. She gave herself overcompletely to the feelings raging through her body. Greedily, she ran her handsover the lean, muscular body she had admired from the first time she had seenit. She did not care that the body she held was Norman or that the handsstroking her would soon wield a sword against her people. He was simply a man,a big, beautiful man, and she ached for him.
Drogosensed Eada's surrender and fought to keep that knowledge from severing whatlittle control he clung to. The feel of her small, soft hands moving over hisskin made that all the more difficult. He wanted to immediately and fiercelybury himself deep within her warmth, but he knew it would be a grave mistake ifhe succumbed to that urge. It was important that he give her pleasure, as muchpleasure as he could, and not simply because he wanted to. By giving herpleasure he knew he would further ease whatever regrets she might have when theclouds of desire fled her mind. It would also ease any possible renewedresistance from her.
Hestroked her, kissed her, and whispered sweet flatteries against her downy, softskin. Eada felt as if some madness had seized hold of her. It was the onlyexplanation for why she was succumbing to the pleasure of his touch so quicklyand completely, her passion flooding her so strongly and hotly.
Iffate had decided she should be with this man, it had certainly found the surestway to make her follow the right path. Such heady passion was hard to fight.Part of her resented being pushed and led into something that could bring herpain and heartbreak. A moment later, she knew there was no hope for a return tosanity as he slid his hand up the inside of her thigh and stroked the veryheart of her aching need for him. The cry that escaped her lips held bothregret and desire as she opened to his touch, silently welcoming the intimacy.
WhenEada made no attempt to stop him at that final barrier, Drogo groaned. His bodyshuddered as the hunger he felt for her gained force in one swift, heady rush.She was fire beneath his hands, hot, wild, and inviting. Unable to restrainhimself any longer, he prepared to possess her.
Ashe eased into her, he felt her suddenly tense, and he joined their bodies withone greedy thrust. He gasped in surprise when he felt himself tear throughsomething he had not expected to find. She had said that she was a widow and soshould not have had a maidenhead. He quickly grabbed hold of her when she criedout and tried to pull away. Almost desperately, he struggled to soothe her andrestore her passion. He did not think he had the strength to stop now if sheremained cold to him, and yet he did not wish to continue if she were unwillingor in too much pain.
Theburning pain Drogo had inflicted when he had plunged into her body tore awaythe passion clouding Eada's mind, and for one brief moment, she was able tothink clearly. She was stunned. All her prideful plans to resist had been sweptaway with an embarrassing swiftness.
Evenas she began to castigate herself, however, her passion returned. As Drogostroked and kissed her, her lost maidenhead and the pain of that loss grew lessand less important. He had not killed her desire, merely brushed it aside for aminute. The need he restirred within her as he soothed and aroused her soon hadher arching against him. She was not sure what would happen next and simplymoved instinctively, trying to draw him deeper inside of her. Everything withinher drove her to try and quell the hunger gnawing at her. Her body cravedsomething and moved in an effort to get it.
Drogowas left gasping when Eada moved against him with an unskilled eagerness. Thefeel of her acceptance was exquisite. Uttering a harsh cry, he began to move.He was determined to give her as much pleasure as he could before he could nolonger restrain his need for release. Eada quickly matched his movements,thrust for thrust. She wrapped her lithe limbs around his body, and he lost allability to hold back.
AsDrogo's lovemaking grew fiercer, Eada felt more exhilarated. It increased herpassion tenfold to feel the loss of control in his large, strong body and knowthat she had caused it. It was a heady thing to know that she could stir him asmuch as he did her.
Suddenly,she cried out, clutching at him in a wild attempt to draw him even closer.Pleasure tore through her body in waves, thrusting her into an oblivion thatwas both frightening and dizzingly beautiful. She was faintly aware of Drogo'salmost painful grip on her hips and of the way he drove deeply within her,holding himself there as he cried out her name. Her last clear thought was thatshe could easily be tempted to do anything and everything just to hear him sayher name like that again.
Seven
Awarenessreturned slowly to Eada and she immediately regretted its appearance. Severalconflicting emotions tore at her. Everything she had felt seemed to confirm OldEdith's prediction. That, however, could not alter the facts that Drogo was theenemy to all that was Saxon and that she had lost her much-protected maidenheadto a man she had known only a few hours. She lay numb and silent as Drogogently cleaned them both, washing away the remnants of the innocence he hadstolen from her with such ease.
Drogoslid back into bed a little warily. Eada looked stunned, and he suspected itwas not for the same reasons he felt that way. He sighed inwardly as one fattear rolled down her still-flushed cheek. A moment later, his suspicion that itwas the harbinger of a flood was confirmed. Ignoring her tense resistance tohis touch, he tugged her into his arms and held her close as she wept. He wassomewhat disappointed that she would react so after all the pleasure they had shared,but he could understand it.
"Come,little one, this weeping changes and helps nothing." He combed his fingersthrough her thick, tousled hair.
"Iknow." Eada desperately tried to stop crying, but it was a few minutesbefore she began to succeed. "It is just a bit difficult to discover thatone is no better than a whore."
"Youare no whore."
