"Yes,"she whispered, feeling the emotions she only lightly controlled ripple throughher. "But I have known who would be the victor from the beginning."She took a deep, steadying breath, edged closer to him, and slid her armsaround his neck. "I am pleased that you escaped the battle unharmed."
Drogotrembled when she began to tease his lips with hers. He was desperately hungryfor her, had been from the moment he knew he would survive the battle. It hadnot been easy to subdue that craving, but he had, for he had been uncertain ofher mood and had not wanted her acceptance of his passion to be anything lessthan wholehearted. The light touch of her soft, warm mouth snapped his control,his need for her rushing to every part of his body with a speed that left himreeling. Even though she had reached for him first, her mood was still solemn,still somewhat distant, and he ached to dispel it.
"Eada,we should talk," he said, his voice thick and hoarse as she covered histhroat with kisses and moved so that she was sitting on his lap.
"Iknow, but I do not want to." She unlaced his jupon, smiling faintly whenhe hurriedly aided her in tugging it off him.
"Isthat why you do this?"
"Itis one of the reasons." She ran her hand over his broad, smooth chest thenpressed a kiss to the hollow of his throat. "You also have a fine strongbody and I truly am glad that it remains so."
Heached to ask her why she was so glad but bit back the words. Now was not thetime. He also fought the urge to wrench control of their lovemaking from hersmall, soft hands and rush to gain the release his body cried out for. Whateverher reasons were for doing so, it was intoxicating to be made love to by Eadaand he wanted to savor that for as long as he could.
Eadafelt her uncertainty and hesitation fade with each kiss she gave Drogo and witheach tremor of pleasure that shook his strong body. He felt good, tasted good,and smelled good. The feel of his smooth, warm skin beneath her lips and handsmade her passion soar. That that passion overshadowed her grief, anger, andsorrow only enhanced her pleasure in it. She was not only keeping Drogo fromtalking but herself from thinking, and she savored the respite.
Sheleft no spot unkissed as she removed the rest of his clothes. As she tossedaside his braies, leaving him fully naked before her, she touched a kiss to hiserect manhood. The way he shuddered and groaned, his hands clenching in herhair, told her that he found that highly pleasurable. Caressing his muscularthighs with her hands, she kissed him again and slowly stroked him with hertongue. The praises he gasped out in a thick, unsteady voice encouraged her tocontinue her intimate attentions.
Drogostared down at Eada as she pleasured him with her mouth and felt as if hisblood had caught on fire. When she obeyed his whispered request and took himinto her mouth, the feelings that tore through his body were so strong theywere almost painful. He suddenly understood why men would pay large sums forsuch a pleasure, yet he knew what they paid for could never equal what Eada wasgiving him, freely and with apparent delight. When he knew he could no longercontrol himself, he pushed her away. He tried to hold onto her, aching toimmediately bury himself deep within her, but she stepped out of his reach.
Fora brief moment after he so abruptly ended her intimate caresses, Eada fearedthat she had been too bold. Then she looked closely at his face and felt all ofher desire return in a dizzying rush. He had not rejected her, simply stoppedher before he was so lost to his passions he had no more control. She steppedaway when he reached for her, amused that he seemed blind to the fact that shewas still dressed. Eada also felt sure it would be safer for her clothes if sheundressed herself, for Drogo looked ready to tear her gown from her body.
Herdesire making her bold, she slowly undressed. Drogo had already unlaced a lotof her clothes making disrobing easy. When she finally stood naked before him,she smiled, excited by the way he watched her and by her own daring. Slowly,she stepped closer to him.
Whenhe reached out to grasp her by the hips and pull her nearer, she laughedsoftly. Eada murmured her pleasure as he covered her stomach in fevered kisses,all the while caressing her backside and thighs with his big, callused hands.Shock intruded on her passion when he took his kisses even lower. Despite howshe had pleasured him with her mouth, she had never thought he would or coulddo the same to her. With one slow stroke of his tongue, he took away her shockand her passion returned with such force she had to clutch his broad shouldersto keep standing. She no longer thought about the deep intimacy she wasallowing, only how good it felt.
Herrelease but a heartbeat away, Eada tried to break free of his hold. He ceasedhis intimate kisses but did not release her. Slowly, kissing his way up herbody, he pulled her down until she almost straddled him. He teased her mouthwith soft kisses as he eased their bodies together. When they were fullyjoined, he cupped her face in his hands and gave her a deep, tender kiss thatleft her gasping.
Hishands on her hips, he held her still as he turned his attention to her breasts.Eada threaded her hands in his hair and tried to remain still; but when he drewthe hardened, aching tip of her breast deep into his mouth, her body refused toobey her wishes. Drogo echoed her groan as she moved upon him, and hislovemaking rapidly grew fierce. Shaking with her need for release, Eadawelcomed his sudden roughness. When the culmination of her desire finallyripped through her body, Drogo followed within a heartbeat. They clung to eachother, rocking back and forth as their bodies ruled the moment.
Itwas not until they lay curled up in each other's arms on the sheepskin that Eadaactually began to think about what she had just done. She had been toolethargic, too weakened by her own passions, as Drogo had made them a morecomfortable bed by the fire and gently cleaned them both off. Now her mindfilled itself with uncomfortably clear memories of all she had done to him andwhat she had allowed him to do to her. A flush of embarrassment and shameheated her cheeks, and when Drogo looked at her, she was unable to meet hiseyes.
"Donot grow modest and pious now, sweet Eada," he said as he grasped her bythe chin and turned her face toward his. "I am not a demanding man andwill not expect such heated play each time we lie together, but do not letshame or embarrassment steal away all promise of such lovemaking." He brusheda kiss over her lips.
"Doyou intend to tell me that we did nothing we should be ashamed of?"
"Yes."He grinned when she laughed. "I know what the priests say, but I cannotbelieve that God punishes lovers, and we have done nothing thousands of lovershave not done thousands of times. Do a penance if you must, but do not let fearof sin kill your passion."
"Sinceyou have lived in a monastery, I suppose I should believe you, as who wouldbetter know what is sin and what is not. Of course, there is always the chancethat you seek to soothe me to serve your own purposes."
"Avery good chance," he drawled and laughed at the way she scowled at him,all the while her eyes sparkled with laughter. "The monk who taught whatlittle I know did not believe passion was a true sin unless it brought evil orwas the cause of adultery."
Hersense of shame banished, Eada relaxed, idly smoothing her hand up and down hisside. Neither of them mentioned that their passion was not sanctified bymarriage and that that in itself was a sin. That would not hurt anyone but her,so Eada decided it had to be a small sin.
Allthoughts on how much she may or may not have sinned ended abruptly when she sawhow serious Drogo looked. Eada tensed as she guessed that he wanted to talkabout the battle or, at least, how she felt. Although she had thoroughlyenjoyed her attempt to distract him from any such discussion, she was annoyedthat it had only worked to delay the matter, not make him forget about itcompletely.
"Ido not wish to talk about the war," she said, briefly wishing that she didnot sound so sulky. She had wanted to sound firm, commanding.
"Areyou certain you cannot read or hear what is in my mind?" he asked, onlyhalf jesting for, yet again, she had guessed exactly what he wanted to say.
"Iswear I cannot see inside your head." She lightly pressed her fingers tohis mouth. "If you fear I will condemn you for the Saxon loss, do not. Norwill I belabor you with anger or grief. You did only what honor demanded ofyou. Today, with defeat still so fresh in the air, I do not want to talk of it,for my heart is sore and my soul is torn all ways with strong emotion. I do notwish to spit that out at you, for you have not earned it."
"Thereis one thing I feel I must beg forgiveness for—Harold's death. You sawit?"
"No,I just knew he had died and I knew it was not a good death."
Drogoheld her close and prayed that some day he would be able to shake from his mindthe sight of William and his men butchering Harold. "I do not understandwhy William and his men acted so dishonorably, and that is what they did.Harold was blinded, an arrow in his eye, helpless. They rode in upon him andcut the man to pieces. No offer of mercy or call to surrender was made. I amdeeply ashamed by their act of murder and cruelty."
Eadafought back tears over Harold's ignominious end. "Why? You did not do it.You would never have acted so shamefully."
