She returned his smile, moving to touch his clefted chin and square jaw. “And your strength and power amaze me, my Alec. ’Twas the most magical moment of my life, I think.”
He kissed her hand as it brushed by his lips. “And mine. How fortunate I am to have you.”
She shifted slightly, crunching the straw, and put an arm behind her head. “I wonder if it will always be like this for us. Has it always been as wonderful for you, every time?”
He gazed at her a moment. “Nay. Just this once.”
“It has only been wonderful this one time with me? You have never before achieved such bliss?”
“Nay,” he shook his head, his voice a whisper. “I have never done this before.”
Her eyes widened and she suddenly attempted to sit up. Alec was forced to roll off of her delicious body as she propped herself up on an elbow. “You have never…. Alec, do you mean to tell me that you have never had a woman before?”
“Never in the literal sense.”
Her mouth opened in surprise. “How old are you?”
“Thirty-two years.”
“And you have never bedded a woman?”
He shook his head faintly. “I have done everything to a woman that can be done except penetrate her, and I have had everything done to me as well. I have probably done some things that even seasoned men have never heard of but I have never entered a woman as I entered you. I have never made love before.”
Peyton stared at him in disbelief, shocked at his confession. But as her shock settled, a most wonderful sense of euphoria filled her to think that she had been the very first woman he had made love to. An amazing smile graced her lips, one of utter happiness and astonishment.
“Alec, you are a virgin?”
“Not anymore.”
She laughed. “Nor am I. Alec…. I am speechless. I thought certain you had…. well, you certainly knew what you were doing.”
He kissed her, hard, cutting off her words. Properly silenced, he grinned and brushed bits of red hair out of her face.
“Now, my lady, it would appear that we have a bit of a problem. It is usual to consummate the marriage after the ceremony, and it would seem that we have completed eventsout of order. ’Tis most logical that we dress and ride for Ely immediately to correct the situation.”
Her smile faded. “I should have stopped you as I have done before, but I couldn’t seem to…. I did not want to,” she flushed slightly, lowering her gaze from him. “Will your father be terribly angry that you have disobeyed him and married me?”
He kissed her again, twice, and sat up in search of his clothing. “Most likely. But he shall overcome his fury. Moreover, when I tell him that you seduced me, he shall quite agree to our union.”
“Seduced you?” she repeated with outrage, sitting up next to him. “Why, you practically ripped my clothes off of me, you brute. How dare you say that I seduced you.”
He grinned at her, turning to kiss her soundly as he snatched his tunic. “Lady, you seduce me simply by your presence. I am a weak man at the sight of you.”
She blushed at his compliment, averting her gaze again. As she turned her downcast eyes to the straw, her gaze came to rest on her blood-smeared thighs and she gasped. Concerned, he looked to the source of her distress.
“I shall get you some water to wash that off,” he said softly.
“But….” she wiped at the spots with her hand. “You hurt me, Alec. I am bleeding!”
He stood up, pulling up his hose. “Sweetheart, I did not hurt you and ’tis completely natural for you to bleed a little during the loss of your innocence.”
She glared at him doubtfully. “I realize that, only I did not expect to see quite so much…. blood. You did not bleed as well, did you?”
He laughed low in his throat. “Nay, love. Men do not bleed when they lose their virginity. Just women.”
She closed her thighs and hugged her legs, watching him pull his tunic over his head. “Alec?”
“What, sweet?”
