My breath caught, and I found myself staring at the full lips which had uttered such beautiful words. I'd expected Barret to be the one to spout poetry to me. But the brothers continued to surprise me. Hugin, with his stars and longing stares, was the romantic, not Barret. Which made me wonder, for just a moment, what Barret's shy gaze hid. How would Barret behave when he was alone with me? Then Hugin leaned slowly towards me and reclaimed my full attention.
He gave me every chance to object, but I just waited, a little impatiently, for his kiss. Hugin's lips brushed mine, just the barest graze, and my thighs jerked together. I felt him smile against my mouth, then the pressure increased, and his arms pulled me tight to his chest. I could feel the pounding of Hugin's heart as his tongue licked at me gently. I opened on a sigh, and he swooped in, gently sweeping his tongue over mine. Shivers coursed through me and I slid one arm around his waist to pull him even closer, my other hand going to his face. Hugin moaned as I slid my palm up his cheek and eased my fingers through his silky hair.
I stroked his long locks, then pulled at them, urging him to deepen the kiss. But Hugin refused to rush, taking his time to pull back and nibble at the corners of my mouth. I squirmed and tried to take more from him. He just eased around my efforts expertly. Hugin's kisses went up the sides of my face, to my ear, where he licked and nibbled until I was breathing as if I'd been running for miles.
“We have as much time together as we wish, Addy,” Hugin whispered in my ear. “Let me love you slowly.”
I shivered again, his words bringing to mind images of long nights spent naked, pressed skin to skin, with Hugin. I sighed and relaxed into him. He was right; we couldn't consummate our marriage tonight. Why hurry to the edge of ecstasy only to stop cold? So I began to gently explore him as well, with fluttering fingertips and light kisses. Hugin inhaled sharply as I took his lesson and expanded on it.
I learned the angle of his jaw, the sharp bend of it just before his chin, all through the sensitive skin of my lips. I gauged the softness of the flesh just below his ear, with a stroke of my finger. I discovered how sensitive Hugin was at the hollow of his throat, by rubbing my cheek there. I loved this, this slow slide of skin without the rush of lust. I covered his whole face, memorizing every dip and plane as a blind woman might, before returning to his lips and flicking the tip of my tongue over their full center.
“Dear God,” Hugin groaned and pulled me into a much more demanding kiss.
His hands went into my hair, then down my shoulders, and finally over my back. I gasped as he pulled me into his lap, thinking he would surely lose control. But Hugin took a deep, calming breath, and laid me across his arm so that I was staring up at him. My angel against the backdrop of his heavens. Hugin's lips were parted, his eyes dark with shadows, and he suddenly looked more devil than angel. But when he touched me again, it was with tenderness.
Hugin eased his palm over my face, then ran a fingertip down my cheekbones. A kiss followed, then he rubbed his cheek against mine, dragging his chin down the line of my throat and laying a final kiss on the cleft of my cleavage. Hugin lifted his face and trailed his hand over the top of my breasts, just visible over my bodice. I closed my eyes against the pleasure.
“No,” Hugin's hand went back to my cheek. “Don't close your eyes. Watch me as I watch you. See the way my eyes consume the trembling of your lips. Look on me and savor the beating pulse in my neck, and how your hand appears fragile against my face,” he brought my hand to his cheek, then turned his head into it and kissed my palm. “Take in everything with me, Addy.”
“I will gladly look upon you till my very last breath,” I whispered.
Hugin's face lit with joy, and his mouth descended to mine again. We didn't linger till my last breath, but we did stay quite awhile in the garden, discovering each other with open eyes and languid hands.
Chapter Eleven
The next day was filled with activity. Women fluttered around me like birds, squawking about fabric and flowers and jewelry. My mother serenely directed it all as I stood in the eye of the flock. I just held my arms out and let them do as they pleased.
By the time they all finally left, it was time for me to start getting ready for dinner. But first, I had to bathe Hugin. I headed to the door set within the right wall. But before I even touched the handle, there was a knock on the door set into the back wall, on the right. It was only a few feet away, so it took me mere seconds to reach it. I opened it to find Arnet standing there.
“Hugin traded places with me,” Arnet gave me a hesitant smile.
“What?” I felt my stomach drop. Did Hugin decide he didn't want me anymore? After the romantic night we'd spent together?
“Stop that,” Arnet took my hand. “Hugin told us what happened with you in the garden, and what you promised him. He felt it wasn't fair for him to take any more from you when there were two of us who had yet to have the... uh... opportunity to be alone with you.”
I just stared at him.
“If you'd rather go to Hugin, I understand,” Arnet said stiffly and dropped his hand.
“No,” I reached for him. “I'm sorry. You just surprised me. Of course I'd be happy to see to your...” the breath hitched in my throat as I imagined Arnet getting into the tub. He was still clothed, which meant I would have to undress him.
“Bath,” he finished my sentence with a smile and a whisper. “Then come down with me, Adelysia.”
Arnet took my hand and helped me down the stairs, then into his room, shutting the door firmly behind us. There was a wood tub waiting before the fireplace, full of steaming water. Towels and soap were laid on a stool beside it, a discarded bucket at one end, and yet another wood stool had a crystal bottle placed upon it. Something which looked much too feminine to be in Arnet's room. I frowned at the bottle, but then forgot about it completely as Arnet led me forward towards the tub. Suddenly,he stopped and started stroking my hair. He must have noticed my hesitation.
“Why don't we try something different?” Arnet asked.
“What?” my breath was already ragged, my mind focused on what it would be like to undress him. I was afraid I would disgrace myself and touch him inappropriately. I couldn't behave like this; they would think I wasn't a maiden.
“Will you allow me to wash your hair?”
“My hair?” I hesitantly touched the braids of my elaborate coiffure.
“Yes,” Arnet grinned. “May I?”
“Uh... yes, I suppose,” I swallowed with a mixture of relief and disappointment. I had expected Arnet to be more aggressive, as his personality had hinted. I had expected him to-
“Come here,” the words were said with just the hint of command, and I felt myself smile. Now that was the man I'd come to know. Arnet led me to the bed and eased me down, to lie on the mattress. I felt my eyes widen with worry, but he only placed a chaste kiss to my lips as he angled me so that my head was hanging at the edge, facing up. “Relax, Adelysia.”
