When Reina saw the direction his thoughts had taken, as well as his eyes, she could not get any words past her throat. Her breasts tightened under his gaze, and she flushed hot. When his eyes came back to hers, she could only stare, drowning in the look she now recognized.
She waited breathlessly for his mouth to begin its magic, and so was surprised when his hand covered her breast instead, his eyes still locked to hers. His fingers were warm, and gentle, and infinitely exciting, teasing her nipples to hardness, giving her the tiniest alarm when his grip began to strengthen, intensifying the thrill when it relaxed.
Still he watched her, and listened to her gasping breaths, and finally whispered, “Am I hurting you?”
“Nay.”
“You would tell me?”
“Jesú, are you going to start that again?”
She heard his laugh just before his tongue came to lick at her lips, and during the course of the next hour, Reina managed to demonstrate those benefits he had asked about with a good deal of mutual pleasure.
Chapter Thirty-six
Reina saw the giant crossing the hall toward her with her steward, but she doubted her eyes, knowing very well that Ranulf was still abed, his few hours’ restorative sleep having turned into the rest of the night and the entire morning besides. She had just come from the kitchen to delay the midday meal because of that, and Theo, who had not left the hall until her return, had shaken his head when asked if she had missed Ranulf.
So if not her husband striding toward her, then there were two as huge, when she would have sworn there could not possibly be another as tall and broad and fearsome. And as happened when she first met her husband, she saw only this man’s size. She did not notice his face until he had almost reached her, and then that golden mane of hair when he shoved back his coif. Gilbert must have introduced them ere he slipped away, but Reina was too bemused to hear a word of it.
Golden hair and skin, deep violet eyes, a face the same—Ranulf’s, but not Ranulf. ’Twas too incredible by half. Was this his brother, then? Nay, he had said the brother was younger. This man was older, though not by much. Surely he could not be old enough to be the father, and yet he must be. But no loving father this, and recalling that, she also recalled her outraged reaction when Ranulf had told her about this man.
“’Tis all right, Lady Reina. I ofttimes have this affect on women.”
A line he must say by rote, meant to ease a lady’s embarrassment for being rendered deaf, blind, and dumb by his extraordinary looks. But he had the wrong reason this time, and Reina could be excused for her shock. ’Twas not every day you met an older, identical version of the man you had wed.
“Are you here to see Ranulf?”
“Ranulf?” ’Twas his turn to appear bemused, but then he smiled, understanding. “So that is why you stared. The resemblance. ’Tis uncanny, is it not?”
“Very,” she replied, still not quite believing two men of different years could look so much alike.
“But I was unaware Ranulf was even in this area. Last I heard, he was fighting for one of the marcher lords. Of course, that was last year, and he does not like to stay in one place very long.”
How would he know that? According to Ranulf, he had spoken with this man only twice in his entire life. Did the man like to pretend a familiarity and fatherly concern just because anyone who saw him and knew Ranulf could not mistake they were father and son?
“That may have been his habit, but he is not like to leave Clydon anytime soon,” Reina said stiffly.
The man seemed confused by her manner, yet more curious about her words. “Clydon and its many holdings are well known to me, Lady Reina, yet I had not heard you were having the sort of trouble that would require my son’s particular skills. However, I can assure you that you have hired the best.”
Was that true pride she detected in his voice? By what right did he take pride in a son he had all but forsaken?
“We are naturally grateful for Ranulf’s exceptional abilities, my lord, but I fear you are under a misconception. I did not hire Ranulf, I married him. He is the new Lord of Clydon.”
Reina did not feel quite so foolish for her own earlier shock, now that she witnessed his. He stared at her incredulously for long moments, but then he threw back his head and laughed.
“You doubt me?” she bristled.
’Twas another moment ere he found breath to answer. “Nay, I do not doubt you at all, my lady. I always knew Ranulf would do well for himself, but I never suspected he would surpass even myself. If he is here, I would indeed like to see him.”
“But that is not why you came. Why are you here, my lord?”
“My baggage wain dropped a wheel just down the road. I thought to borrow your smith to expedite the repair, and to pay my respects to you while ’twas being worked on. Now mayhap you will tell me why you are being so defensive.”
“Defensive? I thought I was being quite rude, but if you wish to call it by another name…”
She got another burst of laughter instead of the expected rancor such discourtesy would ordinarily cause. Verily, ’twas not easy to insult father or son. Now she felt embarrassed for having tried. The man was a guest under her roof after all, albeit uninvited. He did not deserve her antagonism for past deeds that had naught to do with her. And what if Ranulf would be glad to see him? There would be hell to pay did she chase him away ere Ranulf had the opportunity to decide one way or the other. All in all, she had behaved abominably toward a man she did not even know. What was his name?Jesú, to ask now would be akin to another insult.
“I must beg your pardon—”
