“Why?”
“What do you mean, why?”
“Why deny ourselves the pleasure we’ve already shared?” He took a step toward her, eyes ablaze. Heat burst inside her. Again. And she had to admit that in that moment she wasn’t sure why she was resisting his allure. “I thought you’d enjoyed yourself?”
She had. Far too much, which was the problem. The last time the intensity of her feelings had frightened her. She didn’t want this to happen again. She wanted to be in charge of her own destiny, didn’t want her senses to take control of her life.
Instead of answering, Eahlswith took a step backward.
Sven saw her reaction and mistook it for fear. He raised his palms and took a step back himself. “You have nothing to fear from me, Alva. I want you, it is true. But I will not force you to have me if you don’t want me.” He tilted his head, nostrils flaring. “I swear I will, as you say, keep my hands to myself, untilyou beg me to put them on you. Then I will most certainly use them to give you what you need.”
Oh, Lord.
As reassurances went, this one was a dangerous one. He wouldn’t touch her, unless she asked for it. And right now she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t beg.
Moments later they were both lying side by side on her pallet, still in their clothes.
Eahlswith screwed her eyes shut and turned her back to the wall, determined to ignore the big, warm, strong body next to her. Then she felt Sven’s arm close around her and his chest come flush against her back.
“Sven. You promised,” she reminded him weakly. Too weakly. Surely she should scream, push him away, hit him even?
“I promised to keep my hands to myself, not my body,” was his curt reply. “You need warmth, so you’re getting mine. I will not discuss this further. Go to sleep, Alva. I promise I won’t do anything.”
Go to sleep. When a massive arm was holding her. When a massive chest was pressed against her. When a massive rod was poking at her back. He was aroused, as hard as she was soft. And yet, as he’d promised, he didn’t try to take advantage. The arm didn’t tighten its hold, the chest didn’t move, the rod gradually softened.
Moments later, Eahlswith was amazed to hear that Sven had fallen asleep.
Now she would just have to do the same.
5
Sven was woken up by a feminine moan.
The evocative sound caused need to bloom inside him and he let out a growl of anticipation before remembering where he was and who with. Eahlswith. He was in her house, in her bed, but not to give her pleasure, only to sleep. He opened his eyes, sanity prevailing once more. She was getting agitated. In the darkness he couldn’t see much, and anyway, she had her back to him. Was she asleep or awake? In pain or in prey to a dream?
Suddenly she reached behind her and gasped when her hand landed on his arm, as if surprised to feel someone next to her.
“Oh, you’re back!”
She turned and burrowed against his chest, holding him tight. He closed his eyes when happiness flooded him. Finally she was acknowledging that she’d missed him all these months, that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He’d sensed it, which had been the only thing preventing him from succumbing to despair, and it was wonderful to have his feelings confirmed.
He cradled the back of her head in his palm, drawing her closer, showing her with his body what he’d been unable to makeher see with his words or actions. “Yes, I’m back, I’m here. Calm yourself. It’s all right.”
Something like a sob answered him. “Edwin. You’re here.”
Edwin. Sven froze.
She didn’t want him, she hadn’t acknowledged anything. She was still asleep, dreaming, and she thought he was someone else.
Edwin. The name Osbert had said just before she had spilled soup on her bodice. He’d not been mistaken. Shehadwanted to interrupt the old man before he revealed who this Edwin was because she’d known he wouldn’t like it. Well, she’d been right. He didn’t like to hear that there was another man in her life.
“I’m sorry, Edwin, I’m so sorry. I never meant to…”
Never meant to what? Hurt him? Sleep with another man? His heart fell. Was that why she was refusing to accept what was between them, why she was keeping him at arms’ length? Because she was already involved with someone else and she’d hoped that her moment of madness would never be discovered?
If that were the case, the situation was even more hopeless than he’d thought. Should he just give up and accept that a single night of passion was all they were going to have?
As soon as the question crossed his mind, his arms tightened around her, providing him with the answer. He was not ready to give up yet, not when he had not even tried. What could have been a call of the senses—Eahlswith was so luscious that he defied any man not to want her—had turned into so much more when he’d started to know her and seen the very real affection she had for the old man.
