“Ceana? Ceana?”
The last call had required that he raise his voice. It was obvious that she had wondered deep into thought. Since the last words were spoken, she had had nothing more to say.
“Ye are awful quiet,” he said, trying again.
Ceana put what he knew to be a fake smile on her face.
“I am sorry,” she said, “I only got carried away.”
“‘Tis okay,” he said quickly, hoping to erase the melancholy mood that had somehow settled. “ ‘Tis easy to get lost in yer own thoughts. I do that a lot. I start thinkin’ and then I just go on and on, and I do nae stop.”Alright, Torcall, he said to himself, stop talking.Ye sound like a blitherin’ idiot.“So aye,” he finished lamely, “‘Tis a common thin.”
Ceana nodded her head. “Aye,” she said and said nothing more.
Torcall had nothing to say. He wasn’t a man on many words, and somehow the ones that he had said hadn’t seemed to make a difference. He had said something wrong, and it was obvious. They were having the loveliest time mere minutes ago, and now the air between them was cold.
Even worse, he didn’t know what to say without making the situation worse. He sighed internally. He had plans for their night, and they didn’t include a long silent session. Rather, they included the jokes and laughter that they had been experiencing mere moments before. He had planned to make her laugh and then to move as close to her as he could. Then, he would take her hands in his and perhaps pull her to him before claiming a kiss. This hadn’t been the plan.
Torcall looked to Ceana, who was no longer meeting his gaze. The cool night breeze carried her hair ever so lightly. How was it that she looked so beautiful even without trying? She looked lovelier than any woman he knew?
He wanted to kiss her. He didn’t want the type of kiss they had almost had at the feast. He wanted a full one that she wanted as well. He wanted to hold her in his arms and press her body to his so he could feel her.
Slowly but surely, he felt his arousal creep up on him with no little frustration. It took only the littlest thoughts about her to make him want. Why? He was no amateur with women, yet she filled his lustful fantasies. He wanted no other body but hers.
Torcall looked to her and suddenly felt uncomfortable with his thoughts. What would she say if she knew just how many hours he spent thinking about her body? He made a grim face. It wouldn’t be a pretty reveal.
“Yer face, ye’re frowning,” she explained. “What is amiss?”
Torcall cleared his throat and looked away. “Oh. ‘Tis nae anythin’.”
Ceana looked at him for a brief second, then nodded and turned away.
That was it for Torcall. He knew he had to do something.
“Ceana?” he called and leaned into her.
“Aye?” she answered, but she wasn’t looking at him. In fact, she didn’t seem to even notice how close he was to her.
“Ceana?” he called again. This time, firmer.
She turned to him slowly with the brightest eyes he had ever seen. That was his chance, and he took it. Leaning in slowly, he took her lips. With his hands cradling her head so gently, he deepened the kiss as best as he could.
Ceana froze. He was kissing her. Torcall was kissing her. So shocked was she by the turn of events that she stood frozen for a little too long. But just when she felt the fervency of his kiss fade, she leaned into him, closed her eyes, and surrendered fully to the kiss. His lips were soft and full. Ceana had never appreciated full lips until that moment. But that wasn’t it. That wasn’t why she was sure she had found what would be the death of her. It was because he was delicious.
His tongue ran on the bottom of her lips, sending shivers down her spine, causing her to almost swoon. She thrust her hands in his hair for balance, and then her fingers were happily distracted by the silkiness of his dark hair. But Torcall was not done. He gently but firmly suckled on her bottom lip and then on her top lip, switching between them so expertly.
Sparks. They went off in Ceana’s head with each touch of his lips against hers. More, she wanted him to take more, but the words failed her, and so, instead, she pulled him to her and clung to him.
Abruptly, he pulled slightly away. Ceana opened her eyes and found her lips missing his immediately.
“Ceana?” he whispered to her.
“Aye?” her eyes fluttered down.
He hooked a finger under her chin and tilted it up till her gorgeous eyes were on him. His eyes bored into her soul with an intensity that made it hard for her to look away. Slowly, Torcall leaned into her until their lips were barely an inch apart.
“Part yer lips for me, Ceana.”
His words were enthralling. Ceana knew that if he had asked for a thing harder than that, she would have done it. However, she nodded,
