She turned on her side to snuggle into his side as he lay flat on his back. In his sleep he put his arm around her and pulled her in tight to him. How long she lay there wide awake and staring at the lines on his face in the moonlight she didn’t know.
Her fingers traced the straight bridge of his nose and then his full lips. He was such a treasure she wanted to memorize him in any way she could, for surely this was too good to last forever. People didn’t get to have this and keep it too. Otherwise, they would never leave their chambers.
Twice more he woke her like that during the night, and she was certain she would not walk the next day, but she didn’t care. Her soreness was worth the connection their passion forged. For she’d never been so connected to another human being in her life, and she was not sure it was even possible any other way.
Now she understood what love was. And she was well on her way to loving him. She doubted she could function in a world where there was no William.
How silly her fantasies had been as a maid and before going to Stirling. She hadn’t even known what she’d been wishing for and thanked all the forces that had brought the two of them together.
“Are you not worn out yet?” he asked.
It was only then she realized he was awake and staring at her. He brushed some of her hair from her forehead and kissed the cleared spot.
“I don’t want this to end.”
“What makes you think it will end? We are married and will have our whole lives together.”
“Aye, you say that, but what if something happens to you? I could not bear it.”
“Shh, love. Nothing is going to happen to either one of us. We have many years ahead of us to torment one another as your parents do.”
“Do you promise?”
“Aye, I promise. Nothing will happen to me or you. Now close your eyes. We have to break our fast with your parents in just a couple of hours, and my wanton wife kept me up all night begging me to pleasure her again and again. Truly, woman, you are most demanding.”
She did as he asked and closed her eyes, but sleep would not come quickly. She had a foreboding sense that in the balance of the world, something this good would come at a price. That was the way of things and who were they to test fate?
Agnes curled into him once more and slid her hands across his thick chest then closed her eyes. His irresistible scent of clean air and leather drew her toward slumber and at some point she did manage to sleep.
*
Her words hauntedhim as they dressed to meet her parents. He threw on a fresh pair of trews and leine and fastened his regular tunic and belt before donning his boots and moving to the bed to see how she fared.
He understood the fear, for he too had never experienced what they had shared but they could not treat it as though it were a fleeting gift. They’d found one another against all the odds in the world, and he planned to spend his life being grateful and living for the here and now.
Her hand reached over to his side of the bed, and she sat up after swiping it back and forth and finding it empty.
She blinked at him a couple of times then grinned through her sleepy expression. “I thought you had left.”
“Never,” he said. “I was just about to go see about arranging a bath for you.”
“That sounds glorious,” she said and leaned back to stretch, her breasts jutting upward. How was it possible that the sight stirred his loins after the night of lovemaking they’d had?
“If you keep doing that, I will not be leaving this chamber for the day, and you will need more than a bath to soothe you.”
She laughed and pulled the sheets up to cover herself. “Very well, go see to a bath, and can you see if there’s any food about. I’m ravenous.”
“We are to break our fast with your parents this morn.”
“Aye, but Cook always leaves a platter out for early risers. His name is Connor and he will be in the kitchen already. Tell him I asked and he will look after you.”
“Is this the same cook you stole sweet treats from all those years ago?”
“Aye, the very one!”
William kissed her again and left the chamber. He was pleased to see a tub waiting outside the chamber and quickly lifted it inside then went in search of hot water. He could kill two birds with one stone if he found the cook and a couple servants in the same place.
He was not disappointed. The din in the kitchen could be heard well outside of the structure, which was joined with all the others, but like the hall, could only be accessed from outside.
