Page 19 of Silent Knight: Alexander

“Nay, not at all. The only thing that bothers me is the fact you haven’t told me yet if you want to marry me.”

“Charlotte.” He dragged a weary hand through his hair and sat down next to her with a plunk atop the bench. “Don’t you see? I can’t marry you before I know who I am.”

She looked at him oddly. “You are Alexander Masterson, son of Crandell.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Well, what do you mean?”

“It doesn’t matter. Come here,” he said, placing his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer.

“When I’m with you, it feels right,” said Charlotte, laying her head against his shoulder.

“I know.” His gently rubbed his hands up and down her arm, causing a tingling sensation to spiral through her. “It does feel right,” he admitted. “I guess I haven’t asked you to marry me yet because I don’t know if you’ll change your mind about me in the future.”

“Why would you say that?”

“You are the only woman I’ve ever known who has accepted me just the way I am.”

“There’s nothing wrong with the way you are.”

“I wish I could believe that. I’ve been challenged ever since the day I was born. All I ever wanted was to be normal and to, someday, find a lady to love and marry.”

“And you have.” She reached up and turned his face toward her, gently pressing her lips up against his. That heady feeling was back again, as well as the heat and excitement that went with it. “If you are going to insist on sleeping in the hay, then I will stay here with you tonight.”

“Nay.” He pulled away as if the idea upset him.

“Why not?”

“You are a lady. You need to sleep in a bed and have handmaids serving you. You can’t stay out here, Charlotte.”

“Then let’s just lay down for a few minutes in the hay together and hold each other. That’s all I ask.”

“If I do that, I’ll want to make love to you.”

The thought sent a feeling of lust right through her. “I’d like that,” she said, wanting it more than anything.

“Charlotte, it has been a while since I’ve laid with a woman.”

“Not as long as it’s been since I laid with a man. Seven years in the convent didn’t give me a lot of opportunities.”

They both laughed at that, breaking the tension of the moment. Then he pulled her up against him, kissing her more passionately than just a simple kiss.

“There’s no mistletoe here,” she teased him.

“Thank goodness, because God help us if there was. Charlotte I want you very badly, but I don’t know if it’s right.”

“What’s not right about it?” she asked with a giggle. “You won’t be taking my virginity since I’ve already been married.”

“True,” he said, reaching out and touching her lightly on the nose. “I guess I just don’t want to disappoint you.”

“You could never disappoint me, Alex. Now, are we going to make love before we freeze to death out here or not?”

He stood up and extended his arm, pulling her to a standing position. “If you really want to, who am I to stop you? After all, you seem to be a woman who doesn’t like to be told no.”

“You’ve got that right,” she said, reaching up and kissing him again. “I’ve never done it in a stable or in the hay before, Alex. It’s rather . . . exciting.”

“I won’t let you lie in a stall that a horse might have sullied. We’re going to go somewhere where there is virgin hay.” He collected the lantern off the hook and led her through the stable.