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“Want me to help you take off your boots and tunic?”

He nodded, slowly, and I unbuckled his belt and pulled the tunic up and off, carefully, only causing him a small bit of pain. Then I knelt by his feet and pulled off his boots and hose.

I put my hands on his knees. “Good?”

“Aye,” he gave me a tired smile. “Ye goin’ tae live up tae yer earlier promises?”

I said, “Yes, definitely, you want to?”

He nodded.

I said, “But I need to pee, first, and get out of these restrictive clothes.”

He didn’t answer. I thought he was looking at his feet, excitedly waiting for me to undress. I relieved myself in the disgusting pisspot, and then unpinned my veil and hung it from a wooden nail on the wall. I removed my clothes down to my chemise, then used a bit of the herbal water, now cold, to wash my face and hands. Satisfied that I was sexy enough, even though I was wearing a big linen chemise and looking like Ma Ingalls in the Little House on the Prairie books, I turned to the bed.

Torin had slumped over on his side, deeply asleep. Dude was curled up against his back, as if they had been there for hours.

Och nae.

My sexual appetite was foiled, but also my poor Torin, he looked so vulnerable and exhausted, wounded and not at all capable of performing the sex acts I wanted. He was a warrior and a hero but this was too much. He needed to heal. I lifted his feet up onto the bed and pulled the covers over him. There was a bit of ale in a mug by the bed. I drank it.

Then I pushed Dude out of the way to make a space, climbed in between Torin and the wall, and slowly fell asleep.

The next morning he woke up with a start, his head raised and he looked down on me. “Och nae, did I fall asleep?”

“Yes, you did, my love, I was washing up so I would be sweetly scented for my new husband, and meanwhile you passed out.”

“Ye daena need tae go tae all that trouble. Ye are sweet enough for me in all yer places.” He half-rolled over and pressed his face to my neck. “Here, ye are the sweetest. I would ken it in the dark, in a stable, or in a priory that smells of cabbage. If the brothers could smell ye as I do they would forget their vows.”

“Well thank you, and yet, you fell asleep.”

He said, “Well, the morn has come as has my desire for ye⁠—”

Just then there was a quick knock. Torin flung the covers over himself and I turned toward the wall, as the three brothers entered to check Torin’s wound again.

Torin moaned. “I am thwarted.”

The brothers kept their eyes averted as I scrambled up and pulled a wrap around my shoulders and went and stood in the corner, modestly, and not a little bit awkwardly.

All while my husband’s eyes were on me, hard.

The brothers were quick, and thorough, checking the stitches. Then they wanted to wash him, but he gruffly waved them away. They bowed and humbly walked out of the room with Dude following them.

Torin’s breaths were heavy and he still had the sheet across his lap. “Och nae, I thought they would never leave.” His voice was gruff when he said, “Come here.”

I crossed the room, and was barely in front of him when his arm went around me and pulled me to him as he lay back on the bed. He pulled me onto him, straddling him, his good hand firmly holding my hips against his. His face had gone dark and his breathing was even heavier.

He wanted me so much.

I kissed him as he rubbed against me, his bottom half wearing no clothes, there was nothing slowing us down, he was ready, and it was just hot, God so hot, and building even more heat —our tongues tasting and my breaths against his ear, I want you, but he was raring to go, already. And I had, it had, been a very very long time — oh wow, Torin…

This was not teasing, this was hot and urgent. His fingers pressed into my skin, my nails dragged across his stomach as he tugged at my chemise, out of his mind. I need ye. I was already hiking up the hem and then settling down onto him, gradually, trying to take him in with some tantalizing slowness… but failing… it was all just so frantic and desperate. But then he was in me, full and blazing hot, and we pressed together as I rode him, my head beside his cheek, his hand on my ass pulling me close and pushing me away. His breaths came as a moan as he quickened and I held on around his head, out of my mind — the edge of my teeth against his ear, then I arched back as my excitement rose, settling onto him hard as I rode him to the heights and to a climax that roared over me. I felt myself collapsing on him, slowly rocking as he shuddered and gleamed with sweat.

I was weighty on him as if I had gone liquid, filling all his dips and planes, draped and spent. Our breaths heavy and ragged, we held on.

Then I kissed the curves along his neck and trailed my tongue up to his cheek, kissed the edge of his lips, and then passionately kissed him, my tongue against his, tasting the warmness and calming our breaths, as that lovely feeling of deep fulfillment washed over me — becoming more liquid still. God, Torin, I love you…

Aye, princess. His breath was warm on my cheek, his deep voice against my ear sent another shiver through me.