hair aroused him in the most incredible way. “I think,” he said softly, his own voice sounding thick in his ears, “I think it is time, Aidan St. Michael, that we seal this betrothal the queen has made between us with a kiss,” and without waiting for her answer he cupped her head with one hand, and found her lips.
For a moment she felt as if all the blood had drained from her veins to be swiftly replaced by boiling, thick, and sweet, hot honey. She couldn’t move. She didn’t want to move. The pressure of his lips on hers roused in her mind that most lascivious of thoughts. She wanted to tear the clothes from her body, and from his. She wanted to lie with him, and touch him, and have him touch her. She felt his other arm slip about her waist, and to her mortification she found herself falling back against that arm while his lips trailed down her arched throat leaving a path of burning kisses. She felt a hand move to cup her breast, heard his voice, heavy with passion groan her name, “Ahh, Aidan,” and in that moment sanity returned to her. She was as bad as those silly women who were forever chasing him. She was as bad as any damned drab who so easily lifted her skirts here at court. She didn’t know this man, and yet here she was locked in passionate embrace with him, allowing him to fondle her! Why in another minute or two he’d have her on the bed, and what was left of her virtue would be gone! He’d be bored with her before the wedding!
With a grim burst of determination Aidan stamped down hard on Conn’s booted foot, and using all her strength pulled herself from his delicious embrace. “Master O’Malley!” she tried to make her voice sound stern and scandalized. “Master O’Malley! We are not wed yet, sir!”
His head was spinning, and he felt like a schoolboy. What bewitchment was this that she had ensnared him with? One look at her coppery hair, and he had desired her. It was unbelievable, and even he was surprised by his own actions. What was worse he wasn’t certain what he could say to her. “Aidan . . .” God’s foot! Where were the proper words?
Aidan’s head was beginning to clear, and with several swift motions she had her hair pinned up, albeit untidily, and was replacing her linen cap upon her head again. She drew a deep breath, and said in what she hoped sounded like a no-nonsense tone of voice, “Master O’Malley, I think it is best that we not see each other again until the wedding lest we cause gossip. It could draw attention to our match which is not what the queen desires at this time.”
He was finally able to find his voice, and he almost stammered his agreement, feeling like a bumbling fool as he did so. Hastily making her a leg, he hurried from the little room. What the hell was the matter with him? he frantically questioned himself. He had never behaved like such a lackwit with a pretty female in his entire life. She was simply a girl!
As the door closed behind him Aidan sank to the bed, finding to her great surprise that she was shaking. What was the matter with her? He was only a man! She was suddenly terribly aware of how little she actually knew about the more intimate relationship between a wife and her husband. What was worse there was no one she could ask, and she felt like a total fool. She wanted to be his wife, but she suddenly knew that until they had grown to know one another better their marriage could be one in name only. She didn’t dare allow him any more intimacies lest she be tempted into further wanton behavior. His kisses, his embraces, were like heady sweet wine, and she wanted to drink until she was blind drunk. It shocked her to face that truth, but what surprised her more was the realization that she, Aidan St. Michael, wanted her husband, Conn O’Malley, to love her; to really love her!
He was not, she knew, impressed by her monetary wealth for he had wealth of his own. He gained lands, and of course, her father’s title by their
For a moment she felt as if all the blood had drained from her veins to be swiftly replaced by boiling, thick, and sweet, hot honey. She couldn’t move. She didn’t want to move. The pressure of his lips on hers roused in her mind that most lascivious of thoughts. She wanted to tear the clothes from her body, and from his. She wanted to lie with him, and touch him, and have him touch her. She felt his other arm slip about her waist, and to her mortification she found herself falling back against that arm while his lips trailed down her arched throat leaving a path of burning kisses. She felt a hand move to cup her breast, heard his voice, heavy with passion groan her name, “Ahh, Aidan,” and in that moment sanity returned to her. She was as bad as those silly women who were forever chasing him. She was as bad as any damned drab who so easily lifted her skirts here at court. She didn’t know this man, and yet here she was locked in passionate embrace with him, allowing him to fondle her! Why in another minute or two he’d have her on the bed, and what was left of her virtue would be gone! He’d be bored with her before the wedding!
With a grim burst of determination Aidan stamped down hard on Conn’s booted foot, and using all her strength pulled herself from his delicious embrace. “Master O’Malley!” she tried to make her voice sound stern and scandalized. “Master O’Malley! We are not wed yet, sir!”
His head was spinning, and he felt like a schoolboy. What bewitchment was this that she had ensnared him with? One look at her coppery hair, and he had desired her. It was unbelievable, and even he was surprised by his own actions. What was worse he wasn’t certain what he could say to her. “Aidan . . .” God’s foot! Where were the proper words?
Aidan’s head was beginning to clear, and with several swift motions she had her hair pinned up, albeit untidily, and was replacing her linen cap upon her head again. She drew a deep breath, and said in what she hoped sounded like a no-nonsense tone of voice, “Master O’Malley, I think it is best that we not see each other again until the wedding lest we cause gossip. It could draw attention to our match which is not what the queen desires at this time.”
He was finally able to find his voice, and he almost stammered his agreement, feeling like a bumbling fool as he did so. Hastily making her a leg, he hurried from the little room. What the hell was the matter with him? he frantically questioned himself. He had never behaved like such a lackwit with a pretty female in his entire life. She was simply a girl!
As the door closed behind him Aidan sank to the bed, finding to her great surprise that she was shaking. What was the matter with her? He was only a man! She was suddenly terribly aware of how little she actually knew about the more intimate relationship between a wife and her husband. What was worse there was no one she could ask, and she felt like a total fool. She wanted to be his wife, but she suddenly knew that until they had grown to know one another better their marriage could be one in name only. She didn’t dare allow him any more intimacies lest she be tempted into further wanton behavior. His kisses, his embraces, were like heady sweet wine, and she wanted to drink until she was blind drunk. It shocked her to face that truth, but what surprised her more was the realization that she, Aidan St. Michael, wanted her husband, Conn O’Malley, to love her; to really love her!
He was not, she knew, impressed by her monetary wealth for he had wealth of his own. He gained lands, and of course, her father’s title by their
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