Rennie up hard against him. Instantly his warmth and strength enfolded her, both thrilling and disturbing. She could feel not only his body but his emotions, hard and confident, a heady combination. Not for the first time, she wondered how it would feel to lie with a man she could sense so intensely.
He placed his lips close to her ear. “Kiss me, Lady Wren.”
Rennie’s pulse began to drum, yet she drew away slightly. “Here? Now?”
“Here. Now.”
“You possess an evil streak, Martin Scarlet.”
“Look into my eyes, and you will see it is more than a paltry streak.”
Rennie almost feared gazing into his eyes. She had heard there were creatures that could mesmerize their prey with a stare. She suspected she might fall into that sea of blue-gray and never resurface.
“Nay,” she told him. “We have important work to do.” Tomorrow, it being market day, they would journey to Nottingham and attempt a bold rescue. Word from the castle had proved scant and unsatisfying, but the Sheriff still lay far too ill to conduct Lil’s trial. And so Lil languished yet in her cell, Lambert conducted castle business, and rumor had it he planned to execute a number of prisoners on May Day, now but a few days off.
“All our allies are in place, and will keep their word?” she asked Martin, not for the first time. “You are certain?”
“Aye, it is as I told you. A few days hence we will be celebrating, and you will be so grateful to me you will deny me nothing.” Rennie knew him well enough, now, to recognize this as teasing, which Martin enjoyed full well. Of course, his badgering conveyed much intent. Now he lowered his voice to a purr. “Then again, you might reward me beforehand, so to stoke my courage.”
Rennie could not deny she enjoyed the banter, and his kisses. “What had you in mind?”
“Come, and I will show you.” Suddenly her hand was in his and they were moving off through the trees. Madness, Rennie thought, her practical side rearing its head even as something inside her responded to this spontaneity. The encounter had been days in coming, so she felt little surprise when, once out of sight, he paused and backed her against a tree.
“Now then, Wren—you know full well what I want. Being so close to you all this while has driven me half desperate with need. Say you will not make me wait. Let us plight ourselves to one another before we go to Nottingham.”
Rennie struggled to catch her breath. The heat of his body—so hard and intense—trapped her and ignited her own desire. But was that what giving herself to him would mean: a plight, a vow, a choice made?
She found it so hard to think with his emotions beating at her, along with her own. “Martin, I do not know that I am ready.”
“I am ready enough for both of us.”
Aye, and she could feel that right through his leather breeches. The man must be a right bull.
She managed to meet his eyes. “I have never yet lain with any man.”
“Aye, well, Wren, I want to be the first. The only.” Suddenly his hand plunged into her hair. Hot as his touch felt, still it made Rennie shiver. “Give yourself to me now.” The words were demand, and temptation.
“Here? Out among the trees?”
“What better than to couple in Sherwood?” His gaze held her as surely as his hands. And suddenly Rennie found herself more than half convinced. What could be more right?
A sound she did not recognize came from the back of her throat. Taking it for assent, Martin kissed her.
So far, every kiss he had given her blazed with heat and masterful possession; this one surpassed them all. His lips drove hers apart and his tongue touched hers. Fire poured through her from that point of contact, stealing all resistance. The force of his will bore her over, and her good sense flew away.
Oh, but he tasted of nut-brown ale and danger and irresistible desire. His beard scraped her chin and his hands seemed to be everywhere, roaming her body as freely as if he
He placed his lips close to her ear. “Kiss me, Lady Wren.”
Rennie’s pulse began to drum, yet she drew away slightly. “Here? Now?”
“Here. Now.”
“You possess an evil streak, Martin Scarlet.”
“Look into my eyes, and you will see it is more than a paltry streak.”
Rennie almost feared gazing into his eyes. She had heard there were creatures that could mesmerize their prey with a stare. She suspected she might fall into that sea of blue-gray and never resurface.
“Nay,” she told him. “We have important work to do.” Tomorrow, it being market day, they would journey to Nottingham and attempt a bold rescue. Word from the castle had proved scant and unsatisfying, but the Sheriff still lay far too ill to conduct Lil’s trial. And so Lil languished yet in her cell, Lambert conducted castle business, and rumor had it he planned to execute a number of prisoners on May Day, now but a few days off.
“All our allies are in place, and will keep their word?” she asked Martin, not for the first time. “You are certain?”
“Aye, it is as I told you. A few days hence we will be celebrating, and you will be so grateful to me you will deny me nothing.” Rennie knew him well enough, now, to recognize this as teasing, which Martin enjoyed full well. Of course, his badgering conveyed much intent. Now he lowered his voice to a purr. “Then again, you might reward me beforehand, so to stoke my courage.”
Rennie could not deny she enjoyed the banter, and his kisses. “What had you in mind?”
“Come, and I will show you.” Suddenly her hand was in his and they were moving off through the trees. Madness, Rennie thought, her practical side rearing its head even as something inside her responded to this spontaneity. The encounter had been days in coming, so she felt little surprise when, once out of sight, he paused and backed her against a tree.
“Now then, Wren—you know full well what I want. Being so close to you all this while has driven me half desperate with need. Say you will not make me wait. Let us plight ourselves to one another before we go to Nottingham.”
Rennie struggled to catch her breath. The heat of his body—so hard and intense—trapped her and ignited her own desire. But was that what giving herself to him would mean: a plight, a vow, a choice made?
She found it so hard to think with his emotions beating at her, along with her own. “Martin, I do not know that I am ready.”
“I am ready enough for both of us.”
Aye, and she could feel that right through his leather breeches. The man must be a right bull.
She managed to meet his eyes. “I have never yet lain with any man.”
“Aye, well, Wren, I want to be the first. The only.” Suddenly his hand plunged into her hair. Hot as his touch felt, still it made Rennie shiver. “Give yourself to me now.” The words were demand, and temptation.
“Here? Out among the trees?”
“What better than to couple in Sherwood?” His gaze held her as surely as his hands. And suddenly Rennie found herself more than half convinced. What could be more right?
A sound she did not recognize came from the back of her throat. Taking it for assent, Martin kissed her.
So far, every kiss he had given her blazed with heat and masterful possession; this one surpassed them all. His lips drove hers apart and his tongue touched hers. Fire poured through her from that point of contact, stealing all resistance. The force of his will bore her over, and her good sense flew away.
Oh, but he tasted of nut-brown ale and danger and irresistible desire. His beard scraped her chin and his hands seemed to be everywhere, roaming her body as freely as if he
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