Baines leaned against the window casing, a small smile on his face. “Good, you came.”
Diana said, “You are hearty? No serious injuries?”
“Of course I am hearty, lass.” He stood and sauntered toward her. “I am the champion of Edinburgh, aren’t I? I believe I was declared winner of all, and I have the gold coins to show for it.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, dipping his head to kiss her.
She pushed him away, not at all interested in his advances. “Your methods were quite unsavory.”
“I know not what you are about, but I won the contest with many witnesses. ‘Twas your friend who used unsavory methods, not I.” An edge that she did not like crept into his voice.
She turned her back to him, fearing he would sense her disgust if she were to look into his eyes. It was time to turn this to a discussion about his friends. “Why did you ask me here?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Because I want you. Because we belong together.” He came up behind her and nuzzled her neck. “Can we not just enjoy each other?”
“But you are betrothed to another.”
He stood back, anger flashing in his gaze. “Oh, is that your problem? Yes, I am engaged to a cow. But I don’t want her, I want you.” He grasped her hand in his again and kissed each of her fingers.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot do this when you are soon to be wed to another.” Diana was losing her self-confidence. She was in a room alone with a man she didn’t trust. How had she allowed this to happen? Because she was desperate, and she had little time to lose. Think, Diana, think!
Grinning, he moved her over to his bed and tried to draw her down beside him. “Relax, my sweet. Help me forget my ugly betrothed.” He kissed her again and ran his hands down to her waist, rubbing her back as he talked.
She turned her neck to avoid his embrace. “What of your friends? Where are they this eve?”
“I do not wish to speak of my friends.” Taking her lips with his again, he kissed her while her mind jumped from one thing to another. She wanted more than anything to push him back, but she did not wish to antagonize him. He could be violent, she suddenly realized. Oh, how foolish she had been to come here.
Without speaking, he reached up to her shoulders and shrugged her gown down over her arms, exposing her breasts.
“Oh, my, you have a beautiful set, don’t you?” He cupped her breasts in his hands.
Diana gasped. What had just happened? How had he untied her gown in the back? And what was he doing now? She dropped her gaze and saw his hands on her breasts and attempted to cover them and push him away, but her hands were all caught up in her gown.
“Relax, little one. I promise you will enjoy yourself. I pride myself on being an excellent lover.”
Diana forced herself to stay focused. “This is not what I want!” she said, her voice quavering with fear. “I came here to find out if you had a friend for me. Another knight? You are betrothed. I must find another.”
“I shall consider your request, but I would never recommend you to a friend without testing you for myself.” He rucked her skirts up and grazed his hands up her legs. “I must see and feel all of you. You must let me inside you.”
Aunt Elspeth popped into her head, her words suddenly taking on a vivid new meaning. The man in front of her was making all kinds of promises to her, but he would only make good on them if he could see her unclothed. And how could he be inside her? His comments baffled her. Everything was happening too fast. “But your friends, surely you must have one seeking a wife.”
His hands brushed across her nipples and she jumped. He made the move to unclothe himself from his breeks, and she gasped when she caught sight of his manhood.
He wanted her maidenhead. She shoved against him and cried, “Nay.” Standing, she tried to pull her gown up over her shoulders, but he yanked her back to the bed.
“Oh, you think you can
Diana said, “You are hearty? No serious injuries?”
“Of course I am hearty, lass.” He stood and sauntered toward her. “I am the champion of Edinburgh, aren’t I? I believe I was declared winner of all, and I have the gold coins to show for it.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, dipping his head to kiss her.
She pushed him away, not at all interested in his advances. “Your methods were quite unsavory.”
“I know not what you are about, but I won the contest with many witnesses. ‘Twas your friend who used unsavory methods, not I.” An edge that she did not like crept into his voice.
She turned her back to him, fearing he would sense her disgust if she were to look into his eyes. It was time to turn this to a discussion about his friends. “Why did you ask me here?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Because I want you. Because we belong together.” He came up behind her and nuzzled her neck. “Can we not just enjoy each other?”
“But you are betrothed to another.”
He stood back, anger flashing in his gaze. “Oh, is that your problem? Yes, I am engaged to a cow. But I don’t want her, I want you.” He grasped her hand in his again and kissed each of her fingers.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot do this when you are soon to be wed to another.” Diana was losing her self-confidence. She was in a room alone with a man she didn’t trust. How had she allowed this to happen? Because she was desperate, and she had little time to lose. Think, Diana, think!
Grinning, he moved her over to his bed and tried to draw her down beside him. “Relax, my sweet. Help me forget my ugly betrothed.” He kissed her again and ran his hands down to her waist, rubbing her back as he talked.
She turned her neck to avoid his embrace. “What of your friends? Where are they this eve?”
“I do not wish to speak of my friends.” Taking her lips with his again, he kissed her while her mind jumped from one thing to another. She wanted more than anything to push him back, but she did not wish to antagonize him. He could be violent, she suddenly realized. Oh, how foolish she had been to come here.
Without speaking, he reached up to her shoulders and shrugged her gown down over her arms, exposing her breasts.
“Oh, my, you have a beautiful set, don’t you?” He cupped her breasts in his hands.
Diana gasped. What had just happened? How had he untied her gown in the back? And what was he doing now? She dropped her gaze and saw his hands on her breasts and attempted to cover them and push him away, but her hands were all caught up in her gown.
“Relax, little one. I promise you will enjoy yourself. I pride myself on being an excellent lover.”
Diana forced herself to stay focused. “This is not what I want!” she said, her voice quavering with fear. “I came here to find out if you had a friend for me. Another knight? You are betrothed. I must find another.”
“I shall consider your request, but I would never recommend you to a friend without testing you for myself.” He rucked her skirts up and grazed his hands up her legs. “I must see and feel all of you. You must let me inside you.”
Aunt Elspeth popped into her head, her words suddenly taking on a vivid new meaning. The man in front of her was making all kinds of promises to her, but he would only make good on them if he could see her unclothed. And how could he be inside her? His comments baffled her. Everything was happening too fast. “But your friends, surely you must have one seeking a wife.”
His hands brushed across her nipples and she jumped. He made the move to unclothe himself from his breeks, and she gasped when she caught sight of his manhood.
He wanted her maidenhead. She shoved against him and cried, “Nay.” Standing, she tried to pull her gown up over her shoulders, but he yanked her back to the bed.
“Oh, you think you can
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