He trailed off, realizing what he’d been about to utter.
He would have asked her to spend her life with him. To enjoy the pleasures of the flesh instead of doing what her heart had been set upon. The only reasonable answer for such a foolish notion was that he was undone by desire. Placing both hands beside her, he braced himself on the thick width of the tree and pulled his mouth from her skin.
Aliah’s eyes were wide, her mouth forming a perfect, plush and thoroughly kisse d O.
“Ballocks,” he growled under his breath. “I am a boar.”
Shoving off the tree, he turned from her, raking his hands through his hair. What had he done? He’d nearly taken her against the tree. Thrust his cock against the sweet innocence between her thighs. Thrust his tongue deep into her mouth… Good God, he was a total licentious monster. He’d nearly taken one of the Lord’s own maidens. ’Twas a sin. Or was it? He didn’t truly know.
“Blane,” came her soft call from behind him. He turned around . She still lean ed up against the tree, her face twisted into a jumble of confusing emotions which he himself felt keenly. “You’re not a boar. I…”
He waited, wanted desperately for her to say she never wanted him to touch her again. That would make his own choices easier—he’d honor her decision, wouldn’t have to war with his own conscience. For what did he have to offer a woman? Especially a woman as precious as Aliah?
W hen she didn’t say anything, seemed to have lost her voice in fact , as she continued to stare at him with wide eyes, he felt the need to prompt her. “You…”
“I wanted you to kiss me. I asked you to kiss me. And I’m not sorry for it.”
Damn. That was not what he wanted to hear.
“I shan’t do so again,” he replied. Agree with me , he begged silently.
But she didn’t agree, she only nodded, all the while her eyes held desire for more. She wouldn’t utter words she didn’t mean, he knew that much from having spent time with her. That could only mean one thing—she wanted him to kiss her. Mo creach !
He was a fool. An utter fool.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped closer to her, gazed with all seriousness into her eyes. “My lady, I have been a complete cad since we first met. I wasn’t truthful with you and I’ve taken liberties that are not mine to take. I’ve apologized for it and then gone back on my word and continued. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and although I make assurances that it won’t happen again, I know you have no cause to believe me.”
The woman had the nerve to smile. Her lip curled up on one side, a teasing li f t to it. “You have done so several times now haven’t you?”
How could she tease him when he tried to apologize? What game was she playing?
Aliah stepped closer to him, her eyes crinkling a little with her merriment. “I want to thank you, Sir Blane.” She reached up, cupped his cheek, her fingers running delicately over his stubble. He had to hold his breath to keep from issuing a pleased murmur. “You’ve shown me what I would have missed had I never met you.”
With those words she turned away from him and walked back toward camp. All he could do was stare after the delicate sway of her hips, her touch still burning his cheek.
Chapter Nine
A whistle rent the air as Aliah stepped from the shadows of the trees into the moonlit clearing. Liam hissed and gestured fiercely for her to come closer. Behind her Blane rushed from the trees and let out a whistle of his own.
“We have company, my lady. We must ride.”
Her escort did not wait for her to respond. Blane threw her up on his horse and quickly ordered Liam to watch their backs . Liam nodded, and Aliah couldn’t help noticing the pure look of relief on his face. She wasn’t that bad of a riding partner. Was she?
Blane squeezed Gunner’s flanks and they took off at a dangerous pace. To her
He would have asked her to spend her life with him. To enjoy the pleasures of the flesh instead of doing what her heart had been set upon. The only reasonable answer for such a foolish notion was that he was undone by desire. Placing both hands beside her, he braced himself on the thick width of the tree and pulled his mouth from her skin.
Aliah’s eyes were wide, her mouth forming a perfect, plush and thoroughly kisse d O.
“Ballocks,” he growled under his breath. “I am a boar.”
Shoving off the tree, he turned from her, raking his hands through his hair. What had he done? He’d nearly taken her against the tree. Thrust his cock against the sweet innocence between her thighs. Thrust his tongue deep into her mouth… Good God, he was a total licentious monster. He’d nearly taken one of the Lord’s own maidens. ’Twas a sin. Or was it? He didn’t truly know.
“Blane,” came her soft call from behind him. He turned around . She still lean ed up against the tree, her face twisted into a jumble of confusing emotions which he himself felt keenly. “You’re not a boar. I…”
He waited, wanted desperately for her to say she never wanted him to touch her again. That would make his own choices easier—he’d honor her decision, wouldn’t have to war with his own conscience. For what did he have to offer a woman? Especially a woman as precious as Aliah?
W hen she didn’t say anything, seemed to have lost her voice in fact , as she continued to stare at him with wide eyes, he felt the need to prompt her. “You…”
“I wanted you to kiss me. I asked you to kiss me. And I’m not sorry for it.”
Damn. That was not what he wanted to hear.
“I shan’t do so again,” he replied. Agree with me , he begged silently.
But she didn’t agree, she only nodded, all the while her eyes held desire for more. She wouldn’t utter words she didn’t mean, he knew that much from having spent time with her. That could only mean one thing—she wanted him to kiss her. Mo creach !
He was a fool. An utter fool.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped closer to her, gazed with all seriousness into her eyes. “My lady, I have been a complete cad since we first met. I wasn’t truthful with you and I’ve taken liberties that are not mine to take. I’ve apologized for it and then gone back on my word and continued. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and although I make assurances that it won’t happen again, I know you have no cause to believe me.”
The woman had the nerve to smile. Her lip curled up on one side, a teasing li f t to it. “You have done so several times now haven’t you?”
How could she tease him when he tried to apologize? What game was she playing?
Aliah stepped closer to him, her eyes crinkling a little with her merriment. “I want to thank you, Sir Blane.” She reached up, cupped his cheek, her fingers running delicately over his stubble. He had to hold his breath to keep from issuing a pleased murmur. “You’ve shown me what I would have missed had I never met you.”
With those words she turned away from him and walked back toward camp. All he could do was stare after the delicate sway of her hips, her touch still burning his cheek.
Chapter Nine
A whistle rent the air as Aliah stepped from the shadows of the trees into the moonlit clearing. Liam hissed and gestured fiercely for her to come closer. Behind her Blane rushed from the trees and let out a whistle of his own.
“We have company, my lady. We must ride.”
Her escort did not wait for her to respond. Blane threw her up on his horse and quickly ordered Liam to watch their backs . Liam nodded, and Aliah couldn’t help noticing the pure look of relief on his face. She wasn’t that bad of a riding partner. Was she?
Blane squeezed Gunner’s flanks and they took off at a dangerous pace. To her
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