by Sahara Kelly
"I doubt he can best me," taunted Sir Geoffrey. "I am a deNuit."
"Hah." Danny added his own adlib, producing his sword and waving it energetically. Drina was agile enough to duck and avoid getting slapped upside the head by a small two-by-four.
"Heavens above." Jeff backed Pixie away from them. "'Tis truly a strong-armed champion. I'll not take the field against such a courageous knight." He turned tail and circled the field twice to a mixture of applause and jeers. "I will return to fight again, young Strongarm. And next time, victory shall be mine. Hah hah!"
Jesus, Jeff. Chew the scenery much? Always the dramatist, Jeff rode off the field and left Drina, Danny and Moses to accept the riotous cheers of their adoring public and the thanks of the maiden they'd rescued from Sir Geoffrey's wicked clutches.
Riding back to Mom and Dad, Drina knew there was one last piece of dramatic theater she could offer, and she raised her hand before they dismounted. She prayed the royals could hear her.
"Good friends, you've seen the courage of young Squire Danny. Methinks such bravery should be rewarded. What say you all?"
She waited for the yells and whistles to subside, then raised her hand again. "I would ask you to join me in requesting honors for this brave lad." Shifting a little in the saddle, she glanced over her shoulder to see the king and queen moving her way. Thank God.
"Let us beg our gracious king to reward him. Your Majesty..." She waved her hand. "Your Majesty..."
The king—known to his intimates as Jack from Chatham, a retired military officer who didn't take shit from anyone and thus made a perfect monarch—strode between his subjects as they parted to make way for him. He arrived at Moses's side just as Drina slid from the saddle to join Danny, his Mom and Dad, and a plethora of digital cameras, all whirring, pinging and clicking. Gotta love technology.
A corner of her mind noted the larger camera held by one guy who had 'local reporter' written all over him. She gently nudged Danny to face that way. Might as well milk the moment.
Since the knighting of kids was an established routine at the Faire, the King didn't need to adlib much of anything. He had the lines memorized and before Danny knew it, he was kneeling at the feet of royalty and being gently tapped on each shoulder by a real sword. It was, Drina knew, blunt as an eggplant, but it looked impressive and got the job done.
"Arise, Sir Daniel Strongarm. Arise and serve our land with courage and bravery." The King knighted Danny and gave him a hat with a feather in it in place of an estate. Those didn't accompany titles any more because castles were too hard to heat in the winter and nobody could afford the upkeep.
Drina applauded with everyone else, hoping she'd made at least one little person's day.
The raucous cheers that followed the ceremony gave her the cover she needed to slip away, and she eased backward through the crowds to arrive slap up against a familiar chest. "Whoa, little sprite. You okay?" Tad hugged her briefly. "How's the big guy?"
She sighed. "I don't know. Let's go find out."
Chapter Three
Tad had watched the performance with everyone else, responding to the hands of the skilled players with cheers, boos, applause and almost total immersion. They offered an experience to Faire guests; a chance to see some entertainment that owed nothing to technology and everything to physiology. And, he realized, a lot of psychology.
The accident had been neatly covered and turned into a new event and the inclusion of the young kid was brilliant.
Of course, he—Tad—might be slightly biased, since he was finding it damned hard to drag his gaze away from the little blonde elf who had dominated the piece. Sure she was cute as a bug, but she was also a hellaciously sexy package. Tiny, yes, but the inches she had were stacked, an hourglass figure in the truest sense of the word. He figured her waist would fit his grip perfectly, her hips were full and feminine, and she had a superb and mercilessly tempting pair of breasts.
He had already indulged in one or two moments of pure sexual fantasy, particularly enjoying the one where she was on top of him and he was lowering her down onto his cock. The tousled blonde hair was a definite plus and he couldn't help wondering if she shaved or if he'd find himself slipping into her body past a thatch of sunshiny curls.
The only problem with all this was that half the time Tad was hard as one of those damn swords, and it was an uncomfortable way to hang around a Renaissance Faire. Although it might explain why that long tunic was so popular amongst medieval men.
He followed Drina through the gate once more to where jeans prevailed over breeches, and he was able to settle his jumpy urges as he listened to the conversations around him.
Joe was, apparently, fine. No lasting injury other than to his pride. He'd gone to the emergency room for an evaluation, but other than the ankle he seemed in good shape. Drina was receiving a lot of hugs and pats from people who appreciated her stepping in, and Tad realized the little show had been completely off-the-cuff. He was impressed with her all over again.
"Drina, we're in your debt. Thanks and congratulations, my dear." An elderly man walked through the chaos and stopped in front of them. His air of command clearly indicated he was someone in charge and Drina's smile broadened at his words.
"Glad I could help, Mike." She half-turned. "Tad, this is Mike Stafford, the tournament director. Mike, this is Tad Fisher. We first met in Junior High."
Mike grimaced as he held out his hand to Tad. "If she met you in Junior High and remembers your name it's either very good or very bad. But whatever the case, it's nice to meet you."
Tad chuckled. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. Nice to meet you too. I've been a long time fan of this whole deal. Now I've got an even better grasp of what goes on and I'm in awe."
"Mike..." A man rushed up to his side waving a cell phone. "Just got through talking to Joe and his ER nurse. He's good but won't be able to ride for two weeks at least. They're putting a walking cast on the ankle."
"Ahh, shoot." Mike ran a hand over his face in frustration. "Andy can take over his role against Jeff. Or we can put Jeff in as Trueheart and Andy can do the dark knight role. But that still leaves us one squire short and I can't get hold of anyone for tomorrow's show."
"What about the guy from Providence?" Drina looked at the older man. "Isn't he available?"
Mike shook his head. "Got a wedding this weekend. I just got through checking our back-up log. Next weekend we're covered, but today and tomorrow—we're screwed."
"I could..." Drina tentatively waved her hands.
"Uh, sorry, honey. You're small, blonde and all woman. Not that I don't appreciate the offer or the assets of course, but in the interests of believability you make a better fairy queen than a squire on horseback."
She sighed as they all lapsed into a thoughtful moment; a not-quite-silence interrupted with the clatter of hooves, the neighing of horses and the jangle of medieval armor and tack.
Drina raised her head and turned to stare at Tad, an arrested expression on her face that chilled him to his balls. She lifted her finger and pointed at him.
He gulped.
"You." Her eyes widened and a smile crossed her lips. "You, Tad Fisher."
"Yes. Me Tad Fisher. You Jane?" If he kept her off-guard with his rapier wit, perhaps she wouldn't go where he had a nasty feeling she was headed. Unfortunately, it seemed he'd lost the point from his rapier and his wit was blunt today.
"Idiot." She spun back to Mike who was looking more than a little confused. "He'll do perfectly, even though he's a bit dense at times. I know he rides. He's certainly big enough and he's man enough to pass as a squire."
"Well, I don't know..." Mike eyed Tad. "I hate to have to ask. But I will agree with you, Drina." He smiled widely and held out his hand again. "Thanks a mil, Tad. We all appreciate the offer. Drina'll show you around. There's one more show today and two tomorrow. Free pass for you of course." Tad's bones rattled against the energy of Mike's shake. "You're a real lifesaver, man. Thanks again."
>
He hurried off, leaving Tad wondering if the past few moments had actually happened or if he was in the middle of a waking nightmare. Apparently he'd gone from guest to player. From mild-mannered antiques dealer to medieval squire.
The curvaceous blonde cause of all his problems smiled sunnily up at him as she slipped her arm through his. "You are truly the answer to a maiden's dreams, Tad."
"A knight in shining armor?" He quirked an eyebrow at her and tried not to look down the front of her gown.
She gave a tiny giggle. "I suppose you could say that. But I think in this instance it's more of a the-play-must-go-on kind of thing."
"There will be a price, you know." He paused, drawing her to a standstill beside him in the shadows of the barn.
"Oh?" Her tone was challenging. "Says who?"
"Says me." His arm slipped around her waist with ease and he drew her against him, pulling her to her tiptoes. "Your knight. My price is an evening together. When we're done here—and if memory serves me this whole place closes around sunset—you and I will leave and get dinner someplace."
"We will?"
"Yes." His arm tightened and he could feel her heart beating as he pressed her tightly to him and wondered if she could feel him growing aroused against her softness. "No arguments from you. I will help out here as best I can. But that's what I ask in return. Spend the evening with me."
She gazed at him, her blue eyes intense and curious. "Hmm."
"That had better be a yes."
Her gazed dropped to his mouth and she licked her lips. He didn't know if it was deliberate or involuntary, but to him it was an invitation. And one he accepted.
With a smothered oath, he lifted her clean off her feet and kissed her, a hard urgent kiss that had her reaching for him, wrapping her arms around his neck and willingly parting her lips to welcome his tongue inside her mouth.
He groaned, delving deeply into the moist sweetness, tasting spice and Drina, mixed with the tang of something strawberry.
She groaned too, a tiny sound deep in her throat that was more than enough to shoot a flash of lust directly to his groin. He hardened painfully, aware that she was gripping him with her thighs as well as clutching at him with her arms and trying to suck his kidneys out through his mouth.
Jesus fucking Christ. The flash of lust exploded into a crashing wave of need that shattered any notions he had about his feelings for this woman. He wanted her. He wanted her so badly his teeth ached with it, and he was inches away from ripping the clothing from their bodies and sating himself inside her right there up against the horse barn.
The horse barn. At the Faire, for fuck's sake. In public.
What the hell was he doing?
He answered his own question as he disentangled their bodies and gently lowered her to her feet. He was losing his sanity. That was what he was doing. Losing it to a scant hundred pounds of sexual powerhouse; a blonde with breasts that he wanted in his hands and his mouth, and thighs that were strong enough to hold his head firmly in place as he sucked at her and made her come in his mouth.
Jesus fucking Christ again.
He nearly groaned as she stared at him, lips rosy and sheened by his saliva, her eyes vague and needy and her pulse hammering at the base of her throat.
She swallowed. "Okay."
"What?" He'd lost track of where they were. He wasn't sure which part of the galaxy they were in right at that moment, let alone where the conversation had left off.
"God, guys. Get a room."
The jovial comment from an amused passer-by recalled them both to the present and Tad watched color creep into Drina's cheeks as she lowered her gaze.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that here." He touched her beneath the chin and lifted her face. "I'm not sorry I did it, just that I picked the wrong time and the wrong place."
"Okay." She sighed and straightened her dress with a brush of her hands. "My fault as well."
"Drina?" She glanced at him. "There will be a right time and a right place. And there's something going on here. You and me." He waved his hand in the space between them. "I'm not going to stop until I find out what it is."
"Really?"
He wished he could read her eyes, but at that moment they were shadowed by the flowers in her hair. "Yes, really. So this is the point where you either agree to come explore this with me, or you walk away and I let it go."
It was a gamble, he knew, because he wasn't sure if he would actually be able to let it—or her—go, his own words notwithstanding. But Tad wanted things clear between them. For some reason it seemed important to make sure Drina knew what he wanted. And even more important for him to know if she wanted the same thing.
"I'll help you out here, of course. I said I would and I will. Your decision on us has nothing to do with that." He looked away. "I'll put on a costume and ride in the tournament or whatever. No problem. But afterward..." he paused, "I've tasted you now, Drina. I want more."
He looked down to catch a strange smile on her face. For a second or two he'd have sworn she looked...eager. But then it was gone, and she was back to the noncommittal and innocent expression he was discovering hid a will of iron.
"Then we'll have to see if more will meet your expectations, won't we?"
She dipped him a perfect curtsey and walked away, leaving him with a sudden rush of heat searing his crotch.
She twisted and looked back at him. "Come on then. I have to find you a costume and tell you what you need to do."
Tad grinned. If there was one thing she didn't have to worry about, it was telling him what to do. He knew exactly.
It turned out he'd been waiting for many years for just this opportunity. Who'd have guessed the kid he'd found so fascinating in school would have blossomed into a woman he desired with every fiber in his body?
He barely managed to stop rubbing his hands together in anticipation. God, this was going to be a night for the record books if he had anything to say about it.
*~*~*~*
Drina tried not to be inappropriate as Tad changed clothes in an empty stall, but the temptation to peek was irresistible. He'd turned his back on her as he peeled off his shirt and hung it on an empty peg next to other garments. The stalls doubled as dressing rooms for several of the players since space was always at a premium and privacy little more than a curtain across an opening.
His back was lightly tanned and nicely muscled, his shoulders broader than she'd realized. His torso tapered to a firm waist, and she ignored the proprieties to watch him slip out of his pants.
Tighty whities weren't era-appropriate, but the ass they hugged—well, that would have made any woman sit up and take notice, no matter what age she lived in. His butt was perfectly rounded and, to Drina's overheated mind, easily categorized as munchable. She had a quick vision of stripping off those briefs and sinking her teeth into one buttock.
Then she felt her cheeks burn and finally looked away.
She wanted him.
She wouldn't tell him, of course. He was going to think it was his idea, that he was driving the train toward their sexual involvement. She didn't care particularly about that, since for her the end justified the means.
She was going to take him to her bed and into her body. And with luck, shortly thereafter, she could finally kick him out of her life forever. He'd haunted her for much too long, lurking in the background, popping into her private fantasies and—possibly—interfering with her relationships.
She'd had a couple of intense ones, but none that had led to where most of her friends now found themselves...married and with families.
Granted, her life had been different to theirs. Her mother's remarriage had introduced Drina to a new life; one that focused less on what was for dinner and more on who would be joining them. She'd learned about dining out, making small talk and the useful things one could learn if one kept one's ears open. Her college courses had revolved around finance, her small portfolio had begun as a play-cum-experiment, and
now she could safely say she had a good financial foundation. A few hours here and there online checking her investments and her personal finances were all set for another year.
If she lived frugally, she didn't even need to work although she liked to, and had opened a small storefront consultancy in Carver. There was something very satisfying about helping others get their finances in order, especially in what was, essentially, a very small town where most everyone knew everyone else.
She'd invested wisely over the years, and now had a Boston condo—rented at the moment—a summer rental in Maine, and a small ski chalet in the White Mountains. They were more for income than pleasure, however. She'd chosen a tiny little saltbox home for her own use, nestled on the edge of the cranberry bogs not far from the fairgrounds. It was cozy, had everything she needed, and with the addition of a garage to house her car, plus a guestroom doubling as an office, she was quite content. The fact that the addition was larger than the actual house never bothered her. She'd asked the builder to make it look like a barn and match the siding on the house as closely as possible.
He'd come through for her and now visitors were occasionally muddled as to which building housed Drina and which housed her hybrid vehicle.
She already knew this was where she'd bring Tad. He'd barely fit into the small bedroom she'd filled with an antique queen sized four-poster, but the close quarters would work for sex. They'd be on top of each other without even realizing it.
Just the thought of being naked on top of Tad started an ache low in Drina's belly. She wasn't quite sure when she'd last had more than a passing interest in a man. Her interests were varied, she enjoyed traveling when the occasion arose, and somehow romance had been pushed further and further toward the back burner.
She had friends for company if she didn't want to be alone, and technology provided several useful devices should her need for physical release be overwhelming.
