“A number of things come to mind, my modern kitchen, the stove, and the refrigerator definitely. I miss the ease and selection of foods available to me." Shakira grinned and sat cross-legged on the bed. "You're smirking. You think I’m silly?"
"Silly? No. Adorable, yes. You missing your kitchen is cute. Go on, what else?"
"Your turn."
"Not to be gross, but flush toilets--really miss those, and hot, running water. Hmm...what else? I’ll go with books, I miss letting the cares of the day be forgotten in a good story. Your turn."
"I long for the variety of music we have and the rich sound of instruments not invented yet,” he said, locking the gift away with their contemporary things. “Come sit with me by the fire.”
They dragged the trunk to the hearth and propped pillows from the bed against it. Alex seated Shakira between his legs nestled against his chest.
"Where were we?" Alex smoothed her hair down so the fine ends didn't tickle his nose. "Ah yes, music and books. I do read a lot at the cottage but for me, music is a piece of heaven."
He was quiet for a moment, then said, "Rocky, thank you for everything. Any other woman would be expressing their hatred for this place and their misery daily. This is so alien to the life you knew. Yet, you’ve worked hard to make my people happy, not to mention how happy you’ve made me."
"You make the difference Alex. I’m not as noble as you believe. What I do, I do for you," she said softly. "What else do you miss? Wait, let’s reverse the question. What do you miss from this century, if anything?"
He slid a hand under her skirt and played with a garter, watching her curl the toes of each stockinged foot, wiggling them towards the heat. "Good question. Let me think. Conversation, the camaraderie no one has time for at home.
"Outside of Ian, there isn't anyone I'm good friends with. Most people don't want to be part of a dialogue unless it's an anonymous and sterile internet environment. Without distractions like television, iPods, or computers, people were compelled to talk to each other more." His rough hands found smoother traveling along her skin where there was nothing for calluses to snag and catch. "The measure of a man is bound to come to light if you talk to him enough."
"I take it you had more friends in this time besides Basil?"
"Yes, a couple, Stephen and Simon. Had I lived, probably Jared, once he matured."
"Speaking of Stephen, what a fine tenor."
"That, he is. If we were home, I’d make him a star."
"Judging from the females tonight and those who follow him around, he’s a star here. He'll be mobbed when the army returns." Shakira twisted in his arms and smiled in that female way when there’s good gossip to be had. "Which lady does he end up with?"
"None."
"None?"
"He isn’t coming home."
It took a moment for the meaning to sink in. "I'm sorry I asked," she said and collapsed against his chest. “I accepted the inevitability of Basil’s death, but I never envisioned Stephen, or even Simon, dying in battle. It makes me frightened for you."
"Rocky—"
"Every time a stranger rides through the gates I hold my breath. I’m terrified it's one of the king's men come early to order you to court."
He kissed the top of her head. "You can't torture yourself with those thoughts. We may not return to our century, but we will leave here. I’ll find a way to make us safe.”
“Me maybe, not you, I’m so horribly afraid the king will hunt you down."
Shakira was right and wrong. If the king found him, he’d find her. She wasn’t safe either. Alex stared at the fire. Their best chance for survival lay in a holding he’d never see
Chapter Forty-Three
The midnight black horse and cloaked rider burst from the long shadow of the abbey wall into the light. Shakira spurred Eclipse into a swift canter. Calves flexed, she squeezed his barrel hard one more time. He instantly responded, his extended strides eating up more ground with each hoofbeat. They rode against the wind. With the cowl of her cloak blown back, the chill air stung her cheeks and whipped through her hair. Loose strands teased her nose and caught at the edge of her mouth.
Although none of her escort spoke to her unless she addressed them first, the knights laughed and joked with each other as the pace increased. For the few miles on the journey back to Elysian Fields, she’d relish every ray of light, every smell, and every minute of freedom. The next time she left the castle for the abbey, she’d also be leaving the outside world behind. There’d be no returning.
Tonight was for memories and images she’d cherish and burn into her heart and mind. After tonight, she’d never see Alex again. The taste of him, the sound of his voice, the feel of his skin when they touched she’d capture and hold. The impact of losing him, losing their future, losing hope, crushed the breath from her, and she battled the pain.
Time and time again, she tried to push the sorrow away, reminding herself of the necessity of the drastic action. She and Alex had ridden daily to the rock and failed. To survive, he had to leave Elysian Fields, soon. Escape meant living off the land for days or weeks. With the king’s men close behind, she’d slow him down, physically and emotionally. Chivalrous, in this case to a fault, he'd tell her a kind lie and say she wasn't a burden. How could she not be? Valuable time would be wasted while he sought better refuge for her than he would for himself alone. The lost time aggravated by additional lost hours foraging for extra food.
The convent was the only viable solution. At least the abbey offered the basics of life. More important, her chances for meeting a brutal end were reduced. Few safe choices existed for a woman alone in this world.
Abbess Turcotte indicated a smattering of unwanted wives lived at Hailes. "None so exalted as you, Lady Guiscard," she said with an avaricious grin when Shakira dropped her "donation" into the abbess’s palm. Turcotte wound the black pearls around her hand. "You might commiserate with each other as long as association doesn’t interfere with your duties."
Turcotte. Shakira dug a heel into Eclipse’s side only once before he broke into a gallop. His heavy footfalls and those of her escort’s horses as they pounded the hard dirt road provided a welcome distraction. She put the abbey from her mind and lost herself in the temporary exhilaration of the smooth gait. She listened to the four beat sequence, thrilling at the seconds when all four hooves were suspended. The joy of the ride took over.
A rabbit darted from the shrubbery across the road. Shakira wheeled Eclipse hard to the right and narrowly missed trampling the hare. Eclipse’s whinny of protest swallowed her startled gasp. She circled him in a wide arc until he calmed. The second time around he slowed enough for her to ease her firm grip on the reins. Her focus was on a gap in the thick bushes she hadn’t seen before.
"Stephen, that trail there--" She pointed a gloved finger at the small path half-hidden in the shade. "Where does it lead?" Alex mentioned another trail once after they visited the outcropping. "Does the path lead to the granite boulder?" she asked, as the knight trotted over and pulled his mount parallel to her.
"Yes. But, it's rarely used, especially in the winter. The damp footing isn't good for the horses. You notice how difficult the entrance is to see, once on the path it grows worse. Dense shrubbery darkens the way and the floor is dangerous with twisted vines and roots. The wider trail is safer." Stephen pointed toward the path she and Alex always used. "Was there something in particular you're looking for there, milady? One of us can venture down if you like."
Had the gauntlet disappeared? Desperate to know, Shakira nearly said yes. If it was gone, she’d enter the convent with the firm hope Alex might make it back after all. It was too late for her, but perhaps there existed a glimmer of a chance for him. Instead, she hid her anxiety. Better not to act too interested in the boulder or attract undo attention to the spot. She’d wait until her final trip to the abbey and then look one last time.
"Milady..."
"Yes?"
"Did you want
me to test the condition?" Stephen asked.
"Sorry, no, I was just curious." She touched the heels of her boots to Eclipse’s sides, cueing him into a canter. She touched him again and galloped the distance to the castle.
***
Alex was in their chamber packing for Wales when she returned.
"I’ll be gone at least seven days," he said.
She tossed her cloak onto a chair then stepped up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Since you’re leaving tomorrow, I wanted you to myself tonight and ordered dinner sent up here.” Her fingertips worked their way under the drawstring of his hose to tease his hipbones and tickle the line of hair that started under his belly button. “Do you mind?" she asked, resting her chin on the back of his shoulder, her fingers still dancing along his flesh.
"Have I ever minded having you alone?" He turned and pulled her close.
His kiss dispelled any doubt. At first a light brush, it built slow like Ravel's Bolero as he parted her lips. The soft contact evolved into a penetrating, deep demand for more. She broke away only to draw breath, then indulged in the luxury of giving him a tortuous kiss in kind.
Alex groaned as she nipped his lower lip and wet a supple path along the seam of his lips. Her tactics suggestive and seductive, there'd be no rush to plunder but to conquer bit by bit, until he was as enthralled as she.
Shakira was captivated, weak in the knees and drained of any awareness other than Alex's touch, his taste, his scent. His sensuous presence overwhelmed her. She savored the way he tasted of ale and apple. She reveled in the feel of stubble on a cheek that smelled of his shaving soap. She melted at the hotness of his hand when he splayed his fingers into the curve of her spine and pressed her tight to him. Muscled thighs blinded her to all but him and how he made her feel. Every pore became a pinprick of fire. She burned for him.
Is it a sin to want someone so much? To willingly lose your soul for a few kisses, a well placed touch, the delicious high when he’s inside you. Maybe sacrifice was the price of love, the trade-off for the sin of loving too much. She wouldn't dwell on that now. There'd be plenty of time later for sorrow.
His strong arm tightened over her shoulders as he whispered earthy, impassioned suggestions in her ear. The carnal and wicked deeds he would do, he wanted done--words that inflamed the senses. His other hand slid down and rubbed her buttocks. Even through the heavy wool of her skirt, she felt his hard erection jump when she wriggled her hips.
"Let me make love to you," she managed to mumble.
"You don't have to ask twice." He shot her a lopsided grin and winked, his fingers already undoing her tunic laces.
Shakira grabbed his hands, halting the rapid progress he'd made on the garment. "No, I have a plan."
"A shameless, down and dirty plan?"
"Will steamy do?"
"I'm yours to command, milady. Where do you want me?"
"Close your eyes."
Alex complied.
She withdrew a length of fine woven linen from her skirt pocket, blindfolded him, and then waved a hand in front of his face. When he didn’t react, she led him to the edge of the bed and had him sit. She knelt in front of him and began removing his leather boots. Easing the first off, she ran her fingernails along the back and inside of his calf, pleased with his sudden intake of air. With her other hand, she loosened the laces of her tunic and slipped it over her head before she removed the second boot.
Alex reached for her as she bent to her task.
"You’re not allowed to touch yet," she said in her stern lawyer voice and he dropped his hands to his sides. "Lie down," she ordered.
He quickly obeyed.
She retrieved the bowl of mulled wine she’d hidden under the bed earlier in the day. That morning she'd filched some late summer cherries the cook had pitted, dried, and then soaked the fruit in the wine all day.
She rubbed a plump, drenched cherry along Alex's lips leaving a trail of dark juice. His tongue darted out to investigate. He drew the treat into his mouth and held it for a heartbeat before biting into the delicacy. The pungent aroma of the wine’s spices filled the air. The sharp, tangy scent of cloves, the gentler, rich odor of cinnamon, and the sweet scent of honey drifted enticingly from his lips.
"Like it?" she asked in a husky voice.
"Hmmm," he nodded. "More."
Gathering her skirt to the top of her thighs, she swung a leg over and straddled him. "This one you'll have to work for." She held the cherry between her lips and bent, lightly pressing it to his mouth. He caught onto her game and extracted the morsel with artful expertise. But not before the succulent nectar dripped down her chin. Even blindfolded, he traced the sweet path with his tongue.
Remember tonight.
When the small bowl of cherries disappeared behind eager lips, he licked non-existent juice from her collarbone. Her skin tingled with the erotic contact and where his lips grazed with a soft caress. She clasped his ribcage tighter with her thighs, losing herself to the moment, to his ministrations.
Remember me.
Another minute of this distraction and her plan would disintegrate. "Stand up," she said with some regret. He slid his hands under her arms lifting her with him. As he stood, he cupped her breasts, pressing his advantage.
"What did I say about touching?"
"I wasn't touching for the reason you think. I was trying to maintain my balance," he said and began to sway.
She batted his hands away.
"Rubbish and stop weaving. You're not off balance. Hold onto your blindfold," Shakira instructed as she raised his tunic over his head. She slipped her fingers under the drawstring of his hose but didn't remove them yet. Instead, she kissed his throat and worked her way to his navel, stopping to blow on each warm, wet spot before she moved on. She lingered caressing the silky trail of hair on his belly with her face and lips.
She tugged on his hose. The warmer skin of his abdomen a marked contrast to the cool flesh her mouth so recently abandoned. Again, she tugged. The hose edged further down. The effort slowed as his eager arousal strained against the material. Finished, she threw the hose to the side and stroked him, her finger and thumb skimmed his length.
A low growl rumbled from deep within his chest and he reached for her hair. Already wet for him, her restraint slipping, a heart pounding rush of blood heated her cheeks. She pulled away and stripped the rest of her clothes off, cursing what seemed like zillions of bits and pieces.
Naked, she knelt again. One hand cradled and rolled his balls in her palm. With her forefinger, she pressed rhythmically against the vulnerable spot behind them. Alex moaned something unintelligible. What a turn-on the power was. He was as lost to her as she to him and she loved it. With the tip of her tongue, she swirled the droplet that leaked from the dark rose head and took him in her mouth.
Her eyes flew open as Alex jerked her head back with one hand, yanking the blindfold off with the other. "I want to watch." The hold on her hair gentled even as the veins she licked and teased throbbed.
He was close, so close, the urgency of his climax evident. Near the end he tried to use restraint, but Shakira continued, shattering his control. Spent, he withdrew and eased her up, kissing her with great thoroughness. He tasted of sugary wined cherries and that sweetness mingled with the residual saltiness of his essence.
"You didn't have to do that."
"I wanted to. I like toying with you."
"You're in luck. I believe you'll find me a satisfactory plaything for hours of entertainment. I have many movable parts." He wiggled his brows and squatted down to stoke the fire, not in the least self-conscious at his nudity. She marveled at the lack of modesty. The warrior body she ogled. At times, she longed for the artistic talent to sketch him, a token to keep nearby.
"If that was my send off because I'm leaving tomorrow, I'll have to go away more often."
"Let's not talk about leaving. Let's eat in bed and talk about the countryside you'll see and make love some more."
Shakira turned so he wouldn't see she held back tears.
Later, she lay cuddled against Alex. Only she didn't sleep. He woke a couple of times as she stroked his chest and drew a light hand over his stomach. He mumbled, and she held still, listening, waiting to hear any variation of “I love you” his sleepy mind might manage. Without opening his eyes, he kissed the top of her head and fell back asleep.
Chapter Forty-Four
"I'll be back in a week, hopefully, ten days max," Alex said, while he and Shakira worked with the fasteners on his mail and plate.
"What’s this?" she asked, tapping a skirt of overlapping steel rows that attached to his breastplate and covered his abdomen.
"A fauld. It’s supposed to protect your stomach and keep you from getting gutted."
"Clever."
"Trust me, it’s highly overrated."
She placed her palms against his metalled chest then pressed her forehead on the cold steel.
"Are you crying?"
She shook her head.
"Hey," he said.
She glanced up. He’d seen the same haunted look in the eyes of men on the battlefield--an emptiness as they held the body of a lost comrade. "What's got you so upset?"
"Nothing," she said. "Last time you went away it only took four days."
"I’m traveling farther this trip. From here I ride to the Bristol Channel and sail a fair distance to Cardigan Bay." Until he saw the condition of the property, he’d leave his destination vague. "It’ll be brass monkeys cold. I expect by the end of the crossing my balls will be behind my sternum, but going by ship saves a lot of time." He shivered thinking about the frigid waters of the Irish Sea.
Shakira held him with a sudden ferocity. Pressed so close, he swore her heat would penetrate his armor. He started to kiss her goodbye when she buried her face in his neck and blurted, "I love you. Remember I love you." Alarm bells sounded in his head at the urgency of the muffled words.
A terrible sense of foreboding crawled up Alex's spine. She never told him she loved him before, although he knew she did, and he loved her. He believed himself impervious to the emotion, always able to control the depth of his attachments. This was uncharted territory for him. His love for her both excited and unsettled him. For now, he pushed his mixed emotions aside more concerned with the disquiet that filled him in her tone.
Journey in Time (Knights in Time) Page 22
